Physiochemical properties of soils at Risdalsheia and Sogndal: RAIN project

Abstract

The RAIN project investigates the interactions between acid deposition, vegetation, soil and water. This report presents physical and chemical properties of soil samples collected in the fall of 1982. These are background data before the artificial acidification at Sogndal and the exclusion of acid rain at Risdalsheia started. The Risdalsheia soils are strongly acid with ph (H2O) values ranging from 3.7 to 4.7. The Sogndal soils are weakly acid with ph (H2O) values varying between 4.2 and 5.8. The base saturation is lower and the aluminum saturation higher at Risdalsheia than at Sogndal. The Al-PH relationship is also different in the two soils. The concentration of wates-soluble SO4- S is higher and the concentration of of adsorbed SO4-S lower at Risdalsheia than at Sogndal.