Long-term effects of continuous direct seeding mulch-based cropping systems on soil nitrogen supply in the Cerrado region of Brazil

In the Cerrado region of Brazil conventional soybean monoculture is since the 1980s being replaced by direct seeding mulch-based cropping (DMC) with two crops per year and absence of tillage practices. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term impact of DMC on soil organic matter accumulation and nitrogen (N) mineralization. Measurements of soil organic carbon (C) content, soil total N content and soil N mineralization, both under laboratory conditions using disturbed soil samples and under field conditions using intact soil cores were conducted on a chronosequence of 2-, 6-, 9- and 14-year-old DMC fields (DMC-2, DMC-6, DMC-9 and DMC-14, respectively). The average increase of organic C in the 0–30 cm topsoil layer under DMC was 1.91 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Soil total N increased with 103 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (0–30 cm). The potential N mineralization rate under laboratory conditions (28°C, 75% of soil moisture at field capacity) was 0.27, 0.28, 0.39 and 0.36 mg N kg soil⁻¹ day⁻¹ for, respectively, the DMC-2, DMC-6, DMC-9 and DMC-14 soils. The corresponding specific N mineralization rates were 0.16, 0.15, 0.22 and 0.17 mg N g N⁻¹ day⁻¹. There was no obvious explanation for the higher specific N mineralization rate of soils under DMC-9, given the similar soil conditions and land-use history before DMC was introduced. Results from the in situ N incubation experiments were in good agreement with those from the laboratory incubations. We estimated that soil N mineralization increases with about 2.0 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ under DMC. The increase was mainly attributed to the larger soil total N content. These results indicate that even in the medium term (10 years), continuous DMC cropping has limited implications for N fertilization recommendations, since the extra soil N supply represents less than 20% of the common N fertilization dose for maize in the region.     

Seasonal accumulation and partitioning of nitrogen by lentil

Although wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the dominant crop of the semi-arid plains of Canada and the western United States, lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) has become an important alternative crop. Sources and seasonal accumulation of N must be understood in order to identify parameters that can lead to increased N₂-fixing activity and yield. Inoculated lentil was grown in a sandy-loam soil at an irrigated site in Saskatchewan, Canada. Wheat was used as the reference crop to estimate N₂ fixation by the A-value approach. Lentil and wheat received 10 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ of ammonium nitrate, respectively. Crops were harvested six times during the growing season and plant components analyzed. During the first 71 days after planting the wheat had a higher daily dry matter and N accumulation compared to lentil. However, during the latter part of the growing season, daily dry matter and N accumulation were greater for lentil. The maximum total N accumulation for lentil at maturity was 149 kg ha⁻¹. In contrast, wheat had a maximum N accumulation of 98 kg ha⁻¹ in the Feekes 11.1 stage, or 86 days after planting. The maximum daily rates of N accumulation were 3.82 kg N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹ for lentil and 2.21 kg N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹ for wheat. The percentage of N derived from N₂ fixation (% Ndfa) ranged from 0 at the first harvest to 92 % at final harvest. Generative plant components had higher values for % Ndfa than the vegetative components which indicates that N in the reproductive plant parts was derived largely from current N₂ fixation and lentil continued to fix N until the end of the pod fill stage. At final harvest, lentil had derived 129 kg N ha⁻¹ from N₂ fixation with maximum N₂-fixing activity (4.4 kg N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) occurring during the early stages of pod fill. Higher maximum rates of N₂-fixing activity than net N accumulation (3.82 kg N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) may have been caused by N losses like volatilization. In addition, lentil provided a net N contribution to the soil of 59 kg ha⁻¹ following the removal of the grain.     

