Effects of 4-amino 1,2,4-triazole, dicyandiamide and encapsulated calcium carbide on nitrification inhibition in a subtropical soil under upland and flooded conditions

 Nitrification inhibition of soil and applied fertilizer N is desirable as the accumulation of nitrates in soils in excess of plant needs leads to enhanced N losses and reduced fertilizer N-use efficiency. In a growth chamber experiment, we studied the effects of two commercial nitrification inhibitors (NIs), 4-amino 1,2,4-triazole (ATC) and dicyandiamide (DCD), and a commonly available and economical material, encapsulated calcium carbide (CaC₂) (ECC) on the nitrification of soil and applied NH₄ ⁺-N in a semiarid subtropical Tolewal sandy loam soil under upland [60% water-filled pore space (WFPS)] and flooded conditions (120% WFPS). Nitrification of the applied 100 mg NH₄ ⁺-N kg^–1 soil under upland conditions was retarded most effectively (93%) by ECC for up to 10 days of incubation, whereas for longer periods, ATC was more effective. After 20 days, only 16% of applied NH₄ ⁺-N was nitrified with ATC as compared to 37% with DCD and 98% with ECC. Under flooded soil conditions, nitrates resulting from nitrification quickly disappeared due to denitrification, resulting in a tremendous loss of fertilizer N (up to 70% of N applied without a NI). Based on four indicators of inhibitor effectiveness, namely, concentration of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N, percent nitrification inhibition, ratio of NH₄ ⁺-N/NO₃ ^–-N, and total mineral N, ECC showed the highest relative efficiency throughout the 20-day incubation under flooded soil conditions. At the end of the 20-day incubation, 96%, 58% and 38% of applied NH₄ ⁺-N was still present in the soil where ECC, ATC and DCD were used, respectively. Consequently, nitrification inhibition of applied fertilizer N in both arable crops and flooded rice systems could tremendously minimize N losses and help enhance fertilizer N-use efficiency. These results suggest that for reducing the nitrification rate and resultant N losses in flooded soil systems (e.g. rice lowlands), ECC is more effective than costly commercial NIs. Received: 25 May 2000     

Comparison of different methodologies for field measurement of net nitrogen mineralization in pasture soils under different soil conditions

 Net mineralization was measured in free-draining and poorly drained pasture soils using three different field incubation methodologies. Two involved the use of enclosed incubation vessels (jar or box) containing C₂H₂ as a nitrification inhibitor. The third method confined soil cores in situ in an open tube in the ground, with an anion-exchange resin at the base to retain leached NO₃ ^– (resin-core technique, RCT). Measurements were made on three occasions on three free-draining pastures of different ages and contrasting organic matter contents. In general, rates of net mineralization increased with pasture age and organic matter content (range: 0.5–1.5 kg N ha^–1 day^–1) and similar rates were obtained between the three techniques for a particular pasture. Coefficients of variation (CVs) were generally high (range: 10.4–98.5%), but the enclosed incubation methods were rather less variable than the RCT and were considered overall to be the more reliable. The RCT did not include C₂H₂ and, therefore, newly formed NO₃ ^– may have been lost through denitrification. In a poorly drained pasture soil, there were discrepancies between the two enclosed methods, especially when the soil water content approached field capacity. The interpretation of the incubation measurements in relation to the flux of N through the soil inorganic N pool is discussed and the drawbacks of the various methodologies are evaluated. Received: 18 November 1999     

Mineralization and denitrification in upland, nearly saturated and flooded subtropical soil II. Effect of organic manures varying in N content and C:N ratio

