Nitrogen-mineralization potential of meadow soils

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Régis R. Simard ◽  
Adrien N'dayegamiye

An understanding of the mineralization factors in contrasting cultivated soils is necessary for accurate predictions of plant-available N. The objective of this work was to determine the N-mineralization potential and mathematical models that can properly describe the dynamics of the mineralization process in 20 meadow soils from Quebec. The mineralization was monitored over 55.4 wk in a laboratory incubation at 20 °C with intermittent leaching. The cumulative mineralization curves in most soils were characterized by definite lags or a sigmoidal pattern and near-linear release with time after 20 wk. The data were best described by the Gompertz equation; first-order models were inadequate. The total amount of mineralizable N and the potential mineralization rate were very closely correlated with the total amounts of C or N (r > 0.73; P < 0.01). The clay content was also correlated with these mineralization parameters and significantly improved the prediction of the cumulative and potential N-mineralization rate estimated from the total N or C content of soils. The relationships with other soil characteristics such as soil pH and available nutrient contents were weak but significant. The results of this study suggest that textural classes be added in the correction for organic matter content to improve the precision in N-fertilizer recommendation and in soil-quality classifications based on potential mineralization rate. Key words: Soil quality, potentially mineralizable N, Gompertz equation, soil organic matter, soil texture, C, N

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Ulyan Khalif

Landuse change are suspected to be one responsible to soil fertility decline on Resapombo, Doko, Blitar. Efforts done by local farmers to deal with these problems are plantation of P. falcataria trough a reforestation program around 2011-2012. The benefits of the program are still need to be assessed so that this research was done (1) to compare the soil quality between P. falcataria-planted field and no P.falcataria field by the parameters of soil organic matter content and available N, (2) to study the relationship between organic matter input and soil organic matter content and available N, and (3) to identify factors affecting N availability post-P. falcatariaplantation. This research used randomized block design with 5 treatments (annual crop field, 3 and 6 years P. falcaria plantation field, agroforestry field with P. falcataria + coffee + talas plantation, and ex-P. falcataria-planted field. Soil were sampled compositely by 3 replication from 0-20 cm depth. Litter were sampled from a 0.5m2 sub-plot of each treatment. Results showed that P. falcataria plantations enhance soil fertility indicated by increased soil organic matter input to 10.6 times (monoculture) and 17.6 times (agroforestry) control, increased soil organic matter content by 1.5 times (monoculture) and 2.3 times(agroforestry) control, increased total N of 1.6 times (monoculture) and 2.4 times (agroforestry) control, increased ammonium by 1.7 times (monoculture) and 3.2 times (agroforestry) control, and increased nitrate by 2.4 times (monoculture) and 3.9 times(agroforestry) control.The increased soil N content of P. falcataria-planted field were caused by higher soil organic inputs compared to those with no P. falcataria plantation. Nitrogen availability affected by soil texture but have no relationship with soil pH. However, agroforestry fields showed higher pH, organic C, total N, and available N than monoculture P. falcataria fields. Measured soil chemical properties showed no significant change by the increase of P. falcataria age, moreover, they declined down towards control on ex-P. falcatariaplantation. This indicates that reforestation would only give a temporary soil quality enhancement.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Ulyan Khalif

Landuse change are suspected to be one responsible to soil fertility decline on Resapombo, Doko, Blitar. Efforts done by local farmers to deal with these problems are plantation of P. falcataria trough a reforestation program around 2011-2012. The benefits of the program are still need to be assessed so that this research was done (1) to compare the soil quality between P. falcataria-planted field and no P.falcataria field by the parameters of soil organic matter content and available N, (2) to study the relationship between organic matter input and soil organic matter content and available N, and (3) to identify factors affecting N availability post-P. falcatariaplantation. This research used randomized block design with 5 treatments (annual crop field, 3 and 6 years P. falcaria plantation field, agroforestry field with P. falcataria + coffee + talas plantation, and ex-P. falcataria-planted field. Soil were sampled compositely by 3 replication from 0-20 cm depth. Litter were sampled from a 0.5m2 sub-plot of each treatment. Results showed that P. falcataria plantations enhance soil fertility indicated by increased soil organic matter input to 10.6 times (monoculture) and 17.6 times (agroforestry) control, increased soil organic matter content by 1.5 times (monoculture) and 2.3 times(agroforestry) control, increased total N of 1.6 times (monoculture) and 2.4 times (agroforestry) control, increased ammonium by 1.7 times (monoculture) and 3.2 times (agroforestry) control, and increased nitrate by 2.4 times (monoculture) and 3.9 times(agroforestry) control.The increased soil N content of P. falcataria-planted field were caused by higher soil organic inputs compared to those with no P. falcataria plantation. Nitrogen availability affected by soil texture but have no relationship with soil pH. However, agroforestry fields showed higher pH, organic C, total N, and available N than monoculture P. falcataria fields. Measured soil chemical properties showed no significant change by the increase of P. falcataria age, moreover, they declined down towards control on ex-P. falcatariaplantation. This indicates that reforestation would only give a temporary soil quality enhancement.