Effects of understory removal, N fertilization, and litter layer removal on soil N cycling in a 13-year-old white spruce plantation infested with Canada bluejoint grass

Canada bluejoint grass [Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv., referred to as bluejoint below] is a competitive understory species widely distributed in the boreal region in North America and builds up a thick litter layer that alters the soil surface microclimate in heavily infested sites. This study examined the effects of understory removal, N fertilization, and litter layer removal on litter decomposition, soil microbial biomass N (MBN), and net N mineralization and nitrification rates in LFH (the sum of organic horizons of litter, partially decomposed litter and humus on the soil surface) and mineral soil (0–10 cm) in a 13-year-old white spruce [Picea glauca (Moench.) Voss] plantation infested with bluejoint in Alberta, Canada. Removal of the understory vegetation and the litter layer together significantly increased soil temperature at 10 cm below the mineral soil surface by 1.7 and 1.3°C in summer 2003 and 2004, respectively, resulting in increased net N mineralization (by 1.09 and 0.14 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹ in LFH and mineral soil, respectively, in 2004) and net nitrification rates (by 0.10 and 0.20 mg N kg⁻¹ day⁻¹ in LFH and mineral soil, respectively, in 2004). When the understory vegetation was intact, nitrification might have been limited by NH₄ ⁺ availability due to competition for N from bluejoint and other understory species. Litter layer removal increased litter decomposition rate (percentage mass loss per month) from 2.6 to 3.0% after 15 months of incubation. Nitrogen fertilization did not show consistent effects on soil MBN, but increased net N mineralization and nitrification rates as well as available N concentrations in the soil. Clearly, understory removal combined with N fertilization was most effective in increasing rates of litter decomposition, net N mineralization and nitrification, and soil N availability. The management of understory vegetation dominated by bluejoint in the boreal region should consider the strong effects of understory competition and the accumulated litter layer on soil N cycling and the implications for forest management.     

Soil nitrogen heterogeneity in a Dehesa ecosystem

The C mineralization and N transformations during the decomposition of sunflower stalks (Helianthus annuus L.) and wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L.) with and without addition of (NH₄)₂SO₄ (27.53 atom% ¹⁵N) were studied in a Vertisol. Soil samples were incubated under aerobic conditions for 224 days at 22 °C. The plant residues were added at a rate of 5.2 g kg^-1 soil. Nitrogen was applied at a rate of 50.7 mg N kg^-1 soil. Carbon dioxide emission and inorganic N content in soil were periodically determined. Gross N immobilization and remineralization were calculated on the basis of the isotopic dilution technique. At the end of the incubation period a ¹⁵N balance was established. Respectively, 68 and 45% of the applied residue-C mineralized from the sunflower stalks and wheat straw after 224 days. Both crop residues caused losses of up to 25% of added ¹⁵N after 224 days of incubation. These ¹⁵N losses were about three times larger than in the control soil, and were probably due to denitrification. The net immobilization of soil derived N following residue incorporation was largest in the case of wheat straw, depleting all soil inorganic N. In the wheat straw treatment with added (NH₄)₂SO₄ soil inorganic N remained available, resulting in an enhanced initial C mineralization and N immobilization compared to the treatment without added N. In the case of the sunflower stalks, the high inorganic N content of the stalks suppressed the effects of N addition on C mineralization and N immobilization/mineralization. Gross N immobilization amounted to 31.9 and 28.2 mg N g^-1 added C after 14 days for wheat straw and sunflower stalks, respectively. At the end of the incubation, about 35% of the newly immobilized N was remineralized in both plant residue treatments. Gross N immobilization plotted against decomposed C suggests that fairly uniform C-N relationships exist during the decomposition of divers C substrates. The results demonstrate that low fertilizer N use efficiencies may be expected in a wheat-sunflower cropping system with incorporation of crop residues, as the fertilizer N applied becomes largely immobilized in the soil organic fraction. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Soil-mixing effects on inorganic nitrogen production and consumption in forest and shrubland soils