 Nitrogen and carbon mineralization of cattle manure (N=6 g kg^–1; C:N=35), pressmud (N=17.4 g kg^–1; C:N=22), green manure (N=26.8 g kg^–1; C:N=14) and poultry manure (N=19.5 g kg^–1; C:N=12) and their influence on gaseous N losses via denitrification (using the acetylene inhibition technique) in a semiarid subtropical soil (Typic Ustochrepts) were investigated in a growth chamber simulating upland, nearly saturated, and flooded conditions. Mineralization of N started quickly in all manures, except pressmud where immobilization of soil mineral N was observed for an initial 4 days. Accumulation of mineral N in upland soil plus denitrified N revealed that mineralization of cattle manure-, pressmud-, poultry manure- and green manure-N over 16 days was 12, 20, 29 and 44%, respectively, and was inversely related to C:N ratio (R ²=0.703, P=0.05) and directly to N content of organic manure (R ²=0.964, P=0.01). Manure-C mineralized over 16 days ranged from 6% to 50% in different manures added to soil under different moisture regimes and was, in general, inversely related to initial C:N ratio of manure (R ²=0.690, P=0.05). Cumulative denitrification losses over 16 days in control soils (without manure) under upland, nearly saturated, and flooded conditions were 5, 23, and 24 mg N kg^–1, respectively. Incorporation of manures enhanced denitrification losses by 60-82% in upland, 52–163% in nearly saturated, and 26–107% in flooded soil conditions over a 16-day period, demonstrating that mineralized N and C from added manures could result in 2- to 3-fold higher rate of denitrification. Cumulative denitrification losses were maximal with green manure, followed by poultry manure, pressmud and cattle manure showing an increase in denitrification with increasing N content and decreasing C:N ratio of manure. Manure-amended nearly saturated soils supported 14–35% greater denitrification than flooded soils due to greater mineralization and supply of C.     

Irrigation practices may affect denitrification more than nitrogen mineralization in warm climatic conditions

Predicting the impact of irrigation practices on soil N mineralization and N balance is an important issue to optimize N fertilization and reduce the N losses towards the environment. The effect of summer irrigation on N dynamics was investigated in two arable fields in Southern France. Net N mineralization was assessed by combining frequent measurements of water and mineral N contents in soil and the use of a calculation model (LIXIM). It was first calculated assuming that denitrification was negligible. This hypothesis led to inconsistent results, apparent net N mineralized being smaller under irrigated than non-irrigated conditions and net mineralization kinetics being erratic. The occurrence of denitrification was confirmed by the use of ¹⁵NO₃ tracing in an experiment carried out in summer, including three irrigated treatments. The average ¹⁵N recovery varied from 45% to 85% and was smallest in the most frequently irrigated treatment. Over the 8-week experiment, the N losses varied from 30 to 38 kg ha⁻¹ in the irrigated treatments. They were satisfactorily simulated by a simple denitrification model (NEMIS). Combining the LIXIM model and the simulated or calculated denitrification allowed to predict satisfactorily the evolution of soil mineral N accounting for the effects of temperature and moisture. The net N mineralized for 8 weeks varied from 34 kg N ha⁻¹ in the un-irrigated to 46 kg N ha⁻¹ in the irrigated treatments. The drying–rewetting cycles did not induce a flush of N mineralization. Our results suggest that denitrification has to be accounted for in irrigated systems, particularly in warm conditions and when the topsoil contains high nitrate contents.     

华北平原农田生态系统土壤C、N净矿化及尿素转化研究

以华北平原区4个农田生态系统[京郊蔬菜大棚(GH)和河北栾城(LF)、河北南皮(NF)、山东惠民(HF)3个粮田]为研究对象,采用室内好气、恒温、避光条件下培养30.d,对比研究了不同海拔和不同农业扰动强度下的农田生态系统中耕层(020.cm)土壤的净N矿化、净硝化、净C矿化以及尿素的转化,旨在探索人类农业扰动强度和地理海拔对土壤供N潜力和尿素N转化的影响。结果表明,4个地区的土壤供N潜力分别为:14.4、13.2,17.7和16.5.mg/kg,说明高度熟化的华北区农田土壤供N潜力相对稳定。以施用有机肥为主的蔬菜大棚和以施用化肥为主的粮田对土壤供N没有显著影响。农田土壤净矿化后的供N形式主要是NO3--N。以施用有机肥为主的蔬菜大棚积累了较高的土壤有机质和全N,但是土壤净C矿化以及施用尿素后CO2的排放量均低于以施用化肥为主的粮田。尿素在各区域农田土壤中水解转化后均主要以NO3--N形式存在,NO3--N占尿素水解后无机N增量的98%9～9%;华北平原农田生态系统施入尿素态N.30d后,水解成有效态无机N的转化率为63.4%8～3.2%,即每克尿素态N在京郊蔬菜大棚(GH)、栾城高产农田(LF)、南皮农田(NF)和惠民农田(HF)土壤中转化为NO3--N的量分别为0.69、0.82、0.64和0.63.g/kg,同时可使相应区域农田的CO2排放量分别增加CO21.20、1.360、.67和1.58.g/kg。     

