Why/How do conifers acidify soil?

From: SOXYTHECAT@aol.com
Date: Tue Oct 01 2002 - 19:20:47 PDT

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From: SOXYTHECAT@aol.com
Message-ID: <4d.250e09df.2acbb1ff@aol.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 22:20:47 EDT
Subject: Why/How do conifers acidify soil?

Hello Pinhole. (chemists and soil people especially!)

I keep on hearing that conifers tend to acidify the soil below them with
their needles. Why? How? Can anyone help me out?

I know it has something to do with them being harder to decompose and so the
whole decomposition process is slowed down and there is a buildup of organic
acid. Why would slowing down the decomposition process lead to a build up of
organic acid?

Wouldn't the breakdown to organic acids also be slow if decomposition is
broken down or does that part of the decomposition process continue to happen
quickly after which decomposition stalls out?

What does the transformation from starch (or whatever is being broken down in
the needle) to organic acid look like? (Bring on the formulas!!)

What is it (biochemically) about conifer needles that make them more
resistant to decomposition in the first place?

Any ideas or nudges towards helpful sources would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
-Regan

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