Reappraisal of drying and wetting effects on C and N mineralization and fluxes in soils

In the next decades, many soils will be subjected to increased drying/wetting cycles or modified water availability considering predicted global changes in precipitation and evapotranspiration. These changes may affect the turnover of C and N in soils, but the direction of changes is still unclear. The aim of the review is the evaluation of involved mechanisms, the intensity, duration and frequency of drying and wetting for the mineralization and fluxes of C and N in terrestrial soils. Controversial study results require a reappraisal of the present understanding that wetting of dry soils induces significant losses of soil C and N. The generally observed pulse in net C and N mineralization following wetting of dry soil (hereafter wetting pulse) is short‐lived and often exceeds the mineralization rate of a respective moist control. Accumulated microbial and plant necromass, lysis of live microbial cells, release of compatible solutes and exposure of previously protected organic matter may explain the additional mineralization during wetting of soils. Frequent drying and wetting diminishes the wetting pulse due to limitation of the accessible organic matter pool. Despite wetting pulses, cumulative C and N mineralization (defined here as total net mineralization during drying and wetting) are mostly smaller compared with soil with optimum moisture, indicating that wetting pulses cannot compensate for small mineralization rates during drought periods. Cumulative mineralization is linked to the intensity and duration of drying, the amount and distribution of precipitation, temperature, hydrophobicity and the accessible pool of organic substrates. Wetting pulses may have a significant impact on C and N mineralization or flux rates in arid and semiarid regions but have less impact in humid and subhumid regions on annual time scales. Organic matter stocks are progressively preserved with increasing duration and intensity of drought periods; however, fires enhance the risk of organic matter losses under dry conditions. Hydrophobicity of organic surfaces is an important mechanism that reduces C and N mineralization in topsoils after precipitation. Hence, mineralization in forest soils with hydrophobic organic horizons is presumably stronger limited than in grassland or farmland soils. Even in humid regions, suboptimal water potentials often restrict microbial activity in topsoils during growing seasons. Increasing summer droughts will likely reduce the mineralization and fluxes of C and N whereas increasing summer precipitation could enhance the losses of C and N from soils.     

Modelling the change in soil organic C and N and the mineralization of N from soil in response to applications of slurry manure

A computer simulation model of the turnover of organic matter in soil was adapted to simulate the change in soil organic C and N contents of soil during several years following annual additions of farm slurry to maize fields. The model proved successful in estimating the build-up of both C and N in soil and the leaching of N to ground-water in response to applications of slurry ranging from 50 to 300 tons per hectare per year. The model was then used to estimate the build-up of organic matter in soil under crops of fodder maize that were grown using the excess of manure produced during the last 20 years in the Netherlands. The build-up of organic matter from these applications was estimated to lead to about 70 kg extra nitrogen mineralized ha^-1 yr^-1. As a result of legislation manure applications have decreased and are expected to decrease further in the immediate future. Calculations suggest that after 10 years of manure applied at rates no longer exceeding the amount needed to replace the phosphorus removed by crops, the extra mineralization of N will still be between 45 and 60 kg ha^-1 yr^-1. If manure applications cease altogether then the extra mineralization will be about 25–30 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1.     

Effect of liming on mineralization of soil nitrogen as measured by plant uptake and nitrogen released during incubation

The effect of lime rates on oat yield and N uptake was measured in a 6-years pot experiment, using 12 acid surface soils (pH 4.7 to 6.0). Mineralization of nitrogen was measured by incubation of soil samples taken after harvest each year from the different lime treatments.Nitrogen uptake was significantly correlated with total N in the soils. Averaged over all 12 soils liming only to pH 7 or above, increased the oat yield significantly. Liming increased the N concentration of grain and the N uptake significantly during a 4-years period, indicating the effect of lime on N mineralization.The mineralization of organic N measured by incubation in the non-limed samples was highly correlated with the total N concentration, but it was not significantly related to the original pH of the soils. The amounts of N released as well as the duration of the lime effect on mineralization varied among soils. When pH was raised to 7 or above, considerable increases in N mineralization occurred in some soils. Based on average values, liming increased N mineralization significantly during a 3-years period. After 3 years, the lime treatments differed only slightly from the non-limed treatments.     

