the portion (percentage) of the cation exchange capacity of a soil that is occupied by basic cations; the remainder is occupied by acidic cations, and is referred to as the "base unsaturation."
The degree to which material having cation-exchange properties is saturated with exchangeable bases (sum of Ca, Mg, Na, K), expressed as a percentage of the total cation-exchange capacity.
The proportion of the base exchange capacity that is saturated with metallic cations.
total CEC saturated with exchangeable nonacid cations.
The degree to which the cation exchange capacity's binding or exchange sites are occupied with cations such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium as opposed to acid cations such as aluminum and hydrogen is referred to as the base saturation of a soil. Soil pH and fertility generally increase as the percentage base saturation increases.
The proportion of the CEC at pH 7 that is occupied by bases (Ca, Mg, K). See also Dystrophic and Eutrophic.
Ratio of base (Ca, Mg, K, Na) extracted from the soil by an extraction agent to the capacity of the soil to hold extractable bases; expressed as a percentage. The extent to which the exchange sites of a material are occupied by exchangeable basic cations; expressed as a percentage of the cation exchange capacity. The extent to which the adsorption complex of a soil is saturated with exchangeable cations other than hydrogen and aluminium; it is expressed as a percentage of the total cation-exchange capacity.