Analysis of soil clay mineral in terrestrial ecosystem using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy.

Conventional X-ray diffraction spectrum and synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction spectrum were used to study the characteristics of soil clay mineral in the terrestrial ecosystem of northern China. The former showed that mineral composition was mainly 2:1 type secondary clay mineral. The existence of clay mineral in the forest soils was identified in the synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction spectrum, whereas there was no evidence for their presence in the other spectrum. Compared with the conventional method, the synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction had better resolution, compactedness and scanning range. Therefore, it seemed more suitable for the soil spectroscopy study of terrestrial ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]