Soil System - Click picture to enlarge
Clay Minerals
“Any clay is a population of different particles. Each particle is itself a population of micro-domains. When the environment changes, each micro-domain and each particle starts changing.” (Millot, 1989).
-The role of clay is perhaps the most important soil reaction after photosynthesis.
-The most common exchange cations and in the sequence of relative attractive forces are;
Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+ ~ K+ > Na+.
-Common anions in clay materials are SO4-, Cl2-, PO43-, NO3-.
-In order for impacted soil systems to cycle nutrients affectively mineral restoration is essential, particularly the restoration of high activity clays.
Root Systems
-Absorption of water and nutrients occur over the extent of the root system but the majority of activity occurs in the younger and deeper roots.
-Plants in later stages of development receive their nutrients and water from the deeper soil layers even when top soils are abundantly supplied with similar nutrients.
-Absorption of nutrients from subsoil increases both protein and quantity of yield.
(Weaver, 1926)