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Soil Buffering: Mechanism of Buffering Action & Importance

Assorted prairie grasses and sunflowers sink their roots deep into soil near Salina, Kansas. These perennials’ root systems grow and strengthen for years, preventing erosion and storing water. The thick sunflower roots in the photo are six feet long.

Buffers are aqueous systems that tend to resist changes in pH when small amounts of acid (H+) or (OH–) are added. A buffer system composes of a weak acid (the proton donor) and its conjugate base (the proton acceptor). A mixture of equal concentrations of acetic acid and acetate ion …

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Soil Reaction: Soil pH, Sources of H+ & OH- Ions

In soil, there may be found 3 types of reactions. They are neutral, alkaline, or acidic reactions. The measure of the chemical reaction of soil(degree of alkalinity or acidity) is expressed by its pH value. Soil pH Soil pH is the negative logarithm of the concentration of hydrogen ion (expressed …

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Soil Reaction: Importance & Factors Affecting Soil pH

Soil pH

The importance of soil pH can be classified into its direct and indirect effects on edaphology and pedology: Direct Effects 1. Toxic and destructive effect of OH– and H+ ions on root growth It is found that a destructive action on root tissues by acidity or alkalinity usually does not …

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