• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.229-233
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Soil acidification, which is known to be one of the reasons of forest decline, is associated with decreases in exchangeable Ca and increases in Al concentration, leading to low Ca/Al ratio in soil solution. As tree rings are datable archives of environmental changes, Ca/Al ratios of annual growth ring may show decreasing pattern in accordance with the progress of soil acidification. This study was conducted to investigate Ca/Al pattern of Pinus densiflora tree ring in an attempt to test its usefulness as an indicator of historical soil acidification. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three P. densiflora tree disks were collected from P. densiflora forests in Jeonnam province, and soil samples (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm in depth) were also collected from the tree locations. Soils were analyzed for pH and exchangeable Ca and Al concentrations, and Ca/Al was calculated. Annual growth rings formed between 1969 and 2007 were separated and analyzed for Ca/Al. Soil Ca/Al was positively (P<0.01) correlated with soil pH, suggesting that soil acidification decreased Ca while increasing Al availability, lowering Ca/Al in soil solution. The Ca/Al of tree rings also showed a decreasing pattern from 18.2 to 5.5 during the period, and this seemed to reflect historical acidification of the soils. CONCLUSION(s): The relationship between soil pH and Ca/Al and the decreasing pattern of Ca/Al of tree ring suggest that Ca/Al of tree ring needs to be considered as a proxy of the progress of soil acidification in P. densiflora forest in southern Korea.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2011

With the increasing cultivation of acid-loving plants such as blueberries, the artificial acidification of soils is frequently required. This research was conducted to determine the application rates of elemental sulfur (S) required in the soil acidification for blueberry cultivation. Laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to acidify three arable soils (pH 6-7) of different texture to pH 4.5-5.0 by the addition of varying amounts of elemental S. All rates of elemental S addition reduced soil pH, although the efficacy of acidification was related to the application rate and soil characteristics. pH reduction was slow in sandy loam soil, and the final equilibrium pH was obtained after 60, 43, and 30 days of incubation in sandy loam, loam, and silty clay, respectively. Although the final pHs obtained after 93 days of incubation were not significantly different among the three soils, the equilibrium pH was relatively higher in soil of higher clay content in the application rates of 1.5-2.0 g S $kg^{-1}$ soil. The estimated amounts of elemental S required in lowering pH to 4.5-5.0 were 0.59-1.01, 0.67-1.03, and 0.53-0.88 g S $kg^{-1}$ for sandy loam, loam, and silty clay, respectively. The lowest estimated amount of elemental S in the acidification of silty clay soil was attributable to the low organic matter content. For clay soils containing optimum level of organic matter, the application rates of elemental S should be much higher than those values estimated in this research. Soil acidification did not significantly increase the available concentrations of Ca, Mg and K. Extractable Cu and Zn was not greatly affected by the acidification, but extractable Fe, Mn, and Al in the acidified soils were higher than those found in non-acidified soils. Such increases in solubility are attributable to the dissolution of oxides and hydroxides of the elements.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2001

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.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1764-1782
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the understanding on the acid-base, acid rain and soil acidification of the elementary students. The participants in the current study were 280 6th graders from a elementary school in Gyeongnam Province. A questionnaire consists of four categories: understanding of (a) acid-base basic knowledge, (b) acid rain and (c) soil acidification. (d) In addition, students were asked to comment about the introduction of the acid rain experiment in the science textbook. The results are as follows; First, the results regarding acid-base basic knowledge. They know the classification, characteristics, and properties of acid-based solutions well but they don't know the acid-base neutralization, examples using properties and application in real life. Second, the results regarding acid rain, students know the definition and damage of acid rain but they don't know the causing substances, emission source and way of solution of acid rain for lack of knowledge. Third, the results regarding soil acidification was the well-known part for the students because they had continued learning about the soil from the lesson of acid rain. Also, we looked into the difference in gender and region about the understanding of acid-base, acid rain and soil acidification. According to the gender of the data about the understanding of acid-base, acid rain and soil acidification, the percentage of correct answers of female was higher than male's. Also we expected that urban students were higher than rural students on the understanding of acid-base, acid rain and soil acidification, but the understanding of urban students were similar to rural students. Fourth, we got positive answers and negative answers to the introduction of acid rain experiment. Most of the positive opinion were I want to know a lot acid rain experiment", followed by "It is possible to prevent the risk of the damage and It seems to having fun and new order. Most of the negative opinion were Acid rain experiment may be difficult and complicated followed by Just a theory in the book is enough, Acid rain experiment were boring and not fun, Acid rain experiment is dangerous, There are many to study in this order.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of soil acidification on growth of Impatiens balsamina L. plants were transplanted to acidified soils with H$_2$SO$_4$ solution. The concentrations of soluble Ca, Mg, K, Al and Mn in the acidified soils increased with increment of H$^{+}$ addition to the soil. In both species, the plant height and root length were inhibited by soil acidification, showing much severer inhibition in Impatiens balsamina L. than in Tagetes patula L., As the soil pH decreases, the growth of underground parts decreased greatly than that of above ground parts in both species. Total dry weight decreased with increased Al concentration as well as lowered soil pH in both plants. There was a strong positive correlation between relative total dry weight and molar (Ca+Mg+K) / Al ratio of the soil. The results suggest that molar(Ca+Mg+K)/ Al ratio of the soil may be useful indicator for assessing the critical load of acid deposition in herb species.s.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1999

