The interactive effects of soil disturbance and residue quality on soil nitrogen mineralisation in a tropical sandy soil

Soil conservation practices, such as reduced and no tillage, have been found to enhance soil nitrogen (N) sequestration through decreasing the rate of N mineralisation of added organic materials. Nitrogen mineralisation is not only affected by tillage, but also by the quality (chemical composition) of the organic residues. This study evaluated the interaction of residue quality and soil disturbance on N mineralisation in a sandy soil. A 112-day incubation experiment was conducted with two levels of soil disturbance (undisturbed and disturbed conditions) and five plant residue amendments of contrasting quality. The contrasting quality (N, lignin (L), and polyphenols (Pp)) (in g kg–1) amendments follow: (i) unamended; (ii) Sesbania grandiflora (N 44, L 173, Pp 9.2); (iii) Indigofera hirsuta (N 41, L 177, Pp 30); (iv) Dipterocarpus tuberculatus (N 8.2, L 203, Pp 71); and (v) Eucalyptus camaldulensis (N 9.7, L 126, Pp 110). Residues (ii) and (iii) were fresh legume leaves, while (iv) and (v) were non-legume leaf litter. Disturbance only significantly increased N mineralisation rates in the legume-residue treated soils (increases of 18.8% for S. grandiflora and 27.1% for I. hirsuta) during the early stage of decomposition (first 14 days). In the legume treatment, disturbance significantly increased the ammonification, but decreased nitrification in soil relative to undisturbed soils. The difference in patterns of ammonification and nitrification was more pronounced in the early than in the later period of decomposition. This indicated an inhibitory effect of soil disturbance on nitrification, which was particularly pronounced in the legume-treated soils. The Pp content of residues was the major quality parameter regulating the soil ammonium-N and nitrate-N concentrations. Minimum soil disturbance should be adopted under legume soil organic amendment so that both ammonification and nitrification components of N mineralisation process can occur normally, and nitrate-loving crops can take up N in the form of nitrate-N which will enhance their yields. Moreover, undisturbed conditions under legume organic amendments reduced N mineralisation, resulting in enhancing soil N sequestration.