Soil phosphorus fractions,aluminum, and water retention as affected by microbial activity in an Ultisol

Increased organic matter input into weathered and infertile soils through agricultural techniques such as minimum tillage or agroforestry can improve P availability to crops. Organic matter is an energy source for microbes, and their activity may be responsible in part for increased levels of labile P. The objective of the work reported here was to examine, in a highly weathered Ultisol, the influence of microbial activity in mobilizing P, maintaining it in a plant-available state, and preventing its fixation, and the effect of N and biocides on these processes. Exchangeable aluminum and soil moisture were also determined, since they interact with microbes and soil P.Results showed that increased microbial activity reduced sorption of dissolved and organic P by soil, maintained inorganic P in soluble and labile pools, increased microbial P, decreased mineral P, increased exchangeable Al, and increased water retention. Additions of N and biocides had variable effects, probably due to complex interactions between N, degrading biocides, and microbial populations.     

温度、水分对湿地土壤有机碳矿化的影响

采用密闭培养法,研究了小叶章(Deyeuxia angustifolia)湿地土壤有机碳的矿化动态,探讨了温度和水分条件对有机碳矿化的影响.结果表明:湿地土壤有机碳在培养初期(0～2 d)矿化速率较高,之后矿化速率逐渐降低;33 d培养期间,表层(0～10 cm)土壤的总矿化量为1.59～2.62 mg C·g-1,为下层(10～100 cm)的4～22倍;温度升高10℃使总矿化量分别增加60%～210%(75%WHC)和30%～200%(淹水);一级动力学方程能较好地描述湿地土壤有机碳矿化动态,其C0值随土壤深度呈指数递减变化,且C0和C0/SOC值均随温度的升高而升高;不同深度土壤Q10值分别变化为1.7～3.1(75% WHC)和1.2～3.0(淹水),且与土壤深度之间存在明显的二次抛物线相关;土壤深度、培养温度对湿地土壤有机碳矿化具有显著影响,而水分处理对有机碳矿化的影响不显著.     

氮肥减量配施生物炭对黄壤稻田土壤有机碳活性组分和矿化的影响

化肥减施增效有助于农业的可持续发展。本研究用等氮量生物炭替代化肥氮,设置0、10%、20%、30%、40%(CK,T₁～T₄) 5个替代比例,在水稻收获后采集土壤样品进行室内分析,研究氮肥减量配施生物炭对黄壤稻田土壤有机碳活性组分和矿化的影响。结果表明: 氮肥减量配施生物炭均可显著提高土壤有机碳(SOC)含量,且与生物炭配施量呈正比。氮肥减施20%条件下,土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)和易氧化碳(ROC)含量均最高,分别为293.68和250.00 mg·kg^-1,土壤可溶性碳(DOC)含量最低。SOC矿化速率在培养的第3天达到最高,前期(第3~6天)迅速下降,中期(第6~18天)缓慢下降,后期(第18~30天)趋于稳定,矿化速率随时间的动态变化符合对数函数;SOC累积矿化量和累积矿化率分别为0.66～0.86 g·kg^-1和2.9%～4.0%,均以T₂处理最低。稻谷产量随氮肥减施比例的增加呈先增加后下降趋势,T₂处理最高,比CK显著增加了13.4%。本试验条件下,化学氮肥减量20%配施适量生物炭(5 t·hm^-2)可有效提高SOC、MBC、ROC含量和水稻产量,降低SOC累积矿化量和累积矿化率,增强土壤固碳能力,是贵州黄壤稻田土壤固碳培肥的较好选择。     

Nitrogen mineralization in a green manure-amended soil as influenced by cropping history and subsequent crop