Combining field incubation with nitrogen-15 labelling to examine nitrogen transformations in low to high intensity grassland management systems

 The ¹⁵N isotope dilution method was combined with a field incubation technique to provide simultaneous measurements of gross and net rates of N turnover in three long-term swards: unfertilized (Z) or receiving N either from N fixation as clover (C), or as 200 kg fertilizer N ha^–1 year^–1 (F). Uniform N enrichment of soil microplots was achieved with a multi-point soil injector to measure mineralization/immobilization turnover and nitrification over a 4-day incubation. Net rates of mineralization ranged between 0.6 and 2.9 μg N g^–1 day^–1 and in all three treatments were approximately half the gross rates. Nitrification rates (gross) were between 1.0 and 1.6 μg N g^–1 day^–1. In the F treatment, the turnover of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N pools was on a 2- and 4-day cycle, respectively, whereas in the N-limited treatments (C and Z) turnover rates were faster, with the NO₃ ^–-N pools turning over twice as fast as the NH₄ ⁺-N pools. Therefore, available N was recycled more efficiently in the C and Z treatments, whereas in the F treatment a higher N pool size was maintained which would be more vulnerable to leakage. A large proportion of the added ¹⁵N was recovered in the soil microbial biomass (SMB), which represented a 4–5 times larger sink for N than the plant biomass. Although the C treatment had a significantly lower SMB than the grass-only treatments, there were no differences in microbial activity. Gross rates of nitrification increased along the gradient of N input intensity (i.e. Z<C<F), and the addition of a nitrification inhibitor (C₂H₂) tended to increase microbial immobilization, but did not influence plant N uptake. In this study, the value of combining different techniques to verify net rates was demonstrated and the improved methodology for ¹⁵N labelling of soil enabled measurements to be obtained from relatively undisturbed soil under natural field conditions. Received: 25 May 1999     

C and N turnover in structurally intact soils of different texture

The turnover of native and applied C and N in undisturbed soil samples of different texture but similar mineralogical composition, origin and cropping history was evaluated at −10 kPa water potential. Cores of structurally intact soil with 108, 224 and 337 g clay kg⁻¹ were horizontially sliced and ¹⁵N-labelled sheep faeces was placed between the two halves of the intact core. The cores together with unamended treatments were incubated in the dark at 20 °C and the evolution of CO₂-C determined continuously for 177 d. Inorganic and microbial biomass N and ¹⁵N were determined periodically. Net nitrification was less in soil amended with faeces compared with unamended soil. When adjusted for the NO₃-N present in soil before faeces was applied, net nitrification became negative indicating that NO₃-N had been immobilized or denitrified. The soil most rich in clay nitrified least N and ¹⁵N. The amounts of N retained in the microbial biomass in unamended soils increased with clay content. A maximum of 13% of the faeces ¹⁵N was recovered in the microbial biomass in the amended soils. CO₂-C evolution increased with clay content in amended and unamended soils. CO₂-C evolution from the most sandy soil was reduced due to a low content of potentially mineralizable native soil C whereas the rate constant of C mineralization rate peaked in this soil. When the pool of potentially mineralizable native soil C was assumed proportional to volumetric water content, the three soils contained similar proportions of potentially mineralizable native soil C but the rate constant of C mineralization remained highest in the soil with least clay. Thus although a similar availability of water in the three soils was ensured by their identical matric potential, the actual volume of water seemed to determine the proportion of total C that was potentially mineralizable. The proportion of mineralizable C in the faeces was similar in the three soils (70% of total C), again with a higher rate constant of C mineralization in the soil with least clay. It is hypothesized that the pool of potentially mineralizable C and C rate constants fluctuate with the soil water content.     

