Liming impacts on soils, crops and biodiversity in the UK: A review

Flashcards reviewing the impacts of liming in UK agriculture, focusing on soil processes, crop responses, and biodiversity.

What is a long-established practice to ameliorate acidic soils?

Liming

What short-term impacts are detected on soil biota?

Impacts on soil biota and in soil biological processes such as N cycling.

What do liming influence all elements in soils?

There are numerous simultaneous changes to soil processes which in turn affect the plant nutrient uptake.

Arable crops differ in their to soil pH.

Sensitivity

Repeated lime applications tend to improve what?

Grassland biomass production

Ecological studies have shown what impacts of liming on biodiversity?

Positive, such as increased earthworm abundance.

What is the primary management 'problem' that liming addresses?

Soil acidification

What is one cause of acidification?

The application of nitrogen fertilisers

What percentage of arable soils in the UK have a soil pH b6.5?

40%

The UK government abolished which subsidy in 1977/78?

A Lime subsidy

What kind of limestone is the most common liming material for arable crops and grassland?

Ground limestone (CaCO3)

What is pelletized lime?

Very convenient form of lime which can be spread accurately and evenly using conventional fertilizer-spreading equipment

What influences the extent to which a soil is able to resist changes in ion concentration in the solution phase?

Soil buffering capacity

Name two soil properties which directly influence the lime requirement.

Soil texture and organic matter content

What describes some of the neutralisation processes that result from liming?

The equations CaCO3 + 2H+ ¼ Ca2+ + CO2 + H2O

What leads to an increase in decomposition rates demonstrated by changes in soil respiration?

A shift to a soil pH above 5

Which species is colonisation markedly reduced in highly acidic zones of the soil?

Rhizobium

What are four processes of soil biota that the applifcation of lime impact?

Decomposition, mineralization, nitrification and mobilization

What is related for the ability to prevent Al3+ toxicity and the consequent reduction of root growth?

Tolerance of acid soils

What does soil pH influences for crop quality and yield?

Nutrient availabilty, especially those affecting defense mechanism pathways.