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Illite transformation and potassium release upon changes in composition of the rhizophere soil solution

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Abstract

Aims and background

Release of ‘non-exchangeable’ potassium (K) from interlayers of illite is diffusion-controlled and has been shown to depend on the solution concentration of K and other cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4 +).

Methods

We analysed changes in soil solution concentrations of K and competing cations in situ at different distances from the root surface over time and related them to the transformation of illite, as revealed by X-ray diffraction, and chemical measures of differently bound K.

Results and Conclusions

Within 49 and 98 days, respectively, 6.4 and 14.4 % of the illite’s total K was released upon contact with the root system. Mixed layered minerals increased from 33 (0 d) to 35 (49 d) to 40 % (98 d). Release of K from interlayers and the transformation of illite occurred at soil solution K concentrations close to the threshold of 80 μM suggested earlier. Concentrations of Ca and Mg increased with decreasing distance from the root surface, promoting the release of K. The NaBPh4 method supposed to determine ‘non-exchangeable’ K extracted only 1/3 of the total K from illite.

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Acknowledgments

Andreas Rämmler and Jutta Fröhlich conducted the XRF analyses. Christine Krenkewitz and Tina Truszezinski carried out clay fractionation, chemical extractions, and analyses of plant, soil solution and soil samples; Christine Herzlieb maintained the compartment system experiment. We are grateful to the staff of the Klein-Altendorf Research station; and to the coordination team (Timo Kautz, Miriam Athmann) of FOR 1320 at University of Bonn. The study was funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (research group FOR 1320).

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Correspondence to Doris Vetterlein.

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Figure S 1

Sketch of the compartment system modified from Vetterlein and Jahn 2004b. Dimensions are given in mm. Slots actually equipped with sensors in the experiment are marked in black. A hydrophilic nylon net of 20-μm mesh and a perforated plate filled with illite separates the bulk soil and the root compartment for the (S + I) treatment. For the (S) treatment separation is by nylon net only. (PDF 23 kb)

Figure S 2

Change in soil solution osmotic potential with time and increasing distance from the root surface for soil plus illite (S + I) (grey bars). Individual suction cup positions are shown on either site of the root compartment and within the root compartment, including standard error of the three replicates per treatment. Horizontal lines indicate the position of the nylon mesh (= root surface) on either site of the root compartment. For the (S + I) treatments, position of nylon mesh is that of the illite layer. (JPEG 2022 kb)

Figure S 3

Changes in soil solution pH with time and increasing distance from the root surface for soil plus illite (S + I) (black circles) and for soil (S) (white circles) treatments. Arrows point at dates of clipping shoots. The vertical line indicates the position of the nylon mesh (= root surface), which also is the position of the illite layer in (S + I) treatments. Circles represent the mean for respective values measured in the right and left bulk soil compartment. R represents positions of suction cups, reaching 3 mm into the root compartment, i.e., at 3 mm distance of the nylon mesh. (JPEG 69 kb)

Figure S 4

Changes in soil solution Mg concentrations with time and increasing distance from the root surface of soil plus illite (S + I) (grey bars) and for soil (S) (hatched bars) treatment. Arrows point to the dates of clipping shoots. The vertical line indicates the position of the nylon mesh (= root surface). For (S + I) treatment, that is identical to the position of the illite layer. Bars represent means of values measured in the right and left bulk soil compartment. R represents positions of suction cups, reaching 3 mm into the root compartment, i.e., at 3 mm distance of the nylon mesh. (JPEG 2084 kb)

Figure S 5

XRD spectra for the clay fraction of soil adhering to the nylon mesh for the individual replicates (I, II, III) of the (S) treatment for 0, 49, and 98 days after planting. Position of basal reflections of illite (dotted line) and vermiculite (dashed line) are shown at 1.0 nm and 1.42 nm d spacing. (JPEG 384 kb)

Figure S 6

XRD spectra of the illite layer in unplanted pots for individual replicates (I, II, III) of the (S + I) treatment 0 and 98 days after planting. (JPEG 438 kb)

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Vetterlein, D., Kühn, T., Kaiser, K. et al. Illite transformation and potassium release upon changes in composition of the rhizophere soil solution. Plant Soil 371, 267–279 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1680-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-013-1680-6

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