Alexey Valerievich Kiryushin

The concentrations of potassium were measured in 1 М NH₄OAc, 2 M HCl, and hot 10% HCl extracts from samples of the rhizosphere of Norway maple ( Acer platanoides ) and of bulk soil taken in five replicates from the (AO)EL horizon of a podzolic soil. The rhizosphere soil was found to contain reliably more exchangeable potassium due to higher content of OM and more potassium compounds extractable with hot 10% HCl. According to the existing guidelines on growing the leaf-bearing trees the rhizosphere soil and the bulk soil can be referred to highly and moderately provided with available potassium respectively. The higher content of potassium soluble in hot 10% HCl in the rhizosphere soil can be explained by the dissolution of the finest poorly crystallized illite particles. These particles can be accumulated in the rhizosphere soil due to intensification of two processes: illitization and physical disintegration of illite particles enhanced by growing roots.