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  Chemistry of Waterlogged Soils
From: Ted.Held at hstna.com on 2001.03.26 at 16:34:45(6082)
Does anybody know of a good reference for the chemistry of waterlogged
soils? My soil science books are oriented to typical agriculture where
waterlogged soils are the enemy. Many aroids are specifically adapted to
life in watery places where normal soil chemistry is (I presume) quite
different. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Please respond to the list or to my personal e-mail. Thanks.

Ted Held

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From: "Gabe Thomas" CDANIELLE at prodigy.net> on 2001.03.27 at 00:38:16(6088)
I would also be interested in such information.

Gabe Thomas

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From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.03.27 at 15:11:36(6093)
Dear Ted,

Just one MORE thought---I grew Urospaths, Dracontioides, Anaphyllopsis,
Cyrtosperma and many other tropical wet-loving Aroids, all of which were
known 'swamp dwellers', but many other growers had failed before me in
trying to grow these plants in pots placed in a saucer of 'static' water.
MY thoughts were that in most 'swamps' (there must be tremendous variations
in the chemistry of the soil in the many habitats in which these widly
distributed plants grow!) there is movement of water through the substrate,
no matter how slow, and this plays a big part in the plant`s ability not
only to 'survive' these seemingly 'bad' conditions, but to thrive and
reproduce in them. By putting the soil in the pot on a thick layer of
'lava rock' which keeps the 'soil' ( I tried to limit the amount of 'soil'
contained in my 'mix', using peat moss, chopped sphagnum, and coarse 'play
sand') above the level of the water in the saucer, good regular applications
of weak mixes of liquid fertlizer, and regular changes of the water in the
saucer, these previously 'impossible-to-keep-growing' plants literally
thrived in my collection, producing seed which were sent to friends
worldwide.

Chemistry is NOT the only item at 'play' in this equation!
Hope the above is of help.

Julius

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From: "John Presnell" jcpresnell at earthlink.net> on 2001.03.28 at 00:16:08(6099)
Ted,

One text I've seen that addresses this subject to at least some degree is 'The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants' by C.D. Sculthorpe reprinted in 1985 by Koeltz Scientific Books.

One sentence that seems particularly germane is: "The principal influence of the substrate upon the distribution of rooted vegetation is due to its physical texture rather than its chemical composition."

Needless to say...he goes on from there.

Craig

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