Evaluation of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate as a nitrification inhibitor in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrus</Emphasis>-cultivated soil

 The objectives of this work were to evaluate the inhibitory action on nitrification of 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) added to ammonium sulphate nitrate [(NH₄)₂SO₄ plus NH₄NO₃; ASN] in a Citrus-cultivated soil, and to study its effect on N uptake. In a greenhouse experiment, 2 g N as ASN either with or without 0.015 g DMPP (1% DMPP relative to NH₄ ⁺-N) was applied 6 times at 20-day intervals to plants grown in 14-l pots filled with soil. Addition of DMPP to ASN resulted in higher levels of NH₄ ⁺-N and lower levels of NO₃ ^–-N in the soil during the whole experimental period. The NO₃ ^–-N concentration in drainage water was lower in the ASN plus DMPP (ASN+DMPP)-treated pots. Also, DMPP supplementation resulted in greater uptake of the fertilizer-N by citrus plants. In another experiment, 100 g N as ASN, either with or without 0.75 g DMPP (1% DMPP relative to NH₄ ⁺-N) was applied to 6-year-old citrus plants grown individually outdoors in containers. Concentrations of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N at different soil depths and N distribution in the soil profile after consecutive flood irrigations were monitored. In the ASN-amended soil, nitrification was faster, whereas the addition of the inhibitor led to the maintenance of relatively high levels of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N in soil for longer than when ASN was added alone. At the end of the experiment (120 days) 68.5% and 53.1% of the applied N was leached below 0.60 m in the ASN and ASN+DMPP treatments, respectively. Also, leaf N levels were higher in plants fertilized with ASN+DMPP. Collectively, these results indicate that the DMPP nitrification inhibitor improved N fertilizer efficiency and reduced NO₃ ^– leaching losses by retaining the applied N in the ammoniacal form. Received: 31 May 1999     

Impact of land-use types on soil nitrogen net mineralization in the sandstorm and water source area of Beijing,China

Changes of land-use type (LUT) can affect soil nutrient pools and cycling processes that relate long-term sustainability of ecosystem, and can also affect atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and global warming through soil respiration. We conducted a comparative study to determine NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ concentrations in soil profiles (0–200 cm) and examined the net nitrogen (N) mineralization and net nitrification in soil surface (0–20 cm) of adjacent naturally regenerated secondary forests (NSF), man-made forests (MMF), grasslands and cropland soils from the windy arid and semi-arid Hebei plateau, the sandstorm and water source area of Beijing, China. Cropland and grassland soils showed significantly higher inorganic N concentrations than forest soils. NO₃⁻-N accounted for 50–90% of inorganic N in cropland and grassland soils, while NH₄⁺-N was the main form of inorganic N in NSF and MMF soils. Average net N-mineralization rates (mg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹) were much higher in native ecosystems (1.51 for NSF soils and 1.24 for grassland soils) than in human disturbed LUT (0.15 for cropland soils and 0.85 for MMF soils). Net ammonification was low in all the LUT while net nitrification was the major process of net N mineralization. For more insight in urea transformation, the increase in NH₄⁺ and, NO₃⁻ concentrations as well as C mineralization after urea addition was analyzed on whole soils. Urea application stimulated the net soil C mineralization and urea transformation pattern was consistent with net soil N mineralization, except that the rate was slightly slower. Land-use conversion from NSF to MMF, or from grassland to cropland decreased soil net N mineralization, but increased net nitrification after 40 years or 70 years, respectively. The observed higher rates of net nitrification suggested that land-use conversions in the Hebei plateau might lead to N losses in the form of nitrate.     

