Physical characterization of glacial rock flours from fjord deposits in South Greenland–Toward soil amendment
Greenlandic fjords contain vast amounts of glacially derived mineral material (glacial rock flour [GRF]), which may be used to amend structureless, low-clay, and water-repellent agricultural soils in South Greenland and elsewhere. In this study, we investigate key physical amendment properties of GR...
| Published in: | Soil Science Society of America Journal |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/aff18dea-9534-4a45-8a73-34ce5306ee65 https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20352 https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/files/471933355/Physical_characterization_of_glacial_rock_flours_from_fjord_deposits_in_South_Greenland_Toward_soil_amendment.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85123470303&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
| Summary: | Greenlandic fjords contain vast amounts of glacially derived mineral material (glacial rock flour [GRF]), which may be used to amend structureless, low-clay, and water-repellent agricultural soils in South Greenland and elsewhere. In this study, we investigate key physical amendment properties of GRF from 16 different deposits in South Greenland. The clay-sized fraction varied largely (range, 0.11–0.57 kg kg−1), and the particles were mostly angular. The specific surface area (SSA) determined by either ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME, polar liquid) (range, 13.32–88.06 m2 g−1) or water-vapor adsorption (range, 10.62–63.82 m2 g−1) agreed well (r = .90) and were comparable to kaolinitic-clay dominated cultivated soils (KA-soils) with clay content similar to the GRFs. The cation exchange capacities (CECs) (range, 4.25–21.91 cmol kg−1) were similar to or higher than those of the KA-soils. The water content at the permanent wilting point (PWP) for the GRFs were considerably lower than those of the KA-soils. The addition of 5% GRF to a sandy soil from Greenland showed a tendency (although not statistically significant) to increase plant available water (PAW). However, very high GRF addition (10 and 15%) significantly decreased the PAW. The specific surface charge (CEC/SSA) of the GRFs were higher than for comparable KA-soils, suggesting a good soil amendment potential. The results from this study are valuable toward designing sustainable GRF amendment strategies, matching a given cultivated soil with the right amount and type of GRF. |
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