Soils that are physically disturbed are often reported to show net nitrification and NO₃⁻ loss. To investigate the response of soil N cycling rates to soil mixing, we assayed gross rates of mineralization, nitrification, NH₄⁺ consumption, and NO₃⁻ consumption in a suite of soils from eleven woody plant communities in Oregon, New Mexico, and Utah. Results suggest that the common response of net NO₃⁻ flux from disturbed soils is not a straightforward response of increased gross nitrification, but instead may be due to the balance of several factors. While mineralization and NH₄⁺ assimilation were higher in mixed than intact cores, NO₃⁻ consumption declined. Mean net nitrification was 0.12 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹ in disturbed cores, which was significantly higher than in intact cores (−0.19 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹). However, higher net nitrification rates in disturbed soils were due to the suppression of NO₃⁻ consumption, rather than an increase in nitrification. Our results suggest that at least in the short term, disturbance may significantly increase NO₃⁻ flux at the ecosystem level, and that N cycling rates measured in core studies employing mixed soils may not be representative of rates in undisturbed soils.     

Nitrogen mineralization and denitrification as influenced by crop residue particle size

Managing the crop residue particle size has the potential to affect N conservation in agricultural systems. We investigated the influence of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and pea (Pisum sativum) crop residue particle size on N mineralization and denitrification in two laboratory experiments. Experiment 1: ¹⁵N-labelled ground (3 mm) and cut (25 mm) barley residue, and microcrystalline cellulose+glucose were mixed into a sandy loam soil with additional inorganic N. Experiment 2: inorganic¹⁵ N and C₂H₂ were added to soils with barley and pea material after 3, 26, and 109 days for measuring gross N mineralization and denitrification.Net N immobilization over 60 days in Experiment 1 cumulated to 63 mg N kg^-1 soil (ground barley), 42 (cut barley), and 122 (cellulose+glucose). More N was seemingly net mineralized from ground barley (3.3 mg N kg^-1 soil) than from cut barley (2.7 mg N kg^-1 soil). Microbial biomass peaked at day 4 with the barley treatments and at day 14 with the cellulose+glucose whereafter the biomass leveled out at values 79 mg C kg^-1 (ground), 104 (cut), and 242 (cellulose+glucose) higher than for the control soil. Microbial growth yields were similar for the two barley treatments, ca. 60 mg C g^-1 substrate C added, which was lower than the 142 mg C g^-1 C added with cellulose+glucose. This suggests that the 75% (w/w) holocelluloses and sugars contained with the barley material remained physically protected despite grinding. In Experiment 2 gross mineralization on day 3 was 4.8 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 with ground pea, twice as much as for all other treatments. On day 26 the treatment with ground barley had the greatest gross N mineralization. In static cores ground barley denitrified 11-fold more than did cut barley, whereas denitrification was similar for the two pea treatments. In suspensions denitrification was similar for the two treatments both with barley and pea residue.We conclude that the higher microbial activity associated with the initial decomposition of ground plant material is due to a more intimate plant residue-soil contact. On the long term, grinding the plant residues has no significant effect on N dynamics.     

The use of mean pool abundances to interpret 15N tracer experiments

A pulse dilution ¹⁵N technique was used in the field to determine the effect of the ammonium to nitrate ratio in a fertilizer application on the uptake of ammonium and nitrate by ryegrass and on gross rates of mineralization and nitrification. Two experiments were performed, corresponding approximately to the first and second cuts of grass. Where no substantial recent immobilization of inorganic nitrogen had occurred, mineralization was insensitive to the form of nitrogen applied, ranging from 2.1–2.6 kg N ha^-1 d^-1. The immobilization of ammonium increased as the proportion of ammonium in the application increased. In the second experiment there was evidence that high rates of immobilization in the first experiment were associated with high rates of mineralization in the second. The implication was that some nitrogen immobilized in the first experiment was re-mineralized during the second. Whether this was nitrogen taken up, stored in roots and released following defoliation was not clear. Nitrification rates in this soil were low (0.1–0.63 kg N ha^-1 d^-1), and as a result, varying the ratio of ammonium to nitrate applied markedly altered the relative uptake of ammonium and nitrate. In the first experiment, where temperatures were low, preferential uptake of ammonium occurred, but where >90% of the uptake was as ammonium, a reduction in yield and nitrogen uptake was observed. In the second experiment, where temperatures and growth rates were higher, the proportion of ammonium to nitrate taken up had no effect on yield or nitrogen uptake.     