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the influence of cropping variables on nitrogen dynamics in a soil amended with green manure. Surface soil from various long-term spring wheat rotations was amended with¹⁵N-labelled legume green manure (Lathyrus tingitanus) and subsequently cropped (canola [Brassica napus] and spring wheat [Triticum aestivum]) or incubated without a crop for 56 days in a greenhouse. Nitrogen mineralization from both the indigenous soil N and from green manure was suppressed in cropped soil. Net N mineralization in the uncropped and cropped treatments averaged 73 and 43 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. This difference was attributed, in part, to enhanced biological immobilization in the rhizosphere. Previous cropping practices also had significant effect on N mineralization, largely by their influence on indigenous organic matter quality. These observations suggest that short-term N mineralization is favored by fallowing soil after green manure application whereas N retention in organic matter is favored by immediate cropping. Contribution 3878873     

施用牛粪和绿肥对土地整治区玉米产量和土壤理化性质的影响

采用定位试验,研究了施用新鲜牛粪(15000和75000 kg·hm^-2)和绿肥(36000 kg·hm^-2)对玉米产量、土壤呼吸和土壤化学、物理性状的影响.结果表明: 与单施化肥相比,土地整治区施用牛粪的玉米籽粒增产7.2%～29.9%,千粒重增加2.5%～18.2%,活性有机碳和有机质含量分别增加5.3%～34.6%和8.0%～17.6%.施用绿肥的玉米籽粒增产10.8%～15.6%,千粒重增加4.5%～8.4%,活性有机碳含量增加14.1%～48.6%,在第二年土壤有机质含量增加了7.2%.施用牛粪和绿肥的土壤呼吸速率增加了20.0%～69.3%.施用牛粪和绿肥增加了土壤容重,减少了总孔隙度和毛管孔隙度,分别增加了＜0.01 mm和0.05～1 mm粒径团聚体的比例.连续2年在土地整治区施用牛粪和绿肥不仅能够增加玉米籽粒产量,而且已经对土壤物理化学性质的改善表现出积极的作用.     

Effects of soil frost on nitrogen net mineralization, soil solution chemistry and seepage losses in a temperate forest soil

Freezing and thawing may alter element turnover and solute fluxes in soils by changing physical and biological soil properties. We simulated soil frost in replicated snow removal plots in a mountainous Norway spruce stand in the Fichtelgebirge area, Germany, and investigated N net mineralization, solute concentrations and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and of mineral ions (NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺). At the snow removal plots the minimum soil temperature was −5 °C at 5 cm depth, while the control plots were covered by snow and experienced no soil frost. The soil frost lasted for about 3 months and penetrated the soil to about 15 cm depth. In the 3 months after thawing, the in situ N net mineralization in the forest floor and upper mineral soil was not affected by soil frost. In late summer, NO₃⁻ concentrations increased in forest floor percolates and soil solutions at 20 cm soil depth in the snow removal plots relative to the control. The increase lasted for about 2–4 months at a time of low seepage water fluxes. Soil frost did not affect DOC concentrations and radiocarbon signatures of DOC. No specific frost effect was observed for K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in soil solutions, however, the Na⁺ concentrations in the upper mineral soil increased. In the 12 months following snowmelt, the solute fluxes of N, DOC, and mineral ions were not influenced by the previous soil frost at any depth. Our experiment did not support the hypothesis that moderate soil frost triggers solute losses of N, DOC, and mineral ions from temperate forest soils.     

土壤水分和氮添加对华北平原高产农田有机碳矿化的影响

通过105 d的恒温(25℃)控湿室内培养方法,探讨了华北平原高产粮田土壤有机碳矿化特征以及水分和有机、无机氮输入对其影响。试验设4个肥料添加水平和4个水分梯度,分别为对照(S0)、仅添加无机氮(尿素)(S1)、无机氮和有机氮(鸡粪)配施(S2)以及仅添加有机氮(S3)和25%(田间持水量;M0)、50%(M1)、75%(M2)和100%(M3)共16个处理,每处理3次重复。结果表明,各处理有机碳矿化速率均在培养后1 d达第1高峰,之后直线下降,培养7 d时下降幅度达57.2%—75.0%,培养20—30 d时出现第2高峰。有机碳累积矿化量有208.8—1161 mg/kg,主要集中在前30 d,可占整个培养期的59.1%—69.9%,105 d的净矿化率为0.07%—2.01%。根据双指数方程模拟结果,研究了土壤潜在矿化碳库(C1+C2),其中活性碳库(C1)和惰性碳库(C2)分别为53.0—135.1 mg/kg和156.9—1069 mg/kg,潜在矿化率为1.75%—9.66%。土壤含水量显著影响有机碳矿化,且与潜在矿化碳库呈二次函数关系(P0.05)。田间持水量25%—100%范围内,随着土壤含水量的升高,有机碳矿化速率呈增加趋势,但增幅降低,其中M2(田间持水量75%)的有机碳净矿化率最高。有机碳矿化量与土壤微生物碳和矿质氮含量呈线性正相关(P0.05),保持氮水平(200 kg N/hm2)相同,有机氮(鸡粪)和无机氮(尿素)均显著促进土壤有机碳矿化,但两者间差异不显著(P0.05),且有机氮和无机氮对有机碳矿化的影响均与土壤含水量有显著交互作用(P0.05)。     

