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The cation exchange capacity (CEC) shows how well a soil can hold onto and store cations, so a soil with a high CEC would be able to hold more nutrients. A soil with low CEC for example would not only be missing some important nutrients but would also not be able to hold onto nutrients as well as a soil with a higher CEC. So even adding nutrients to a soil with a low CEC would not be very effective in improving fertility unless soil conditioning was applied that would help improve the CEC as well. Soils with a lot of cations can also hold onto water better since water is a polar molecule and is therefore attracted to the positively charged cations (hydrogen bonding).

Plants that grow in soils with a high CEC value do not have to spend as much energy looking for minerals and water and therefore are able to devote it towards growth. Microorganisms that are essential for good soil health also thrive in these conditions.

However, a soil with a high CEC can also hold more of the acidic hydrogen cations (H+). So when the soil pH of a soil with a high CEC needs to be adjusted it often acts as a buffer and therefore more acid or base is need to change the pH.

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Q: How does cation exchange capacity affect soil fertiliy?
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Which factors affect buffering capacity of soil?

mineralogy, soil organic matter, soil texture, type of clay, cation exchange capacity, base saturation


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Soil colloids have large surface areas which can be used as sights for cation exchange, increasing the soils cation exchange capacity. The higher the cation exchange capacity in a soil, the more the soil is able to retain nutrients because the cations are suspended in the soil and are then able to be used by organisms in the soil.


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What has the author W A Beetem written?

W. A. Beetem has written: 'Use of cesium-137 in the determination of cation exchange capacity' -- subject(s): Analysis, Soils, Cations, Clay, Cesium, Ion exchange


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Appreciate that cation exchange is of importance in the natural environment.


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Can solid diffuse into another solidgive example?

Well really depends on your anabatic lapse rates because that is directly relevant to the erosion of topsoil and the density of which is eroded at, also if the Cation exchange capacity is greater than the pH of the soil the effect of aeolian processes is greatly maximised. Hope this helps