2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1493-1502 ◽  
Author(s):  
R K Johnson ◽  
M L Ostrofsky

Sediment concentrations of total and available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) and organic matter from the littoral zone of Lake Pleasant, Pennsylvania, were highly variable. Only organic matter and total N were correlated with depth, however. This result suggests the existence of more complex environmental gradients than the prevailing paradigm of monotonic changes in sediment characteristics with increasing depth. The spatial heterogeneity of submersed aquatic plant communities was significantly correlated with depth, and available N and P. Canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated that these three factors explained 38% of the variance in community structure. Other sediment characteristics (available K, organic matter, and total N, P and K) were not significant by themselves, but all variables combined explained 63% of community-structure variance. Cluster analysis identified species or groups of species typical of endpoints on the depth versus nutrient axes. Myriophyllum exalbescens was typical of deep sites with relatively nutrient-rich sediments, whereas deep nutrient-poor sites were dominated by Vallisneria americana and Megalodonta beckii. Shallow nutrient-rich sites were dominated by several species of Potamogeton and Elodea canadensis, and shallow nutrient-poor sites were dominated by Heteranthera dubia and Najas flexilis. These results demonstrate the importance of sediment characteristics in determining macrophytes' community structure within lakes.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
Y. W. Jamel ◽  
A. Jalil ◽  
J. Schoenau

We need an easy-to-use chemical index for estimating the amount of N that becomes available during the growing season, to improve N use efficiency. This paper discusses how producers may, in future, use crop growth models that incorporate indices of soil N availability, to make more accurate, risk-sensitive estimates of fertilizer N requirements. In a previous study, we developed an equation, using 42 diverse Saskatchewan soils, that related potentially mineralizable N (N0) to NH4N extracted with hot 2 M KCl (X), (i.e., N0 = 37.7 + 7.7X, r2 = 0.78). We also established that the first order rate constant (k) for N mineralization at 35°C is indeed a constant for arable prairie soils (k = 0.067 wk−1). We modified the N submodel of CERES-wheat to include k and N0 (values of N0 were derived from the hot KCl test). With long-term weather data (precipitation and temperature) as input, this model was used to estimate probable N mineralization during a growing season and yield of wheat (grown on fallow or stubble), in response to fertilizer N rates at Swift Current. The model output indicated that the amount of N mineralized in a growing season for wheat on fallow was similar to that for wheat on stubble, as we hypothesized. Further the model indicated that rate of fertilizer N had only minimal effect on N mineralized. We concluded that, despite the importance of knowing the Nmin capability of a soil, it is available water, initial levels of available N and rate of fertilizer N that are the main determinants of yield in this semiarid environment. The theoretical approach we have proposed must be validated under field conditions before it can be adopted for use. Key words: N mineralization, Hot KCl-NH4-N, potentially mineralizable N, CERES-wheat model


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1895-1900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Boone

Nitrogen (N) mineralization potential and net N mineralization insitu were measured monthly over 7 months for the forest floor horizons (Oi, Oe, Oa) and mineral soil (0–15 cm) of a pine stand and the mineral soil (0–15 cm) of a maple stand in Massachusetts, United States. In all cases, N mineralization potential per unit organic matter (anaerobic laboratory incubation) varied significantly by sampling month but was unrelated to the seasonal pattern for net N mineralization (buried-bag method). The organic horizons in the pine stand exhibited the most variable N mineralization potential, with the Oe horizon having more than a fourfold seasonal range. For the pine stand the Oe horizon also had the highest N mineralization potential (per unit organic matter) and the highest net N mineralization insitu (per unit area). In general, temporal and depth-wise variability should be considered when sites are assessed with respect to the pool of mineralizable N.