Nutrient uptake and growth of barley as affected by soil compaction

A field experiment with different levels of compaction was carried out on a mouldboard ploughed silty clay, with the objective of studying the effects on plant nutrient uptake and growth. Soil from the field was also used in laboratory studies of carbon and nitrogen mineralization, and plant uptake of water and nutrients. In the field, low as well as high bulk densities reduced biomass production and nutrient uptake of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) compared to intermediate bulk densities, where grain yield was approximately 20% higher. In the beginning of the growing season, the concentration of phosphorus and potassium was lowest in plants grown in the loosest and in the most compacted soil, and suboptimal for plant growth. The uptake of nutrients transported by diffusion was more affected by compaction than for nutrients transported by mass flow. The reasons for lowered uptake in loose compared to moderately compacted soil could be reduced root-to-soil contact, a low diffusion coefficient for nutrients and/or reduced mass transport of water to seed and roots. Differences in plant nutrient concentrations between treatments gradually declined until harvest. Immediately after compaction there was probably oxygen deficiency in the compacted soil since the air-filled porosity was critically low, but as the soil dried out, mechanical resistance to root growth may have become a more important growth-limiting factor. In the laboratory study, severe compaction reduced carbon mineralization and uptake of water and nutrients by roots, and caused denitrification. There were only small differences between loose and moderately compacted soil in carbon mineralization, nitrogen concentration in the soil, uptake of water and nutrients and dry matter yield. The large yield increase due to recompaction in the field was not reproduced in the laboratory. Possible reasons are differences in soil temperature between the field and laboratory, in the sowing and fertilizing methods, the pretreatment of the soil and in the spatial variability of bulk density. It is possible that recompaction is needed only in the uppermost part of the soil, which is the loosest, dries out first, and is where the seed as well as the fertilizer are placed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Simulating the effects of N availability, straw particle size and location in soil on C and N mineralization

Predicting the C and N mineralization of straw added to soil is important for forecasting subsequent soil N availability during and between crop growth cycles. The decomposition module of the STICS model, parameterized under optimal conditions, was used to predict straw decomposition in sub-optimal conditions, i.e. when contact between soil and residue was poor (due to large size residues or surface placement) or when mineral N availability was restricted. The data used in the simulations were obtained from published studies of effects of residue size, location and N availability on C and N mineralization from straw under controlled laboratory conditions. We selected studies in which the dynamics of C and N mineralization were measured simultaneously. The dynamics of straw mineralization could be well predicted by the model under optimal conditions with standard parameter values as derived from measured C/N ratios of the residues, but not under sub-optimal conditions which required a new parameterization. A good fit could be obtained on these treatments by a marked reduction in the rate constants of residue and microbial biomass decomposition and a marked increase in the microbial biomass C/N ratio. Our results show the need to include in decomposition models routines for simulating effects of spatial heterogeneity of residue distribution, different particle sizes and limiting N availability.     

