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| The stratification of surface soil pH
resulting from urine application
Research Supervisors: Research Staff:
Funding: Duration:
1994 -1998 The existence of stratified soil pH profiles has
been identified under improved pastures throughout
south eastern Australia. However there have been
few studies conducted which examine the formation
of such layers. Processes involved in the cycling
of nitrogen within the plant/soil system are known to
be acidifying and the acidification rates are high
in systems which experience high nitrogen
input. Urinary return by stock is a high input of
nitrogen, and the development of surface soil pH
stratification following urine application is known to be rapid.
This phenomenon may be the result of the effect
which urine has on the magnitude and depth at
which nitrogen transformation processes occur within soil. |