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took proofs of the various states
to fair worse

Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

products lixiviated to the combustion of plant material

English answer:

substances leached from burnt plant material

Added to glossary by Rachel Fell
Oct 17, 2005 18:44
18 yrs ago
English term

products lixiviated to the combustion of plant material

English Science Botany plant reactions to fire
I am proof-reading a text written by a Spaniard in English about the germination capacity of Euphorbia nicaeensis following a fire:

"In Mediterranean ecosystems, fire is a common disturbance (MORENO et al, 1998) and two types of plants have been described according to their response to fire: seeder and resprouter species (KEELEY, 1991). Generally, seeder species die after the fire and the seeds germinate in the first rainy season following the fire, since their dormancy is easily interrupted by a thermal shock or by products lixiviated to the combustion of plant material"

Can anyone tell me what he is trying to say here please?!
thanks
Responses
3 +5 substances leached from burnt plant material

Discussion

Richard Benham Oct 17, 2005:
Not really Armorel. The preposition is not the only mistake. The "products" (not a very good word here) are lixiviated (better: leached) *from* the burnt plant material (better: products of the combustion of plant material.)
Armorel Young Oct 17, 2005:
Whatever the appropriate word, it seems to me that the main obstacle to understanding is the inappropriate pronoun (lixiviated TO) - surely it must be lixiviated BY?
Rachel Fell Oct 17, 2005:
http://dict.die.net/lixiviated/
http://www.actahort.org/books/458/458_47.htm
"leached"

Responses

+5
12 mins
Selected

substances leached from burnt plant material

maybe?

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Note added at 2 hrs 57 mins (2005-10-17 21:42:35 GMT)
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and thermal shock doesn't need an article, I'd say
Peer comment(s):
agree Alfredo Tutino : lixiviate = separate soluble from insoluble part (Concise Oxford Dict.). Rain can solubilize strongly basic material from burnt plant material - for instance, potash lixiviated from wood ashes was and is used in soap manifacture, e.g. for home use
14 mins
Thank you Alfredo - and for the info. (n.b. dissolves)
agree Henrique Serra : Sounds plausible... and "leach" is definitely better than "lixiviate", even in this scientific context.
18 mins
Thank you Henrique
agree Will Matter : Merriam-Webster dictionary supports this, "lixiviate" (transitive verb), "to extract a soluble constituent from a solid mixture by washing or percolation". Water percolates through the burnt plant material, dissolves various substances, it's "lixiviation"
35 mins
Thanks willmatter
agree Richard Benham : Yes, this is doubtless the intention. The original is badly ungrammatical. @Alfredo, rainwater does *not* "solubilize" alkalis, it dissolves them.
1 hr
Thank you Richard - and I agree with your points
agree Saleh Chowdhury, Ph.D.
2 days 17 hrs
Thank you, Saleh
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Sounds good, thanks guys xx"
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