Using field and class laboratory data, compare and contrast the base metal nutrient cycles for two contrasting soil ecosystems

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Using field and class laboratory data, compare and contrast the base metal nutrient cycles for two contrasting soil ecosystems.

Introduction (context of study, background info)

‘West Walk’ is located in Hampshire, England and is the largest remaining fragment of the ‘Forest of Bere’ at 350 hectares. Consisting of a wide range of different plant and tree species, it is rich in biodiversity (Fig. 1) which in turn has a direct affect on the types of soils and nutrients in the area and the locations the differences can be found in.

Figure 1.  ‘Biodiversity in West Walk’

Soils are complex materials, reflecting the variability of the parent rock material and organic residues from which they form (McBride, 1994, p. 31). Soil is formed due to a combination of the weathering of inorganic material (the material in which McBride, 1994, labelled as the parent rock material or which could also be known as rock or sediment) and the decomposition of organic material (vegetation litter resulting in humus and decay products), a process known as ‘Soil Genesis’.

‘Soil Organic Matter’ consists of all living and dead organisms contained within the soil including for example, remains of plants and animals. Carbon, however, is the main constitute of organic matter accounting for approximately 58% of the total weight and so when measuring the amount of organic material in a soil, carbon is the main component measured (Ashman & Puri, 2002, p. 7). After the decomposition of organic matter ‘Humus’ is formed. Humus contains colloidal material which has a great influence on the chemical properties of the soil. Organic matter alters the physical nature of the soil as it binds together soil particles to make aggregates. Organic matter different depending on the environmental conditions, in this case, the different characteristics between pine and oak (Ashman & Puri, 2002, p. 10).

‘Soil Inorganic Matter’ is the parent material of the soil, this is mainly formed of sand, silt and clay as well as other small minerals and rock fragments. The inorganic matter is broken down to form soil through processes of chemical and mechanical weathering. Clay sized particles produce clay minerals and hydrous oxides of Fe and Al which later provide colloidal material similarly to the organic material.

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Aggregates are part of the structure of the soil and are the way in which sand silt and clay all bond together. They can consist of fine single grains or dense masses or material bonded together. Inside aggregates there are pores and these vary in size depending on the structure (the way in which the soil material is arranged). The way the soil is structure has a profound effect on the way processes take place and their pace (Ashman & Puri, 2002, p. 31).

‘Cations’ and ‘Anions’ are released into the soil after weathering and decomposition have taken ...

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