Influence of soil compaction on carbon and nitrogen mineralization of soil organic matter and crop residues

 We studied the influence of soil compaction in a loamy sand soil on C and N mineralization and nitrification of soil organic matter and added crop residues. Samples of unamended soil, and soil amended with leek residues, at six bulk densities ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 Mg m^–3 and 75% field capacity, were incubated. In the unamended soil, bulk density within the range studied did not influence any measure of microbial activity significantly. A small (but insignificant) decrease in nitrification rate at the highest bulk density was the only evidence for possible effects of compaction on microbial activity. In the amended soil the amounts of mineralized N at the end of the incubation were equal at all bulk densities, but first-order N mineralization rates tended to increase with increasing compaction, although the increase was not significant. Nitrification in the amended soils was more affected by compaction, and NO₃ ^–-N contents after 3 weeks of incubation at bulk densities of 1.5 and 1.6 Mg m^–3 were significantly lower (by about 8% and 16% of total added N, respectively), than those of the less compacted treatments. The C mineralization rate was strongly depressed at a bulk density of 1.6 Mg m^–3, compared with the other treatments. The depression of C mineralization in compacted soils can lead to higher organic matter accumulation. Since N mineralization was not affected by compaction (within the range used here) the accumulated organic matter would have had higher C : N ratios than in the uncompacted soils, and hence would have been of a lower quality. In general, increasing soil compaction in this soil, starting at a bulk density of 1.5 Mg m^–3, will affect some microbially driven processes. Received: 10 June 1999     

Nitrification and denitrification in the rhizosphere of rice: the detection of processes by a new multi-channel electrode

 N turnover in flooded rice soils is characterized by a tight coupling between nitrification and denitrification. Nitrification is restricted to the millimetre-thin oxic surface layer while denitrification occurs in the adjacent anoxic soil. However, in planted rice soil O₂ released from the rice roots may also support nitrification within the otherwise anoxic bulk soil. To locate root-associated nitrification and denitrification we constructed a new multi-channel microelectrode that measures NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ^–, and NO₃ ^– at the same point. Unfertilized, unplanted rice microcosms developed an oxic-anoxic interface with nitrification taking place above and denitrification below ca. 1 mm depth. In unfertilized microcosms with rice plants, NH₄ ⁺, NO₂ ^– and NO₃ ^– could not be detected in the rhizosphere. Assimilation by the rice roots reduced the available N to a level where nitrification and denitrification virtually could not occur. However, a few hours after injecting (NH₄)₂HPO₄ or urea, a high nitrification activity could be detected in the surface layer of planted microcosms and in a depth of 20–30 mm in the rooted soil. O₂ concentrations of up to 150 μM were measured at the same depth, indicating O₂ release from the rice roots. Nitrification occurred at a distance of 0–2 mm from the surface around individual roots, and denitrification occurred at a distance of 1.5–5.0 mm. Addition of urea to the floodwater of planted rice microcosms stimulated nitrification. Transpiration of the rice plants caused percolation of water resulting in a mass flow of NH₄ ⁺ towards the roots, thus supporting nitrification. Received: 23 July 1999     

Impact of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil gross nitrogen transformations in a temperate desert steppe