Carbon and nitrogen turnover in adjacent grassland and cropland ecosystems

The effects of cultivation and soil texture on net and gross N mineralization, CO₂ evolution and C and N turnover were investigated using paired grassland and cropped sites on soils of three textures. Gross N mineralization and immobilization were measured using¹⁵N-isotope dilution. Grassland soils had high CO₂ evolution and gross N mineralization rates, and low net N mineralization rates. Cropland soils had low CO₂ evolution rates but had high net and gross N mineralization rates. Grassland soils thus had high immobilization rates and cropland soils had low immobilization rates. Cultivation increased N turnover but reduced C turnover. The data suggest that the microflora in grassland soils are N limited, while those of cropland soils are limited by C availability. Increasing clay content reduced N turnover. C turnover was less clearly related to texture. Differences in the immobilization potential of substrates help explain why agricultural soils have higher N losses than do grassland soils.     

Effects of forest management on soil N cycling in beech forests stocking on calcareous soils

The effects of forest management (thinning) on gross and net N conversion, the balance of inorganic N production and consumption, inorganic N concentrations and on soil microbial biomass in the Ah layer were studied in situ during eight intensive field measuring campaigns in the years 2002–2004 at three beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest sites. At all sites adjacent thinning plots (“T”) and untreated control plots (“C”) were established. Since the sites are characterized either by cool-moist microclimate (NE site and NW site) or by warm-dry microclimate (SW site) and thinning took place in the year 1999 at the NE and SW sites and in the year 2003 at the NW site the experimental design allowed to evaluate (1) short-term effects (years 1–2) of thinning at the NW site and (2) medium-term effects (years 4–6) of thinning under different microclimate at the SW and NE site. Microbial biomass N was consistently higher at the thinning plots of all sites during most of the field campaigns and was overall significantly higher at the SWT and NWT plots as compared to the corresponding untreated control plots. The size of the microbial biomass N pool was found to correlate positively with both gross ammonification and gross nitrification as well as with extractable soil NO₃⁻ concentrations. At the SW site neither gross ammonification, gross nitrification, gross ammonium (NH₄⁺) immobilization and gross nitrate (NO₃⁻) immobilization nor net ammonification, net nitrification and extractable NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ contents were significantly different between control and thinning plot. At the NET plot lower gross ammonification and gross NH₄⁺ immobilization in conjunction with constant nitrification rates coincided with higher net nitrification and significantly higher extractable NO₃⁻ concentrations. Thus, the medium-term effects of thinning varied with different microclimate. The most striking thinning effects were found at the newly thinned NW site, where gross ammonification and gross NH₄⁺ immobilization were dramatically higher immediately after thinning. However, they subsequently tended to decrease in favor of gross nitrification, which was significantly higher at the NWT plot as compared to␣the␣NWC plot during all field campaigns after␣thinning except for April 2004. This increase␣in␣gross nitrification at the NWT plot (1.73 mg N kg⁻¹ sdw day⁻¹ versus 0.48 mg N kg⁻¹ sdw day⁻¹ at the NWC plot) coincided with significantly higher extractable NO₃⁻ concentrations (4.59 mg N kg⁻¹ sdw at the NWT plot versus 0.96 mg N kg⁻¹ sdw at the NWC plot). Pronounced differences in relative N retention (the ratio of gross NH₄⁺ immobilization + gross NO₃⁻ immobilization to gross ammonification + gross nitrification) were found across the six research plots investigated and could be positively correlated to the soil C/N ratio (R = 0.94; p = 0.005). In sum, the results obtained in this study show that (1) thinning can lead to a shift in the balance of microbial inorganic N production and consumption causing a clear decrease in the N retention capacity in the monitored forest soils especially in the first two years after thinning, (2)␣the resistance of the investigated forest ecosystems to disturbances of N cycling by thinning may vary with different soil C contents and C/N ratios, e. g. caused by differences in microclimate, (3) thinning effects tend to decline with the growth of understorey vegetation in the years 4–6 after thinning.     