Respiration from C3 plant green manure added to a C4 plant carbon dominated soil

Application of tree leaves (C₃ plants) on maize (Zea mays L.) (C₄ plant) fields is an agroforestry management technology to restore or maintain soil fertility. The rate at which the tree leaves decompose is crucial for the nutrient supply to the crop. We studied the in situ decomposition of Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. leaves or C₃ sugar for 4 – 8 days after application to a maize field in Kenya. By using the difference of around 10‰ in natural abundance of ¹³C between the endogenous soil C (mainly C₄) and the applied C (C₃), we could calculate the contributions of the two C sources to soil respiration. The δ¹³C value of the basal respiration was from –15.9 to –16.7‰. The microbial response to the additions of leaves and sugar to this tropical soil was immediate. Application of sesbania leaves gave an initial peak in respiration rates that lasted from one to less than 6 days, after which it levelled off and remained about 2 – 3 times higher (230–270 mg C m^-2 h^-1) than the control respiration rates throughout the rest of the experiment (5 – 8 days). In the sugar treatment, there was no initial peak in respiration rate. The respiration rate was 170 mg C m^-2 h^-1 after 4 days. At the end of the experiments, after 4–8 days, as much as 14–17% of the added C had been respired and about 60% of the total respiration was from the added sesbania leaves or C₃ sugar. This non-destructive method allows repeated measurements of the actual rate of C mineralisation and facilitates decomposition studies with high temporal resolution in the field. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

不同氮输入对湿地草甸沼泽土N_2O排放和有机碳矿化的影响

通过室内培养实验,研究了不同氮输入梯度下(N0:0mg·g-1,N1:0.1mg·g-1,N2:0.2mg·g-1,N3:0.5mg·g-1)湿地草甸沼泽土N2O排放和有机碳矿化特征,并分析了土壤微生物量碳、氮变化规律。整个培养期(23d)内,N0、N1、N2和N3处理N2O排放总量分别为91.12、133.02、147.75和303.45μg.kg-1,随氮输入量增大而增大,表明氮输入对N2O排放产生促进作用;氮输入处理的有机碳矿化速率在整个培养期除最后培养阶段外均低于对照,表明氮输入对有机碳矿化有一定的抑制作用;各氮输入处理土壤微生物量碳降低,与对照差异显著(P0.05),但各处理间差异未达到显著水平,土壤微生物量氮随氮输入量增大呈线性增加,各处理间差异显著(P0.05),表明氮输入影响土壤微生物结构和组成,具体影响机理须进一步探讨。     

温度对温带和亚热带森林土壤有机碳矿化速率及酶动力学参数的影响

研究了温度对长白山阔叶红松林、鼎湖山常绿阔叶林2个不同纬度的森林土壤有机碳矿化速率和酶动力学参数的影响.结果表明:土壤有机碳矿化速率(C_min)随着温度的增加而增加,长白山土壤C_min及其温度敏感性(Q_10(Cmin))显著高于鼎湖山土壤.长白山土壤β-1,4-葡萄糖苷酶(βG)和β-1,4-N-乙酰葡糖氨糖苷酶(NAG)的酶动力学参数潜在最大反应速率(V_max)和半饱和常数(K_m)高于鼎湖山土壤,但鼎湖山土壤的催化效率(V_max/K_m)高于长白山土壤,表明随着温度的升高,土壤βG和NAG的V_max和V_max/K_m增加,K_m降低,即酶与底物的结合程度增加.鼎湖山土壤βG的Q_10(Vmax)、Q_10(Km)高于长白山土壤,这与土壤Q_10(Cmin)结果不一致.增温对长白山和鼎湖山森林土壤有机碳矿化及酶动力学参数的影响机制不同,在土壤生物化学过程对增温响应的模型中应区别考虑.     

Effects of plant species diversity, atmospheric [CO2], and N addition on gross rates of inorganic N release from soil organic matter

