Table 1 Properties of three soils from railway tracks and a crushed sand (fraction < 2 mm)

Coordinates

47° 18′ 21″ N

8° 35′ 31″ E

47° 02′ 05″ N

7° 25′ 09″ E

46° 59′ 39″ N

7° 08′ 17″ E

–

Altitude [m]

418

532

434

–

Sand [%]

78.5

60.5

65.7

83.5

Silt [%]

13.5

24.2

25.2

11.9

Clay [%]

8.0

15.3

9.1

4.6

Organic carbon, C_org [%]

0.15

0.31

< 0.06

< 0.06

pH (CaCl₂)^a

7.67

7.64

7.60

7.47

Water holding capacity [g water per g dry soil]

0.24

0.28

0.24

0.20

Cation exchange capacity [meq/100 g]

18

8

4

36

Basal respiration [mg CO₂-C/kg soil × h]^b

0.10

0.11

0.10

0.07