Nutrient addition has a significant impact on plant growth and nutrient cycling. Yet, the understanding of how the addition of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) significantly affects soil gross N transformations and N availability in temperate desert steppes is still limited. Therefore, a ¹⁵N tracing experiment was conducted to study these processes and their underlying mechanism in a desert steppe soil that had been supplemented with N and P for 4 years in northwestern China. Soil N mineralization was increased significantly by P addition, and N and P additions significantly promoted soil autotrophic nitrification, rather than NH₄⁺-N immobilization. The addition of N promoted dissimilatory NO₃⁻ reduction to NH₄⁺, while that of P inhibited it. Soil NO₃⁻-N production was greatly increased by N added alone and by that of N and P combined, while net NH₄⁺-N production was decreased by these treatments. Soil N mineralization was primarily mediated by pH, P content or organic carbon, while soil NH₄⁺-N content regulated autotrophic nitrification mainly, and this process was mainly controlled by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria rather than archaea and comammox. NH₄⁺-N immobilization was mainly affected by functional microorganisms, the abundance of narG gene and comammox Ntsp-amoA. In conclusion, gross N transformations in the temperate desert steppe largely depended on soil inorganic N, P contents and related functional microorganisms. Soil acidification plays a more key role in N mineralization than other environmental factors or functional microorganisms.     

好氧条件下两种水稻土的氮素总转化速率比较

Although to date individual gross N transformations could be quantified by ~(15)N tracing method and models,studies are still limited in paddy soil.An incubation experiment was conducted using topsoil(0-20 cm) and subsoil(20-60 cm) of two paddy soils,alkaline and clay(AC) soil and neutral and silt loam(NSL) soil,to investigate gross N transformation rates.Soil samples were labeled with either ~(15)NH4_NO_3 or NH_4~(15)NO_3,and then incubated at 25 °C for 168 h at 60%water-holding capacity.The gross N mineralization(recalcitrant and labile organic N mineralization) rates in AC soil were 1.6 to 3.3 times higher than that in NSL soil,and the gross N nitrification(autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification) rates in AC soil were 2.4 to 4.4 times higher than those in NSL soil.Although gross NO_3~- consumption(i.e.,NO_3~- immobilization and dissimilatory NO_3~- reduction to NH_4~+ rates increased with increasing gross nitrification rates,the measured net nitrification rate in AC soil was approximately 2.0 to 5.1 times higher than that in NSL soil.These showed that high NO_3~- production capacity of alkaline paddy soil should be a cause for concern because an accumulation of NO_3~- can increase the risk of NO_3~- loss through leaching and denitrification.     

Nitrogen Saturation and Soil N Availability in a High-Elevation Spruce and Fir Forest

A field study was conducted during the summer of 1995 to gain abetter understanding of the causes of nitrate (NO₃-N)leaching and ongoing changes in soil nitrogen (N) availabilityin high-elevation (1524–2000 m) spruce (Picea rubens) andfir (Abies fraseri) forests of the Great Smoky MountainsNational Park, Tennessee and North Carolina, U.S.A. Indicatorsof soil N availability (total soil N concentrations,extractable NH₄-N, extractable NO₃-N, and C/N ratios)were measured in Oa and A horizons at 33 study plots. Dynamicmeasures included potential net soil N mineralization determinedin 12-week aerobic laboratory incubations at 22 °C.Potential net nitrification in the A horizon was correlated (r =+0.83, P < 0.001) with total soil N concentrations. Mostmeasures of soil N availability did not exhibit significanttrends with elevation, but there were topographic differences.Potential net soil N mineralization and net nitrification in theA horizon were higher in coves than on ridges. Relative amountsof particulate and organomineral soil organic matter influencedpotential net N mineralization and nitrification in the Ahorizon. Calculations indicate that soil N availability andNO₃-N leaching in high-elevation spruce and fir forests ofthe Great Smoky Mountains National Park will increase inresponse to regional warming.     

Estimation of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in grassland soil associated with urea-N using 15N and nitrification inhibitor

