The study looked at the levels of phosphorus in soil from alfalfa pastures in a salty area. They found that the available phosphorus was higher in soil near the plant roots compared to soil farther away. The available phosphorus increased in younger pastures but decreased in older ones. The pH of soil near the roots was lower than in other soil, but didn't get more acidic over time. There was no clear link between total phosphorus and available phosphorus in soil away from the roots, or between pH and available phosphorus in soil near the roots.