To find the latent effect of paper mill sludges (PMS) with and without alum, and alum paper mill sludge compost(PMSC) on aluminum toxicity of crops, the pH buffer capacity and the acidification resistance index (ARI) for PMSs and PMSC were investigated, comparing to upland soil. Buffer capacities of PMS with and without alum, and PMSC were significantly higher than $2.5cmol^+kg^{-1}$ of check soil as 137, 250, and $147cmol^+kg^{-1}$, respectively. Owing to such high buffer capacity of PMS and PMSC, they showed to be well-resisted to acidification.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.64-73
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• 2013

Because some particulate matter emission sources may inherently produce soluble species, or some soluble species may be produced during atmospheric transport, it is important to understand the origin of a particles's solubility when water-soluble tracers are used in source apportionment studies. Laboratory experiments were performed on three types of soils (Mongolia grassland, Mongolia desert, and Korean rural soils), to study the impact of acidification by nitric acid vapor on the solubility of metals in the soils. To achieve this goal, concentrations of water-soluble metals (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, and Fe) in the soils measured before and after acidification. Contributions of concentrations of water-soluble metal species before and after acidification attack to their total concentrations varied little with soil type. Concentrations of water-soluble Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, and Fe from the soils after interaction with nitric acid vapor increased, with significant increases in soluble Ca and Mn for all soil types suggesting soil acidification enhances the amount of leachable metal species in soil dust. There was little increase in water-soluble Na and K after acidification for each soil type. This experiment demonstrates that quantities of water-soluble metal species in particulate matter are produced under high gaseous nitric acid conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.1
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• pp.133-138
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• 2001

Increased base cation loss and Al mobilization, a consequence of soil acid neutralization responses, are common in air polluted areas showing forest decline. The prediction models of acid neutralization responses were developed by using indicators of soil acidification level(pH, and base saturation) in order to assess the forest soil sensitivity to acidification. The soil acidification level was greatest in Namsan followed by Kanghwa, Ulsan, and Hongcheon, being contrary to regional total $ANC_H$ pattern through soil columns leached with additional acid ($16.7mmol_c\;H^+/kg$), Both base exchange and Al dissolution were main acid neutralization processes in all study regions. There were low base exchange and high Al dissolution in the regions of the low total $ANC_H$. The $ANC_M$ by sulfate adsorption was greatest in Hongcheon compared with other regions even though the AN rate was very low as 6.4%. Coefficients of adjusted determination of simple and multiple regression models between soil acidification level indicators and the acid neutralization responses were more than 0.52(p<0.04) and 0.89(p<0.01), respectively. The result suggests that soil pH and base saturation are available indicators for predicting the acid neutralization responses. These prediction models could be used as an useful method to measure forest soil sensitivity to acidification.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.145-153
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• 2012

To obtain basic information for evaluating resistance of soil acidification for growth, net photosynthesis, $N_2$ fixation rate and nutrient status of Alnus firma and Alnus hirsuta seedlings grown in brown forest soil acidified with $H_2SO_4$ or $HNO_3$ solution were investigated (control (pH=5.9), LN (pH=5.0; Low levels of Nitric acid), HN (pH=4.0; High levels of Nitric acid), LS (pH=5.0; Low levels of Sulfuric acid), and HS (pH=4.0; High levels of Sulfuric acid)). The shoot dry weight of Alnus firma and Alnus hirsuta and the root dry weight of Alnus hirsuta seedlings grown in the HN, LS and HS were significantly less than that of the seedlings grown in the control. The Chlorophyll a/b ratio in leaves of Alnus firma at LN, LS and HS was significantly lower than that of control. The concentration of N in leaves of Alnus hirsuta at HS was significantly higher than that of control. The net photosynthetic rate of Alnus firma and Alnus hirsuta seedlings at LN and HN was higher than that of control. Based on the results, we concluded that the negative effects of soil acidification due to sulfate deposition are greater than those of soil acidification due to nitrate deposition on growth, net photosynthesis and $N_2$ fixation rate of Alnus firma more than Alnus hirsuta.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.317-324
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• 2001

Short-term effect of phosphogypsum on soil properties including acidification, salinity and metal availability were investigated under laboratory and field conditions. Phosphogypsum and mixtures of phosphogypsum and compost were added to soil and incubated in a laboratory condition with 15% moisture content. Phosphogypsum treatments were 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg soil and in the treatments of phosphogypsum and compost mixture 10 g of compost was added additionally. After the 30 days of incubation, an additional phosphogypsum and/or compost were added to the remaining soils at the same rates of the first treatments. pH, electrical conductivity, and available hazardous elements were measured periodically during the incubation. Field experiment was conducted in a plastic film house of mellon with four treatments of phosphogypsum and compost mixtures - 25+125, 50+125, 50+250 and 100+250 kg/165 $m^2$. pH, electrical conductivity, and hazardous elements in soil and total hazardous elements in leaf were measured. In the laboratory experiment, after 30 days of the first phosphogypsum application, soil pHs were lowered by 0.7-0.8 units. After the second treatment of phosphogypsum 0.2 units of additional acidification occurred. However, acidification was not observed in the soils treated with mixtures of phosphogypsum and compost. In the laboratory experiment, phosphogypsum treatments increased electrical conductivity very significantly. In field experiment, pH and electrical conductivity of soils treated with phosphogypsum were nearly the same as those of soil not treated with phosphogypsum. Since soil condition in the field study was an open system, the free acids and salts derived from phosphogypsum could be diffused down with water leaching through the soil profile and then any significant acidification or salt accumulation in the topsoil could not be observed. In both laboratory and field experiments, levels of available hazardous elements in soils treated with phosphogypsum were quite low and not different from the levels found in the control soil. Results obtained from this study suggest that application of phosphogypsum at appropriate rates on agricultural land appears of no concern in terms of acidity, salinity and hazardous element content of soil.