Soil Chemical Methods: Australasia

Soil Chemical Methods – Australasia significantly updates and supersedes the 1992 Australian Laboratory Handbook of Soil and Water Chemical Methods by Rayment and Higginson. Method codes and other strengths of the Handbook have been retained and many new tests (field and laboratory based) added.

It is an operational laboratory methods manual designed to promote a standardization of soil and water analysis throughout Australia for practicing analysts, laboratory managers, students, academics, consultants and advisors involved in professions responsible for the assessment, use and management of soils across Australasia and beyond. It provides guidance on the choice and application of analytical methods, field sampling and the pre-treatment of samples.

Its purpose is to minimize the effect of variables caused by the choice and application of analytical methods, quality of field sampling, pre-treatment of samples, and the time taken to complete an analysis. It promotes the use of consistent methods, procedures and terminologies in soil land surveys and acts as a benchmark in method standardization and analytical quality assurance for government and commercial soil testing laboratories throughout Australia and in developing countries in the region.

This new edition completely updates all the analytical methods and adds new information on acid sulphate soils as well as the use of mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy techniques being developed by CSIRO Land and Water.

George E. Rayment has a PhD (Griffith University) and a Master of Agricultural Science (University of Queensland). He was President, Australian Society of Soil Science (Qld Branch), Chairperson of the Australasian Soil and Plant Analysis Council (ASPAC), and inaugural convenor of ASPAC’s Laboratory Proficiency Committee.

David J. Lyons is a Principal Chemist and a laboratory supervisor in the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management. He is a member of ASPAC’s Laboratory Proficiency Committee.