 A low efficiency of use of N fertilisers has been observed in mid-Wales on permanent pasture grazed intensively by cattle. Earlier laboratories studies have suggested that heterogeneity in redox conditions at shallow soil depths may allow nitrification and denitrification to occur concurrently resulting in gaseous losses of N from both NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^–. The objective of the investigation was to test the hypothesis that both nitrification and denitrification can occur simultaneously under simulated field capacity conditions (∼5 kPa matric potential). Intact soil cores were taken from grassland subjected to both grazing and amenity use. The fate of applied NH₄ ⁺ was examined during incubation. ¹⁵N was used as a tracer. Nitrapyrin was used as a nitrification inhibitor and acetylene was used to block N₂O reductase. More than 50% of N applied as NH₄ ⁺ disappeared over a period of 42 days from the soil mineral-N pool. Some of this N was evolved as N₂O. Accumulation of NO₃ ^––N in the surface 0–2.5 cm indicated active nitrification. Addition of nitrapyrin increased N recovery by 26% and inhibited both the accumulation of NO₃–N and emission of N₂O. When intact field cores were incubated after addition of ¹⁵N-urea, all of the N₂O evolved was derived from added urea-N. It was concluded that nitrification and denitrification do occur simultaneously in the top 7.5 cm or so, of the silty clay loam grassland topsoils of mid-Wales at moisture contents typical of field capacity. The quantitative importance of these concurrent processes to N loss from grassland systems has not yet been assessed. Received: 15 December 1998     

Soil mineral nitrogen dynamics under bare fallow and wheat in vertisols of semi-arid Mediterranean Morocco

 The evoluion of NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^–-N was monitored during three growing seasons, 1992–1993, 1993–1994, 1994–1995 in the soil profile (0–60 or 0–90 cm) under bare fallow and wheat on a vertisol site of the Sais plateau, Morocco. The aim of this study was to relate the soil mineral N dynamics to crop N uptake and soil N transformation processes. The efficacy of the current N fertilisation rate (100 kg N ha^–1) for wheat production in the region was evaluated. The high level of residual mineral N in the soil profile resulted from a low N plant uptake relative to the soil N supply and N fertilisation, and masked the effect of N fertilisation on dry matter accumulation. NH₄ ⁺-N was present in considerable amounts, suggesting a low nitrification rate under the given pedo-climatic conditions. An artefact due to the sampling procedure was encountered shortly after the application of N fertiliser. Losses through leaching and denitrification occurred after heavy rainfall, but were limited. At least part of the exchangeable NH₄ ⁺-N seemed to be barely taken up by the crop. NO₃ ^–-N was therefore considered to be a better indicator of plant-available N than total mineral N for this type of soil. The low N fertiliser use efficiencies demonstrated clearly that the current fertilisation rate (100 kg N ha^–1) for wheat production in this region is unsustainable. The maximum N uptake ranged from 40 kg N ha^–1 to 180 kg N ha^–1. The estimation of the seasonal production potential is considered to be the main prerequisite for the determination of the best rates and timing of N fertiliser application in this region. Received: 9 December 1997     

Mechanisms of N2O and NO production in the soil profile of a drained and forested peatland, as studied with acetylene, nitrapyrin and dimethyl ether

 Acetylene, dimethyl ether (DME) and 2-chloro-6-trichloromethyl pyridine (nitrapyrin) were used as inhibitors to study the contributions of nitrification and denitrification to the production of N₂O and nitric oxide (NO) in samples taken from the soil profile of a peatland drained for forestry. Acetylene and DME inhibited 60–100% of the nitrification activity in field-moist samples from the 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm peat layers, whereas nitrapyrin had no inhibitory effect. In the 0–5 cm peat layer the N₂O production could be reduced by up to 90% with inhibitors of nitrification, but in the 5–10 cm peat layer this proportion was 20–30%. All the inhibitors removed 96–100% of the nitrification potential in peat-water slurries from the 0–5 cm peat layer, but the 5–10 cm layer had a much lower nitrification activity, and here the efficiency of the inhibitors was more variable. Litter was the main net source of NO in the peat profile. NO₃ ^– production was lower in the litter layer than in the peat, whereas N₂O production was much higher in the litter than in the peat. Denitrification was the most probable source of N₂O and NO in the litter, which had a high availability of organic substrates. Received: 14 July 1997     

Nitrification activity in submerged soils and its relation to denitrification loss