Decline of soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification during forest conversion of evergreen broad-leaved forest to plantations in the subtropical area of Eastern China

We examined soil nitrogen (N) mineralization and nitrification rates, and soil and forest floor properties in one native forest: evergreen broad-leaved forest (EBLF), one secondary shrubs (SS), and three adjacent plantation forests: Chinese fir plantation (CFP), bamboo plantation (BP) and waxberry groves (WG) in Tiantong National Forest Park, Eastern China. All forests showed seasonal dynamics of N mineralization and nitrification rates. Soil N mineralization rate was highest in EBLF (1.6 ± 0.3 mg-N kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and lowest in CFP (0.4 ± 0.1 mg-N kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Soil nitrification rate was also highest in EBLF (0.6 ± 0.1 mg-N kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹), but lowest in SS (0.02 ± 0.01 mg-N kg⁻¹ yr⁻¹). During forest conversion of EBLF to SS, CFP, BP and WG, soil N mineralization rate (10.7%, 73%, 40.3% and 69.8%, respectively), soil nitrification rate (94.9%, 32.2%, 33.9% and 39%, respectively), and soil N concentration (50%, 65.4%, 78.9% and 51.9%, respectively) declined significantly. Annual soil N mineralization was positively correlated with total C and N concentrations of surface soil and total N concentration of forest floor, and negatively correlated with soil bulk density, soil pH and C:N ratio of forest floor across the five forests. Annual soil nitrification was positively correlated with total C concentration of surface soil and N concentration of forest floor, and negatively correlated with soil bulk density and forest floor mass. In contrast, annual soil nitrification was not correlated to pH value, total N concentration, C:N ratio of surface soil and total C concentration and C:N ratio of forest floor.     

Comparison of soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in a mixed grassland and forested ecosystem in central Taiwan

We used the buried bag incubation method to study temporal patterns of net N mineralization and net nitrification in soils at Ta-Ta-Chia forest in central Taiwan. The site included a grassland zone, (dominant vegetation consists of Yushania niitakayamensis and Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Hayata) and a forest zone (Tsuga chinensis var. formosana and Yushania niitakamensis). In the grassland, soil concentration NH₄ ⁺ in the organic horizon (0.1–0.2 m) ranged from 1.0 to 12.4 mg N kg^–1 soil and that of NO₃ ^– varied from 0.2 to 2.1 mg N kg^–1 soil. In the forest zone, NH₄ ⁺ concentration was between 2.8 and 25.0 mg N kg^–1 soil and NO₃ ^–varied from 0.2 to 1.3 mg N kg^–1 soil. There were lower soil NH₄ ⁺ concentrations during the summer than other seasons. Net N mineralization was higher during the summer while net nitrification rates did not show a distinct seasonal pattern. In the grassland, net N mineralization and net nitrification rates were between –0.1 and 0.24 and from –0.04 to 0.04 mg N kg^–1 soil day^–1, respectively. In the forest zone, net N mineralization rates were between –0.03 and 0.45 mg N kg^–1 soil day^–1 and net nitrification rates were between –0.01 and 0.03 mg N kg^–1 soil day^–1. These differences likely result from differing vegetation communities (C₃ versus C₄ plant type) and soil characteristics.     

Effects of the burrowing mayfly,Hexagenia, on nitrogen and sulfur fractions in lake sediment microcosms

