Acidity top layer of the soil

The map with the acidity in the top layer of the soil (the top twenty centimeters) is made by Alterra Wageningen. The acidity or pH is soil characteristic, which is mainly determined by the parent material, the soil forming processes in the past and the use of land. The pH affects the chemical soil fertility and the rootability of the soil profile. The pH in the top layer of sandy soils will gradually drop under natural conditions. In agricultural areas this is counteracted by fertilisation with lime.