Summary Nitrification activity (formation of NO ₂ ^– + NO ₃ ^– per unit soil weight) was measured in the surface layer of 15 presubmerged soils incubated in petri dishes under flooded but aerobic conditions. soils with pH above 5 nitrified quickly, whereas soils with pH below this level did not nitrify or nitrified slowly. The pH values between 7 and 8.5 were optimal for nitrification. Organic-matter levels in the 15 soils of our study did not influence their nitrification activities. In a follow-up greenhouse pot study, after a period of 3 weeks, ¹⁵N-balance measurements showed that the loss of N through apparent denitrification did not follow the nitrification patterns of the soils observed in the petri dishes. Apparent denitrification accounted for 16.8% and 18.9% loss of ¹⁵N from a soil with insignificant nitrification activity and a soil with high nitrification activity, respectively. These results, thus, indicate a lack of correspondence between the nitrification activities of soil and the denitrification loss of N when the former was measured in the dark and the latter was estimated in the light. Soils that nitrified in the darkness of the incubator did not nitrify in the daylight in the greenhouse.     

Recovery of fertilizer nitrogen from continuous corn soils under contrasting tillage management

Tillage systems influence soil properties and may influence the availability of applied and mineralized soil N. This laboratory study (20°C) compared N cycling in two soils, a Wooster (fine, loamy Typic Fragiudalf) and a Hoytville (fine, illitic Mollic Epiaqualf) under continuous corn (Zea mays) production since at least 1963 with no-tillage (NT), minimum (CT) and plow tillage (PT) management. Fertilizer was added at the rate of 100 mg ¹⁵N kg^–1–1 soil as 99.9% ¹⁵N as NH₄Cl or Ca(NO₃)₂ and the soils were incubated in leaching columns for 1 week at 34 kPa before being leached periodically with 0.05 M CaCl₂ for 26 weeks. As expected, the majority of the ¹⁵NO₃^– additions were removed from both soils with the first leaching. The majority of applied ¹⁵NH₄⁺ additions were recovered as ¹⁵NO₃^– by week 5, with the NT soils demonstrating faster nitrification rates compared with soils under other tillage practices. For the remaining 22 weeks, only low levels of ¹⁵NO₃^– were leached from the soils regardless of tillage management. In the coarser textured Wooster soils (150 g clay kg^–1), mineralization of native soil N in the fertilized soils was related to the total N content (r² 0.99) and amino acid N (r² 0.99), but N mineralization in the finer textured Hoytville (400 g clay kg^–1) was constant across tillage treatments and not significantly related to soil total N or amino acid N content. The release of native soil N was enhanced by NH₄⁺ or NO₃^– addition compared to the values released by the unfertilized control and exceeded possible pool substitution. The results question the use of incubation N mineralization tests conducted with unfertilized soils as a means for predicting soil N availability for crop N needs.     

Analysis of manure and soil nitrogen mineralization during incubation

Understanding the N-cycling processes that ensue after manuring soil is essential in order to estimate the value of manure as an N fertilizer. A laboratory incubation of manured soil was carried out in order to study N mineralization, gas fluxes, denitrification, and microbial N immobilization after manure application. Four different manures were enclosed in mesh bags to allow for the separate analysis of manure and soil. The soils received 0.15 mg manure N g^–1 soil, and the microcosms were incubated aerobically and sampled throughout a 10-week period. Manure addition resulted in initial NH₄-N concentrations of 22.1 to 36.6 mg kg^–1 in the microcosms. All manured microcosms had net declines in soil mineral N. Denitrification resulted in the loss of 14.7 to 39.2% of the added manure N, and the largest N losses occurred in manures with high NH₄-N content. Increased soil microbial biomass N amounted to 6.0 to 8.6% of the added manure N. While the microcosms as a whole had negative N mineralization, all microcosms had positive net nitrification within the manure bags. Gas fluxes of N₂O and CO₂ increased in all manured soils relative to the controls. Our results show that measurement of microbial biomass N and denitrification is important to understand the fate of manure N upon soil application.