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Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos

Bibliography: pages 123-142.

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Main Author: Brown, Gary James
Other Authors: Mitchell, D T
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Biological Sciences 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Brown, Gary James
author2 Mitchell, D T
author_browse Brown, Gary James
Mitchell, D T
author_facet Mitchell, D T
Brown, Gary James
author_sort Brown, Gary James
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description Bibliography: pages 123-142.
format Thesis
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:44:56.843Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher Department of Biological Sciences
publisherStr Department of Biological Sciences
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/21937 Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos Brown, Gary James Mitchell, D T Botany Bibliography: pages 123-142. The levels of soil phosphorus (both total and plant available) were investigated at the Pella intensive study site and were found to be low. Resin extractable phosphorus fluctuated seasonally, peaking at the soil surface during summer and declining to a minimum in the winter months. Rates of microbial mineralisation were thought to be the major influencing factor. The profile distribution of all forms of phosphorus were similar to those predicted by Smeck (1973) and were thought to result from the removal of phosphorus by plant roots in the mid-zone (20-70 cm) and its subsequent deposition at the soil surface as litter. The majority of insoluble phosphorus (60%) was organic and the remaining insoluble inorganic compounds were mainly iron bound. The input from precipitation to the site was 194 g ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ occurring chiefly during the winter months. The different soil forms present at the site contained similar total phosphorus levels and underwent an increase in the size of the resin extractable phosphorus pool with progression from less to more weathered soils. This progressive change was linked directly to the decrease in total iron content in the soils. With decreasing iron content the number of binding sites within the soil declined. Fire returned a large amount of readily available phosphorus to the soil which had the effect of immediately elevating the soil resin extractable phosphorus levels. This effect was a transient one. After twelve months the levels of resin extractable phosphorus had declined to values only slightly above those found in the prefire soil. 2016-09-25T16:51:57Z 2016-09-25T16:51:57Z 1983 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21937 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Botany
Brown, Gary James
Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
title_full Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
title_fullStr Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
title_full_unstemmed Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
title_short Distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
title_sort distribution of phosphorus in sandy soils of coastal fynbos
topic Botany
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21937
work_keys_str_mv AT browngaryjames distributionofphosphorusinsandysoilsofcoastalfynbos