A significant challenge in predicting terrestrial ecosystem response to global changes comes from the relatively poor understanding of the processes that control pools and fluxes of plant nutrients in soil. In addition, individual global changes are often studied in isolation, despite the potential for interactive effects among them on ecosystem processes. We studied the response of gross N mineralization and microbial respiration after 6 years of application of three global change factors in a grassland field experiment in central Minnesota (the BioCON experiment). BioCON is a factorial manipulation of plant species diversity (1, 4, 9 and 16 prairie species), atmospheric [CO₂] (ambient and elevated: 560 μmol mol^?1), and N inputs (ambient and ambient +4 g N m^?2 yr^?1). We hypothesized that gross N mineralization would increase with increasing levels of all factors because of stimulated plant productivity and thus greater organic inputs to soils. However, we also hypothesized that N addition would enhance, while elevated [CO₂] and greater diversity would temper, gross N mineralization responses because of increased and reduced plant tissue N concentrations, respectively. In partial support of our hypothesis, gross N mineralization increased with greater diversity and N addition, but not with elevated [CO₂]. The ratio of gross N mineralization to microbial respiration (i.e. the ‘yield’ of inorganic N mineralized per unit C respired) declined with greater diversity and [CO₂] suggesting increasing limitation of microbial processes by N relative to C in these treatments. Based on these results, we conclude that the plant supply of organic matter primarily controls gross N mineralization and microbial respiration, but that the concentration of N in organic matter input secondarily influences these processes. Thus, in systems where N limits plant productivity these global change factors could cause different long‐term ecosystem trajectories because of divergent effects on soil N and C cycling.     

棉秆炭特性及其对灰漠土土壤有机碳矿化的效应

生物炭具有提高土壤肥力和减缓温室气体排放的作用,但其对土壤有机碳矿化的作用效应存在争议。以新疆灰漠土为研究对象,采用300℃和600℃制备的棉花秸秆炭(棉杆炭)为试材,在25℃、75%的土壤饱和含水量条件下,通过100 d的室内培养,研究了不同比例的棉杆炭添加(0、0.1%、0.5%、1.0%、2.0%和100%,以质量计)对土壤有机碳矿化的效应。结果表明:1)高温制备的棉杆炭,孔隙结构排列整齐,表面光滑,孔隙度和比表面积大,芳香化程度增强;2)棉杆炭的有机碳矿化速率与时间呈乘幂关系(P0.05),300℃棉杆炭相比600℃棉杆炭的累积矿化量和累积矿化率分别提高了318%和87.06%;高温炭化抑制了有机碳矿化;与对照相比,添加300℃棉杆炭增加了土壤有机碳累积矿化量(0.1%处理除外,降低了7.22%),并随棉杆炭添加量而增加,土壤有机碳累积矿化量提高幅度在3.05%—35.28%,而添加600℃棉杆炭降低了土壤有机碳累积矿化量,降低幅度为6.11%—10.79%;3)培养前期(0—20 d)300℃棉杆炭对灰漠土土壤原有有机碳矿化为正激发效应(0.1%处理除外),后期为负激发效应,整个培养期内为负激发效应;600℃棉杆炭培养前期(0—5 d)对土壤原有有机碳激发效应微小,主要表现为负激发效应。由此可见,低温制备的棉杆炭能提高土壤有机碳矿化,而高温制备棉杆炭则抑制了土壤有机碳矿化,棉杆炭添加对土壤原有有机碳矿化具有负激发效应,能够促进土壤有机碳积累。     

长期双季稻绿肥轮作对水稻产量及稻田土壤有机质的影响

以中国农业科学院红壤实验站1982年布置的长期定位试验为研究对象,分析了长期双季稻绿肥轮作体系下水稻产量变化趋势、稻田土壤有机质变化特征及土壤活性有机质组成。结果表明,绿肥作物与双季稻轮作种植后,水稻产量显著高于冬闲对照,绿肥作物紫云英、油菜和黑麦草处理年平均水稻产量（1982-2008）分别为10.8 t?hm-2?a-1,10.2 t?hm-2?a-1和10.0 t?hm-2?a-1,较冬闲对照分别提高27.2%,20.5%和18.1%。试验前期（1982-1993）种植绿肥作物各处理之间水稻产量无显著差异,试验开展11年后（1994-2008）种植紫云英处理水稻产量显著高于油菜和黑麦草处理。长期双季稻绿肥轮作土壤有机质随年份显著增加,双季稻紫云英轮作土壤有机质积累速度最快,年增加0.31 g?kg-1,双季稻黑麦草次之,土壤有机质年增加0.28g?kg-1,双季稻油菜轮作土壤有机质年增加0.26g?kg-1。种植绿肥作物紫云英稻田土壤活性有机质显著高于其它处理。种植绿肥作物各处理土壤有机碳、全氮、土壤微生物量碳和土壤微生物量氮含量均显著高于冬闲对照。其中黑麦草和紫云英处理土壤微生物量碳含量及微生物熵显著高于油菜和冬闲对照处理。在湘南红壤丘陵双季稻区,种植绿肥作物对提高水稻产量、增加土壤有机质、提高土壤有机质活性具有重要意义,绿肥选择上以紫云英对水稻产量和稻田土壤培肥综合效果最好。     

