Nationally Coordinated Evaluation of Soil Nitrogen Mineralization Rate using a Standardized Aerobic Incubation Protocol

Abstract

Aerobic incubation methods have been widely used to assess soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, but standardized protocols are lacking. A single silt loam soil (Catlin silt loam; fine‐silty, mixed, superactive, mesic, Oxyaquic Arguidoll) was subjected to aerobic incubation at six USDA‐ARS locations using a standardized protocol. Incubations were conducted at multiple temperatures, which were combined based on degree days (DD). Soil water was maintained at 60% water‐filled pore space (WFPS; constant) or allowed to fluctuate between 60 and 30% WFPS (cycle). Soil subsamples were removed periodically and extracted in 2 M potassium chloride (KCl); nitrate (NO₃) and ammonium (NH₄) concentrations in extracts were determined colorimetrically. For each location, the rate of soil organic‐matter N (SOMN) mineralization was estimated by regressing soil inorganic N (N_i) concentration on DD, using a linear (zero‐order) model. When all data were included, the mineralization rate from four datasets was not statistically different, with a rate equivalent to 0.5 mg N kg^?1 soil day^?1. Soil incubated at two locations exhibited significantly higher SOMN mineralization rates. To assess whether this may have been due to pre‐incubation conditions, time‐zero data were excluded and regression analysis was conducted again. Using this data subset, SOMN mineralization from five (of six) datasets was not significantly different. Fluctuating soil water reduced N‐mineralization rate at two (of four) locations by an average of 50%; fluctuating soil water content also substantially increased variability. This composite dataset demonstrates that standardization of aerobic incubation methodology is possible.     

Mechanical Grinding for Particulate Organic‐Matter Analysis

Abstract

Particulate organic matter (POM) is recognized as a valuable measure of labile soil organic matter. The method usually requires hand‐sieving through a 2‐mm sieve. Hand‐sieving has not been widely adopted by soil testing laboratories, where samples are generally mechanically ground. Composites of 20–25 cores (2×15 cm) were collected from a long‐term crop rotation×fertility treatment study in central Pennsylvania and from 11 central and eastern Pennsylvania farms. Subsamples of each sample were hand‐sieved through a 2‐mm sieve or mechanically ground and analyzed for POM carbon (C). The POM‐C of hand‐sieved and ground samples were similar except for one site with large POM concentrations; at this site, grinding generated lower POM‐C yields than hand‐sieving. Grinding soil samples may be an effective means to increase the availability of POM analysis, but additional work is necessary to determine if this method decreases POM yield, particularly in high POM samples.     

Effects of fallow or planting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and fertilizing P or fertilizing P and N practices on soil carbon and nitrogen in a low-organic-matter soil

Soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are important for maintaining soil fertility, and they are considerably affected by soil use and management. In the present study, we conducted an 8-year ?eld experiment on loessial dryland soil (Eum-Orthic Anthrosol, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)) in the southern Loess Plateau, China. We tested four soil management regimes—i.e., winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivation with phosphorus (P) fertilization (WP), winter wheat cultivation with N and P fertilization (WNP), natural fallow (NF) and bare fallow (BF)—to evaluate their effects on soil C and N fractions. After 8 years, compared with the WNP treatment, the total soil organic nitrogen (SON) in the WP treatment decreased by 14.6% and 36.8%, and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) by 35.6% and 61.1%, at 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil depths, respectively. The soil heavy fraction nitrogen (HFN) and light fraction nitrogen (LFN) in the WP treatment also decreased by 36.6% and 39.4%, respectively. Furthermore, BF treatment decreased total soil organic carbon (SOC), heavy fraction carbon (HFC), LFN and MBN at both soil depths with average reductions of 43.4%. The NF treatment decreased light fraction carbon (LFC) by 17.0% at 0–20 cm soil depth, as well as MBN by 24.8% and 71.2%, and inorganic C by 29.1% and 23.8%, at 0–20 and 20–40 cm soil depths, respectively. There was no significant difference of microbial biomass C concentration among the WP, NF and BF treatments. These results confirmed that a lack of N fertilization decreased SON, BF reduced both SOC and SON, and NF decreased soil inorganic C. Therefore, the managements of a recommended rate of N fertilizer application and shortened time of bare fallow are critical for maintaining or increasing SON fraction sequestration, and natural fallow management is not a useful method for maintaining soil fertility in dryland in the Loess Plateau in China.

Abbreviations: HFC: heavy fraction carbon; HFN: heavy fraction nitrogen; LFC: light fraction carbon; LFN: light fraction nitrogen; MBC: microbial biomass carbon; MBN: microbial biomass nitrogen; SOC: soil organic carbon; SON: soil organic nitrogen     

Urease activity and its relation to soil organic matter, microbial biomass nitrogen and urea-nitrogen assimilation by maize in a Brazilian Oxisol under no-tillage and tillage systems