2002 ◽  
Vol 138 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. COLLINS ◽  
D. W. ALLINSON

Under perennial grasslands, nitrogen contained in organic matter becomes available at varying rates via mineralization throughout the growing season. The amount of N present at any given time indicates only the quantity immediately present, and does not include N which has already been removed either by leaching or uptake into the plant system, nor the N which will become available as organic matter breaks down over time. Long-term aerobic laboratory incubation methods have been used successfully to estimate potential N mineralization under various cropping conditions. They had not been used successfully, however, to estimate potential N availability under perennial grassland.In this research, soil samples from two long-term perennial grassland sites were taken before and after N fertilizer application at rates of 0, 175, 350 and 525 kg/ha. The soils were incubated in the laboratory at 35 °C and were eluted at 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 22 and 30-week intervals, the length of time prescribed for determining N mineralization potential. Because a plateau had not been reached, incubation was allowed to continue for 198 weeks and 148 weeks for the pre- and post-N samples, respectively. Total N was high, as was soil organic matter in both sets of soil samples. Nitrogen mineralization potential was underestimated after 30 weeks of incubation, and overestimated after 148 weeks. The closest agreement between N measured and the estimated N mineralization potential, came after 198 weeks of incubation. This study confirmed the high N-supplying capacity of soil under long-term perennial grasslands. It also indicated that the recommended 30-week period needed to estimate N mineralization potential under other cropping systems was insufficient for a perennial grassland soil. Cumulative differences in N mineralization were found with varying rates of N fertilizer application, but these differences were rarely seen on an individual weekly basis, nor were they significant at the termination of the experiment. The response to N application differed by site.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 114-124
Author(s):  
Tej Narayan Mandal

Seasonal dynamics of available nitrogen and N-mineralization in relation to fine root biomass was studied in five landslide damaged (1 to 58 years old) sites in the moist tropical sal (Shorea robusta) forest ecosystem of Nepal Himalaya. Comparisons were made with an undisturbed mature sal forest site located in the same region. Concentrations of soil available-N (NH4+ and NO3-) increased with the age of site till 40-year old sites and then declined. However, the proportion of NH4+ in total available N increased distinctly with increase in the age of sites. The NH4+: NO3- ratio increased considerably from 1.15 in 1-year site to 2.4 in mature sal forest. On the other hand, the net N-mineralization rate increased consistently until 58 years of age but the proportion of nitrification rate relative to ammonification rate distinctly decreased beyond 40 years indicating the dominance of ammonification over nitrification in the older sites. Fine root biomass and N- mineralization rate both increased but available-N decreased during rainy season. On the other hand fine root biomass and N-mineralization rate both decreased and available N increased during summer season. During the summer season, fine root biomass decreased by 57 - 68% indicating a rapid turnover. High turnover of fine root at the younger sites (1 to 15 yrs old) add more organic matter for the developing vegetation. Fine root biomass was positively correlated with the concentration of available-N and N-mineralization rate. It is concluded that fine root development was facilitated by higher amounts of available-N. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njbs.v1i0.7478 Nepalese Journal of Biosciences 1: 114-124 (2011)


2014 ◽  
Vol 700 ◽  
pp. 314-322
Author(s):  
Qiu Jing Li ◽  
Li Xue ◽  
Hong Yue Chen

The effects of N and P addition on soil organic matter and nutrients, microbe and enzyme were investigated in a Eucalyptus urophylla stand to provide basis for soil management. Contents of organic matter, available P of N, P and N + P addition was significantly greater than the control, total N content of N and N+P addition was significant greater than the control, contents of total P, total K and available K of P and N + P addition was significantly greater than the control, available N content of N addition was significantly greater than the control, whereas that of P addition was significantly smaller than the control. N addition significantly increased the soil actinomyces number and urease activity, but had no significant effect on the number of soil bacteria and fungus, activities of phosphatase and catalase. Number of soil bacteria, fungus and actinomyces, activities of urease, phosphatase and catalase significantly increased after P addition, and biochemical indices except for bacteria number significantly increased after N + P addition.


1991 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-241
Author(s):  
J. W. Fyles ◽  
I. H. Fyles ◽  
M. C. Feller

Nitrogen mineralization characteristics of the dominant types of organic matter in the forest floor of slash-burned sites were measured using a 26-week aerobic incubation. Six classes of forest floor material were distinguished on the basis of morphology and N mineralization characteristics. Fermentation layer materials, matted together with fungal hyphae, had a high content of total and potentially mineralizable N (N0) (7804 and 2816 μg/g, respectively) and mineralized the most N during incubation (1605 μg/g). Decayed wood had the lowest level of total N (1816 μg/g) and N0 (195 μg/g) and mineralized the least N (266 μg/g) despite a high inherent mineralization rate (k) (0.16). Humified materials (Hd and Hr) occupied a midrange, with the exception of those from thin residual horizons, which had high N0 values (2246–6009 μg/g) and low k-values (0.005–0.012). The significant differences in N mineralization among organic materials that are morphologically or ecologically distinct in the field suggest that it may be possible to assess site N fertility using intensive forest floor and soil survey data and information on the N characteristics of dominant horizon types.


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