Effects of the burrowing mayfly, Hexagenia, on nitrogen and sulfur fractions of sediment, and overlying water were determined. Laboratory microcosms were used to reproduce the benthic environment. The activities of Hexagenia increased sediment Eh (1.98 ± 0.486 (22) mV · day ⁻¹), and decreased pH in sediment (−0.007 ± 0.001 (22) day ⁻¹) and overlying water(-0.024 ± 0.004 (10) day⁻¹). In the control, Eh decreased and pH did not change. The presence of Hexagenia also markedly increased ammonia in sediment (5.46 ± 0.14 (22) ppm N · day⁻¹) and overlying water (0.792 ± 0.154 (10) ppm N · day⁻¹), while the control did not change. In addition, the sulfate fraction of sediment (0.177 ± 0.006 (17)% dry mass) and water (50.0 ± 4.9 (5) mg · I⁻¹) in microcosms with Hexagenia was greater than that of the control (0.151 ± 0.005 (16)% dry mass; 14.7 ± 1.71 (3) mg · 1⁻¹) at the termination of the experiment. Hexagenia may also stimulate the mineralization of carbon-bonded sulfur. The general role of Hexagenia in altering sediment chemistry is discussed.     

Plant and microbial nitrogen use and turnover: Rapid conversion of nitrate to ammonium in soil with roots

Immobilization of ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ ) by plants and microbes, a controlling factor of ecosystem nitrogen (N) retention, has usually been measured based on uptake of¹⁵NH ₄ ⁺ solutions injected into soil. To study the influence of roots on N dynamics without stimulating consumption of NH ₄ ⁺ , we estimated gross nitrification in the presence or absence of live roots in an agricultural soil. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Peto76) plants were grown in microcosms containing root exclosures. When the plants were 7 weeks old,¹⁵N enriched nitrate (NO ₃ ⁻ ) was applied in the 0–150 mm soil layer. After 24 h, > 30 times more¹⁵NH ₄ ⁺ was found in the soil with roots than in the soil of the root exclosures. At least 18% of the NH ₄ ⁺ -N present at this time in the soil with roots had been converted from NO ₃ ⁻ . We estimated rates of conversion of NO ₃ ⁻ to NH ₄ ⁺ , and rates ofNH ₄ ⁺ immobilization by plants and microbes, by simulating N-flow of¹⁴⁺¹⁵N and¹⁵N in three models representing mechanisms that may be underlying the experimental data: Dissimilatory NO ₃ ⁻ reduction to NH ₄ ⁺ (DNRA), plant N efflux, and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) turnover. Compared to NO ₃ ⁻ uptake, plant NH ₄ ⁺ uptake was modest. Ammonium immobilization by plants and microbes was equal to at least 35% of nitrification rates. The rapid recycling of NO ₃ ⁻ to NH ₄ ⁺ via plants and/or microbes contributes to ecosystem N retention and may enable plants growing in agricultural soils to capture more NH ₄ ⁺ than generally assumed.     

Microbial N Turnover and N-Oxide (N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O/NO/NO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Fluxes in Semi-arid Grassland of Inner Mongolia

Gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification, and soil–atmosphere fluxes of N₂O, NO and NO₂ were measured at differently grazed and ungrazed steppe grassland sites in the Xilin river catchment, Inner Mongolia, P. R. China, during the 2004 and 2005 growing season. The experimental sites were a plot ungrazed since 1979 (UG79), a plot ungrazed since 1999 (UG99), a plot moderately grazed in winter (WG), and an overgrazed plot (OG), all in close vicinity to each other. Gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification determined at in situ soil moisture and soil temperature conditions were in a range of 0.5–4.1 mg N kg⁻¹ soil dry weight day⁻¹. In 2005, gross N turnover rates were significantly higher at the UG79 plot than at the UG99 plot, which in turn had significantly higher gross N turnover rates than the WG and OG plots. The WG and the OG plot were not significantly different in gross ammonification and in gross nitrification rates. Site differences in SOC content, bulk density and texture could explain only less than 15% of the observed site differences in gross N turnover rates. N₂O and NO _x flux rates were very low during both growing seasons. No significant differences in N trace gas fluxes were found between plots. Mean values of N₂O fluxes varied between 0.39 and 1.60 μg N₂O-N m⁻² h⁻¹, equivalent to 0.03–0.14 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, and were considerably lower than previously reported for the same region. NO _x flux rates ranged between 0.16 and 0.48 μg NO _x -N m⁻² h⁻¹, equivalent to 0.01–0.04 kg NO _x -N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹, respectively. N₂O fluxes were significantly correlated with soil temperature and soil moisture. The correlations, however, explained only less than 20% of the flux variance.     

