PHOSPHORUS TRANSFORMATIONS IN A CHRONOSEQUENCE OF SOILS DEVELOPED ON WIND-BLOWN SAND IN NEW ZEALAND .I. TOTAL AND ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS

The rate of loss of total P and accumulation of organic P were investigated in a chronosequence of weakly weathered soils developed on wind‐blown sand. The net loss of total P during 10 000 years of soil development was 1910 kg/ha m profile. This calculation assumes a constancy in the total P content of the parent material. An approximately straight‐line plot was obtained for the loss of total P between 500 and 10 000 years. The organic P content of the beach sands was very low but increased rapidly in the early stages of soil development. With increasing time, the rate of accumulation of organic P decreased. The net accumulation of organic P during 10 000 years was 1050 kg/ha m profile. A slow rate of formation of organic P, coupled with a rapid mineralization, has probably limited organic P build‐up. It is suggested that loss of phosphorus by leaching is a consequence of the low phosphate retention capacity of these weakly weathered soils. Copyright © 1969, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved