Precipitation/Dissolution Reactions in Soils

Precipitation and dissolution reactions of primary and secondary minerals are an integral part of the chemistry of soils and have ramifications for chemical weathering, nutrient availability, soil genesis, global change, and environmental concerns. Chemical weathering is one of the major processes controlling the global hydrogeochemical cycle of elements. ¹ As a dissolution reaction, 194chemical weathering represents the release of plant nutrients such as Mg, Ca, K, P, Fe, Mn, and B from primary minerals for plant uptake and recycling in plant ecosystems. Work by Sparks ² has demonstrated the importance of K release from minerals on crop growth in agronomic systems, while nutrient release and recycling has long been of interest for sustainable productivity in forested ecosystems. ^{4 – 6} As essentially a H⁺ consuming process, mineral dissolution is also important in countering the long-term effects of acidic deposition on watersheds. ^{7 – 10}