The nitrogen mineralization rate of legume residues in soil as influenced by their polyphenol,lignin, and nitrogen contents

A 12-week greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effect of the polyphenol, lignin and N contents of six legumes on their N mineralization rate in soil and to compare estimates of legume-N release by the difference and ¹⁵N-recovery methods. Mature tops of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), round leaf cassia (Cassia rotundifolia Pers., var. Wynn), leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala Lam., deWit), Fitzroy stylo (Stylosanthes scabra Vog., var Fitzroy), snail medic (Medicago scutellata L.), and vigna (Vigna trilobata L., var verde) were incorporated in soil at the rate of 100 mg legume N kg^-1 soil. The medic and vigna were labeled with ¹⁵N. Sorghum-sudan hybrid (Sorghum bicolor, L. Moench) was used as the test crop. A non-amended treatment was used as a control. Net N mineralization after 12 weeks ranged from 11% of added N with cassia to 47% of added N for alfalfa. With the two legumes that contained less than 20 g kg^-1 of N, stylo and cassia, there was net N immobilization for the first 6 weeks of the experiment. The legume (lignin + polyphenol):N ratio was significantly correlated with N mineralization at all sampling dates at the 0.05 level and at the 0.01 level at 6 weeks (r²=0.866). Legume N, lignin, or polyphenol concentrations or the lignin:N ratio were not significantly correlated with N mineralization at any time. The polyphenol:N ratio was only significantly correlated with N mineralization after 9 weeks (r²=0.692). The (lignin + polyphenol):N ratio appears to be a good predictor of N mineralization rates of incorporated legumes, but the method for analyzing plant polyphenol needs to be standardized. Estimates of legume-N mineralization by the difference and ¹⁵N recovery methods were significantly different at all sampling dates for both ¹⁵N-labeled legumes. After 12 weeks, estimates of legume-N mineralization averaged 20% more with the difference method than with the ¹⁵N recovery method. This finding suggests that estimates of legume N available to subsequent crops should not be based solely on results from ¹⁵N recovery experiments.     

Minimizing the effect of mineral nitrogen on biological nitrogen fixation in common bean by increasing nutrient levels

Although common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has good potential for N₂ fixation, some additional N provided through fertilizer usually is required for a maximum yield. In this study the suppressive effect of N on nodulation and N₂ fixation was evaluated in an unfertile soil under greenhouse conditions with different levels of soil fertility (low=no P, K and S additions; medium = 50, 63 and 10 mg kg^–1 soil and high = 200, 256 and 40 mg kg^–1 soil, respectively) and combined with 5, 15, 60 and 120 mg N kg^–1 soil of ¹⁵N-labelled urea. The overall average nodule number and weight increased under high fertility levels. At low N applications, nitrogen had a synergistic effect on N₂ fixation, by stimulating nodule formation, nitrogenase activity and plant growth. At high fertility and at the highest N rate (120 mg kg^–1 soil), the stimulatory effect of N fertilizer on N₂ fixation was still observed, increasing the amounts of N₂ fixed from 88 up to 375 mg N plant^–1. These results indicate that a suitable balance of soil nutrients is essential to obtain high N₂ fixation rates and yield in common beans.     

Estimation of symbiotically fixed nitrogen in field grown soybeans: An application of natural15N/14N abundance and a low level15N-tracer technique

