The contribution of clay and organic matter to the cation exchange capacity of the soil

Abstract

Partial regression analyses have been used to calculate mean values for the cation exchange capacities of the clay and organic matter from five groups of soils. It has been found that figures obtained for exchange capacities of the clays were in accord with what was known of their mineralogical composition. The corresponding figures for humus differed widely, the differences approaching significance, and were related to the mean pH of the soil group concerned. The data on which this paper is based were obtained when the authors were at the Agricultural Chemistry laboratories of the University of Sydney, to the Research Grants Committee of which they are greatly indebted for generous financial assistance. They are particularly indebted to Dr G. Wilkinson, C.S.I.R.O., Division of Statistics, Adelaide, for helpful discussions, to Miss H. V. Rayner and Miss J. Walker for certain of the analyses.