Nitrogen gas (N2+N2O) flux from urea applied to lowland rice as affected by green manure

A field study was conducted on a clay soil (Andaqueptic Haplaquoll) in the Philippines to directly measure the evolution of (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N from 98 atom %¹⁵N-labeled urea broadcast at 29 kg N ha⁻¹ into 0.05-m-deep floodwater at 15 days after transplanting (DT) rice. The flux of (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N during the 19 days following urea application never exceeded 28 g N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. The total recovery of (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N evolved from the field was only 0.51% of the applied N, whereas total gaseous¹⁵N loss estimated from unrecovered¹⁵N in the¹⁵N balance was 41% of the applied N. Floodwater (nitrate+nitrite)−N in the 5 days following urea application never exceeded 0.14 g N m⁻³ or 0.3% of the applied N. Prior cropping of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] to flowering with subsequent incorporation of the green manure (dry matter=2.5 Mg ha⁻¹, C/N=15) at 15 days before rice transplanting had no effect on fate of urea applied to rice at 15 DT. The recovery of (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N and total¹⁵N loss during the 19 days following urea application were 0.46 and 40%, respectively. Direct recovery of evolved (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N and total¹⁵N loss from 27 kg applied nitrate-N ha⁻¹ were 20% and 53% during the same 19-day period. The failure of directly-recovered (N₂+N₂O)−¹⁵N to match total¹⁵N loss from added nitrate-¹⁵N might be due to entrapment of denitrification end products in soil or transport of gaseous end products to the atmosphere through rice plants. The rapid conversion of added nitrate-N to (N₂+N₂O)−N, the apparently sufficient water soluble soil organic C for denitrification (101 μg C g⁻¹ in the top 0.15-m soil layer), and the low floodwater nitrate following urea application suggested that denitrification loss from urea was controlled by supply of nitrate rather than by availability of organic C.     

Annual burning of a tallgrass prairie inhibits C and N cycling in soil,increasing recalcitrant pyrogenic organic matter storage while reducing N availability

Grassland ecosystems store an estimated 30% of the world's total soil C and are frequently disturbed by wildfires or fire management. Aboveground litter decomposition is one of the main processes that form soil organic matter (SOM). However, during a fire biomass is removed or partially combusted and litter inputs to the soil are substituted with inputs of pyrogenic organic matter (py‐OM). Py‐OM accounts for a more recalcitrant plant input to SOM than fresh litter, and the historical frequency of burning may alter C and N retention of both fresh litter and py‐OM inputs to the soil. We compared the fate of these two forms of plant material by incubating ¹³C‐ and ¹⁵N‐labeled Andropogon gerardii litter and py‐OM at both an annually burned and an infrequently burned tallgrass prairie site for 11 months. We traced litter and py‐OM C and N into uncomplexed and organo‐mineral SOM fractions and CO₂ fluxes and determined how fire history affects the fate of these two forms of aboveground biomass. Evidence from CO₂ fluxes and SOM C:N ratios indicates that the litter was microbially transformed during decomposition while, besides an initial labile fraction, py‐OM added to SOM largely untransformed by soil microbes. Additionally, at the N‐limited annually burned site, litter N was tightly conserved. Together, these results demonstrate how, although py‐OM may contribute to C and N sequestration in the soil due to its resistance to microbial degradation, a long history of annual removal of fresh litter and input of py‐OM infers N limitation due to the inhibition of microbial decomposition of aboveground plant inputs to the soil. These results provide new insight into how fire may impact plant inputs to the soil, and the effects of py‐OM on SOM formation and ecosystem C and N cycling.