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Base Cations

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Atmospheric Deposition and Forest Nutrient Cycling

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 91))

Abstract

The cycles of base cations differ from those of N, P, and S in several important respects. Inorganically driven processes such as weathering, cation exchange, and soil leaching are often considerably more important in base cation cycles than in the cycles of N, P, and S, whereas organic processes such as heterotrophic immobilization and oxidation are typically less important (Figure 8.1). The fact that Ca, K, and Mg exist primarily as cations in solution whereas N, P, and S exist primarily as anions has major implications for the cycling of these nutrients and the effects of acid deposition upon these cycles. The introduction of H+, whether by atmospheric deposition or by internal processes, will directly impact the fluxes of Ca, K, and Mg via cation exchange or weathering processes. Thus, soil leaching is often of major importance in cation cycles, and many forest ecosystems show a net loss of base cations (in contrast to net gains of N and P; Cole and Rapp 1981).

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  1. D. W. Johnson
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Sciences Center Desert Research Institute, University of Nevada System, 89506, Reno, NV, USA

    Dale W. Johnson

  2. Range, Wildlife and Forestry College of Agriculture, University of Nevada, 89512, Reno, NV, USA

    Dale W. Johnson

  3. Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    Steven E. Lindberg

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Johnson, D.W. (1992). Base Cations. In: Johnson, D.W., Lindberg, S.E. (eds) Atmospheric Deposition and Forest Nutrient Cycling. Ecological Studies, vol 91. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2806-6_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-2806-6_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-97632-7

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