Summary Plants from agricultural and natural upland ecosystem were investigated for¹⁵N content to evaluate the role of symbiotic N₂-fixation in the nitrogen nutrition of soybean. Increased yields and lower δ¹⁵N values of nodulating soybeansvs, non-nodulating isolines gave semi-quantitative estimates of N₂ fixation. A fairly large discrepancy was found between estimations by δ¹⁵N and by N yield at 0 kg N/ha of fertilizer. More precise estimates were made by following changes in plant δ¹⁵N when fertilizer δ¹⁵N was varied near¹⁵N natural abundance level. Clearcut linear relationships between δ¹⁵N values of whole plants and of fertilizer were obtained at 30 kg N/ha of fertilizer for three kinds of soils. In experimental field plots, nodulating soybeans obtained 13±1% of their nitrogen from fertilizer, 66±8% from N₂ fixation and 21±10% from soil nitrogen in Andosol brown soil; 30%, 16% and 54% in Andosol black soil; 7%, 77% and 16% in Alluvial soil, respectively. These values for N₂ fixation coincided with each corresponding estimation by N yield method. Other results include: 1)¹⁵N content in upland soils and plants was variable, and may reflect differences in the mode of mineralization of soil organics, and 2) nitrogen isotopic discrimination during fertilizer uptake (δ¹⁵N of plant minus fertilizer) ranged from −2.2 to +4.9‰ at 0–30 kg N/ha of fertilizer, depending on soil type and plant species. The proposed method can accurately and relatively simply establish the importance of symbiotic nitrogen fixation for soybeans growing in agricultural settings.     

大兴安岭北部天然针叶林土壤氮矿化特征

采用顶盖埋管法对大兴安岭地区天然针叶林(樟子松林、樟子松-兴安落叶松混交林和兴安落叶松林)土壤铵态氮(NH~+_4-N)、硝态氮(NO~-_3-N)、净氮矿化速率进行研究,并探索土壤理化性质与氮矿化之间的相关性,为大兴安岭地区森林生态系统土壤养分管理及森林经营提供帮助。结果表明:观测期内(5—10月)3种林型土壤无机氮变化范围为31.51—70.42 mg/kg,以NH~+_4-N形式存在为主,占比达90%以上,且与纯林相比混交林土壤无机氮含量较高。3种林型土壤净氮矿化、净氨化、净硝化速率月变化趋势呈V型,7、8月表现为负值,其他月份为正值。净氮矿化速率变化范围樟子松林为-0.54—1.28 mg kg~(-1) d~(-1)、樟子松-兴安落叶松混交林为-0.13—0.55 mg kg~(-1) d~(-1)、兴安落叶松林为-0.80—1.05 mg kg~(-1) d~(-1)。土壤净氨化过程在土壤氮矿化中占主要地位,占比达60%以上。3种林型土壤净氮矿化、净氨化及净硝化速率垂直差异显著,0—10 cm土层矿化作用明显高于10—20 cm土层(P0.05)。土壤氮矿化速率与土壤含水量、土壤有机碳含量、土壤C/N、枯落物全氮含量和枯落物C/N均存在显著相关性。不同类型的森林土壤及枯落物的质量也存在差异,进而影响土壤氮矿化特征。     

Gross nitrogen transformations in soils from uncut and cut boreal upland and peatland coniferous forest stands

Gross and net nitrogen (N) ammonification and nitrification were measured in soils from an uncut and recently cut upland and peatland conifer stand in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Rates of gross total inorganic N immobilization were similar to gross mineralization, resulting in low net mineralization rates in soils from all four upland and peatland conifer stands. Gross ammonification rates were variable but similar in soils from uncut and cut peatland hollows (18–19mgNkg^–1day^–1) and upland forest floor soils (14–19mgNkg^–1day^–1). Gross ammonium ( ) immobilization rates were also variable but similar to ammonification rates. Median gross nitrification rates were within 0–2mgNkg^–1day^–1 in soils from all four upland and peatland cut and uncut stands, although rates were consistently higher for the soils from the cut stands. Large variability in gross nitrification rates were observed in peatland soils, however the highest gross nitrification rates were measured in saturated peatland soils. Net rates remained low in the soils from all four stands due to high nitrate ( ) immobilization and very fast turnover (<0.2 day). Our results suggest that potential losses may be negated by high immobilization in uncut and cut boreal forest stands. This study reveals the potential for the interaction of N production and consumption processes in regulating N retention in upland and peatland conifer forests, and the resilience of the boreal forest to disturbance.     

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