Phosphorous fixation

Phosphorous fixation

Should the fixation of phosphorous ions (to Al, Fe, and Mn oxides at low pH, to clay minerals at neutral pH, and to Ca compounds at higher pH) be considered as "LOSS" of phosphorous? Or just "UNAVAILABLE"? I was wondering this because fixation of ammonium ion to interlayer spaces of 1:2 clay particles is listed as a "LOSS". I just wanted to make sure how to answer a question asking to list the inputs and losses of phosphorous. Thank you!

TakuhiroSomeya (talk)23:05, 21 March 2017

(Chemical) fixation of phosphate ions represents a loss of those plant-available ions from the available pool of P, but is not a loss of P from the soil. Within P cycle, phosphate fixation belongs to the transformations (not loses).

MajaKrzic (talk)05:05, 22 March 2017

OK. Thank you!

TakuhiroSomeya (talk)05:23, 22 March 2017