A NEW METHOD FOR DETERMINING MINERAL WEATHERING RATES IN SOILS

A new procedure based on measuring the amounts of H+ consumed when a pulse of acidic artificial soil solution is passed through a soil column was used to determine mineral weathering rates of a soil (Humo-Ferric Podzol) from Roundtop Mountain near Sutton, Quebec. The method allows for quantification of H+ consumption due to weathering and H+ consumption due to cation exchange. Initial experiments yield a soil mineral weathering rate of 0.263 kmol ha-1 yr-1. This value is well within the range of results obtained by other workers in similar ecosystems. Multiple soil samples can be analysed in a relatively short time, allowing for better quantification of vertical and horizontal variation of H+ consumption within a site.