Evidence for microbial decomposition of organic acids during podzolization

Microbial aspects of podzolization were studied by percolating organic acids through sterile and non-sterile soil in columns. Six columns containing sand from a fluvioglacial sediment were percolated (90 mm d(-1)) with mor extract and an oxalate-citrate solution. In three of these, sterilized soil solutions were used. Weathering was enhanced by organic acids which formed complexes with aluminium and iron. In the non-sterile soil columns weathering by organic acids was inhibited at 7-8 cm because the acids were degraded by microorganisms. Weathering was evident from colour change, contents of extractable aluminium and iron, and the micromorphology. Enhanced weathering in the sterile columns was also suggested by larger amounts of aluminium, iron, silica and base cations leached from the columns. Comparison of the output of aluminium, iron and silica from the sterile soil with that from the non-sterile soil, suggests that probably an aluminium-iron-silicate phase was formed in the deeper parts of the non-sterile columns.