Soil phosphate surveys: critical approaches to sampling, analysis and interpretation
✍ Scribed by J. Crowther
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1997
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 217 KB
- Volume
- 4
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1075-2196
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✦ Synopsis
Variations in phosphate concentrations with depth and the effects of variability in the capacity of soils to fix phosphate can cause spurious patterns in phosphate surveys. Using the results from three contrasted sites in Wales, this paper illustrates the nature and magnitude of the problems that can arise, and explores various means by which more meaningful results might be achieved. Attention focuses on the adoption of more effective sampling strategies; modification of standard laboratory methods to overcome problems relating to textural variability in soils; extension of the range of soil characteristics analysed to include properties, such as organic matter, that can aid in the interpretation of the phosphate data; and the use of regression analysis to 'filter out' the effects of variations with depth and phosphate-retention capacity.