Aluminum solubility of strongly acidified allophanic Andosols from Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan

The aluminum solubility of acidified soils both from furrows and under tree canopies of a tea garden was studied using equilibrium experiments in 0.01 mol L−1 CaCl2 solution systems. The soils were originally classified as allophanic Andosols. The furrow soils were more severely acidified because of the heavy application of nitrogen fertilizer, especially in the upper soil horizons (pH[H2O] of 3.6–3.8 in the A1 and 2A2 horizons). These acidified soils were characterized by the dissolution of allophanic materials (allophane, imogolite and allophane-like materials) and by an increase in Al–humus complexes. Ion activity product (IAP) values of the strongly acidified soil horizons were largely undersaturated with respect to imogolite (allophanic clay) or gibbsite. Plots of p(Al3+) as a function of pH strongly indicated that Al solubility of the soils was largely controlled by Al–humus complexes, especially in the A1 horizon. In the canopy soils, which were more weakly acidified (pH[H2O] 4.9–5.0), Al solubility was close to that of gibbsite and allophanic materials, indicating that the solubility is partly controlled by these minerals.