Mineralogical and surface charge characteristics of Andosols experiencing long-term, land-use change in West Java, Indonesia

Extensive areas of Andosols in tropical Indonesia have been subjected to long-term (>100 years) alterations from native forest to agricultural land use. This study assessed the mineralogical and surface charge characteristics of Andosols in West Java, Indonesia and assessed their resilience upon conversion from rainforest (PF1) to tea plantation (TP1) and horticultural practices. Soils developed in basaltic-andesite volcanic ash ( hydroxyl-Al interlayered vermiculite (HIV) ≈ gibbsite. The colloidal fraction appeared relatively resilient to changes in land use, except for the tea plantation in which allophanic material content decreased and Al–humus complexes increased due to strong soil acidification, and decreased ferrihydrite in the horticultural soils, possibly due to liming and increased organic matter. In spite of the abundance of allophanic materials, Fe (hydr)oxides and organic matter appeared to regulate surface charge characteristics of the colloidal fraction. Net soil charge in PF1 and TP1 soils was positive (pHPZNC). Horse manure and lime amendments to the horticultural soils lowered the PZNC, increased negative charge (CEC) and decreased positive charge (AEC). At ambient soil conditions, CEC increased from