Abstract
pH($H_2O$), pH(KCI), CEC(cation exchange capacity), O.M.(organic matter) and exchangeable cations(K, Na, Ca, Mg) of paddy soil, upland soil and forest soil in Kumi city were investigated for the purpose of knowing soil acidification and the correlation between soil acidification and leaching of inorganic salts. The mean pH($H_2O$) values of paddy soil were 5.23(surface soil) and 5.69(subsoil) and 4.74(subsoil). The were 6.37(surface soil) and 6.11(subsoil), and those of forest soil were 4.67(surface soil) and 4.74(subsoil). The mean pH(KCl) values of paddy soil were 4.59(surface soil) and 4.98(subsoil) were 5.48(surface soil) and 5.04(subsoil), and those of forest soil were 3.82(surface soil) and 3.89(subsoil). The acidification of forest soil was more rapid than that of paddy soil and upland soil/ The total mean amounts of exchangeable cations(K, Na, Ca, Mg) in paddy soils were 6.14me/100g(surface soil) and 5.64me/100g(subsoil), and those in upland soils were 6.86me/100g(surface soil) and 6.65me/100g(subsoil), and those in forest soils were 4.06me/100g(surface soil) and 3.34me/100g(subsoil). The contents of inorganic salts in forest soil were much less than those of paddy soil and upland soil. The correlation coefficients(r) between pH($H_2O$) values and the total amounts of exchangeable cations in soils were $0.6635^{**}$(surface soil) and $0.6946^{**}$(subsoil), and those between pH(KCl) values and exchangeable cations in soils were 0.6629(surface soil) and $0.5675^{**}$(subsoil). The correlation between soil acidification and leaching of inorganic salts in soil was positively significant at 1% level.
