Study on Exchangeable Cation Determining Base Saturation Percentage of Soil in South China

Abstract

Ca2+ (0.32 ± 0.21 and 0.36 ± 0.24 cmol(+)/kg) > H+ (0.23 ± 0.13 and 0.19 ± 0.10 cmol(+)/kg) > K+ (0.16 ± 0.09 and 0.16 ± 0.11 cmol(+)/kg) > Mg2+ (0.13 ± 0.09 and 0.11 ± 0.08 cmol(+)/kg) > Na+ (0.08 ± 0.06 and 0.11 ± 0.06 cmol(+)/kg). For red soil group, Al3+ concentration was significantly higher than those of other exchangeable cations, Ca2+ and H+ concentrations were significantly higher than those of K+, Mg2+ and Na+; while for yellow soil group, Ca2+, H+ and K+ concentrations were significantly higher than those of Mg2+ and K+. BSP of red soil group was codetermined by Ca2+, Al3+, Mg2+ and Na+, with the contributions of 33.81%, 19.82% and 14.49%, respectively; while BSP of yellow soil group was codetermined by Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+, with the contributions of 24.91%, 21.55%, 19.91% and 14.21%, respectively. A higher concentration of exchangeable cation does not mean the higher importance of the cation to soil BSP.