Analysis of the indices of acidity in the soil profile and their relationship with pedogenesis

Abstract

A new notion—an acidic trace of pedogenesis in the field of soil acidity—is suggested. This notion implies a three-dimensional representation of the distribution of soil acidity in the soil profile and can be graphically shown in three two-dimensional projections that can be combined on a common V-diagram. Such V-diagrams are individual for each particular soil profile. At the same time, they have some common phenomenology in their shapes and in the position in the acidity field. A tendency for the S-shaped form of acidic trace is manifested by a sharp decrease in pH upon the reduction of base saturation at the high and low values of this index and by small changes in pH at the moderate values of base saturation in the area of acid buffering of the soil profile. This phenomenon is related to the weak acidity and polyfunctionality of the soils as ionite systems. An acidic trace can be subdivided into several characteristic parts related to different pedogenetic processes in their interaction. Its position in the field of acidity is largely determined by the acidity of parent material. Acidic traces of different types of soils in the northwestern Russia are discussed. It is argued that V-diagrams should be analyzed together with other soil characteristics.