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Then, using the initial soil pH and the aluminium content, the amount of lime needed to raise the pH to a desired level can be calculated. [68] Amendments other than agricultural lime that can be used to increase the pH of soil include wood ash, industrial calcium oxide , magnesium oxide, basic slag (calcium silicate), and oyster shells.
The degree to which a given amount of lime per unit of soil volume will increase soil pH depends on the buffer capacity of the soil (this is generally related to soil cation exchange capacity or CEC). Most acid soils are saturated with aluminum rather than hydrogen ions. Soil acidity generally results from hydrolysis of aluminum. [4]
The best way to determine if the soil is acidic or deficient in calcium or magnesium is with a soil test which a university can provide with an agricultural education department for under $30.00 for United States residents. [8] Farmers typically become interested in soil testing when they notice a decrease in crop response to applied fertilizer.
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Soil acidification naturally occurs as lichens and algae begin to break down rock surfaces. Acids continue with this dissolution as soil develops. With time and weathering, soils become more acidic in natural ecosystems. Soil acidification rates can vary, and increase with certain factors such as acid rain, agriculture, and pollution. [1]
Adding limestone or “liming” a soil is a way to raise pH. [7] By raising the pH of a soil, microbial growth can be stimulated, which in turn increases biological processes, enabling nutrients to flow more freely through the soil. [8] When nutrients flow freely they are more accessible to plants and therefore can increase plant health and mass.
Soil chemistry is the study of the chemical characteristics of soil.Soil chemistry is affected by mineral composition, organic matter and environmental factors. In the early 1870s a consulting chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society in England, named J. Thomas Way, performed many experiments on how soils exchange ions, and is considered the father of soil chemistry. [1]