Investigations on the Mobilization and Transport of Iron in Forested Soils: I. The Capacities of Leaf Extracts and Leachates to React with Iron

Methods for estimating the capacities of aqueous solutions derived from forest litter and forest canopy to retain iron in solution and to bring the iron of freshly‐precipitated ferric hydroxide into solution (true or colloidal) are described and results presented. It is shown that the amount of iron retained or brought into suspension depends on the source of the solution, the pH and the nature of the dominant cation present, and on the proportion of iron to organic matter in the system.