 We studied the relationship between urease activity (UA) and soil organic matter (SOM), microbial biomass N (N_biom) content, and urea-N fertilizer assimilation by maize in a Dark Red Latosol (Typic Haplustox) cultivated for 9 years under no-tillage (NT), tillage with a disc plough (DP), and tillage with a moldboard plough (MP). Two soil depths were sampled (0–7.5 cm and 7.5–15 cm) at 4 different times during the crop cycle. Urea was applied at four different rates, ranging from 0 to 240 kg N ha^–1. The levels of fertilizer N did not affect the UA, SOM content, and N_biom content. No significant difference between the treatments (NT, DP, and MP) was observed for SOM during the experiment, probably because the major part of the SOM was in recalcitrant pools, since the area was previously cultivated (conventional tillage) for 20 years. The N_biom content explained 97% and 69% of the variation in UA in the upper and deeper soil layer, respectively. UA and biomass N were significantly higher in the NT system compared to the DP and MP systems. The highest maize productivity and urea-N recovery was also observed for the NT system. We observed that the increase in urea-N losses under NT, possibly as a consequence of a higher UA, was compensated for by the increase in N immobilized in the biomass. Received: 2 July 1999     

Soil chemical properties and microbial biomass after 16 years of no-tillage farming on the Loess Plateau, China

Data from a 16-year field experiment conducted in Shanxi, on the Chinese Loess Plateau, were used to compare the long-term effects of no-tillage with straw cover (NTSC) and traditional tillage with straw removal (TTSR) in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) monoculture. Long-term no-tillage with straw cover increased SOM by 21.7% and TN by 51.0% at 0–10 cm depth and available P by 97.3% at 0–5 cm depth compared to traditional tillage. Soil microbial biomass C and N increased by 135.3% and 104.4% with NTSC compared to TTSR for 0–10 cm depth, respectively. Under NTSC, the metabolic quotient (CO₂ evolved per unit of MBC) decreased by 45.1% on average in the top 10 cm soil layer, which suggests that TTSR produced a microbial pool that was more metabolically active than under NTSC. Consequently, winter wheat yield was about 15.5% higher under NTSC than under TTSR. The data collected from our 16-year experiment show that NTSC is a more sustainable farming system which can improve soil chemical properties, microbial biomass and activity, and thus increase crop yield in the rainfed dryland farming areas of northern China. The soil processes responsible for the improved yields and soil quality, in particular soil organic matter, require further research.     

苜蓿轮作玉米后土壤养分时空变化特征分析

以7龄紫花苜蓿地为前茬,连续3年采用同一高产栽培方案种植玉米,研究其土壤养分的时空变化特征。结果表明,苜蓿轮作玉米后,随着玉米种植年限的增加,玉米各生育时期土壤有机质、全氮和全磷含量均有不同程度下降。其中,0-20cm土层降幅高于其他土层,且降幅表现为有机质>全氮>全磷。受玉米高量施氮的影响,碱解氮含量随玉米种植年限的增加而增加,不同生育时期、不同土层年际间碱解氮含量的差异多数达到显著水平。玉米产量随着连作年限的增加而降低,第2,3年产量较第1年产量分别下降了9.7%和13.6%,表明苜蓿对后作的增产效应持续降低。     

洱海缓冲带土壤特性的空间分布

[目的]了解洱海缓冲带内土壤特性空间分布状况,进而为缓冲带面源污染治理、精细农业与植被布局等提供参考。[方法]采集80个缓冲带表层土壤样品,测定其含水率、有机质、全磷、全氮、氨氮和硝氮的含量,并应用传统统计学和地统计学方法对数据进行分析。[结果](1)土壤中含水率、有机质、全磷、全氮、氨氮和硝氮各项统计特性均通过K—S检验,呈正态分布;(2)洱海缓冲带土壤中养分水平较高;氨氮和硝氮的变异系数大于100%,属强变异性;(3)有机质南部略低,东西向呈东西高,中部低,全氮、全磷南北向呈南北低,中部高,东西向变化不大;(4)有机质表现出强烈的空间相关性,而全氮和全磷空间相关性弱。[结论]缓冲带农田格局和迁移转化是影响土壤特性空间分布的两个重要因素。     

土壤有机质含量对红壤性稻田残留氮在团聚体内分布的影响

化肥氮的残留及其分布对后季作物氮素供给和氮素损失均有重要影响。通过在田间试验中设置15N标记微区,在相同施氮量(150 kg/hm²)条件下,明确低有机质、中有机质和高有机质红壤性稻田化肥氮的残留量及其在不同粒径土壤团聚体中的分布。结果表明:与低有机质土壤相比,中有机质和高有机质土壤大团聚体(0.25～     

Is it necessary to adjust nitrogen recommendations for tillage and wheat residue management in irrigated sweet corn?

ABSTRACT

Conservation tillage practices have gained interests. A 2-year field study (2014–2015) was conducted to evaluate four N rates (0, 69, 138, and 207 kg N ha^?1) effects on irrigated sweet corn (Zea mays L.) grown with or without wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residue removal and conventional (CT), reduced (RT), or no-tillage (NT) practices near Shiraz, Iran. After 2 years, maximum marketable yield occurred at 156 and 159 kg N ha^?1 under CT and NT, respectively, while yield was tended to be increased with increasing N rates under RT. Increasing N rate increased total plant N uptake, shoot, and grain N accumulation. The lowest nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) was obtained under NT, while RT and CT either showed similar effects or RT was superior over CT. Soil total N was greater under CT and residue retention showed 18% and 14% higher N concentration than residue removal in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Soil organic matter was the highest (2.59%) under RT with residue retention and 138 kg N ha^?1. Conservation tillage needs more N rather than CT during transition from conventional to conservation agriculture practices, but it is based on the short-term results and evaluation of long-term experiment is highly recommended.     

减氮配施有机物质对麦田土壤性质和小麦产量的影响

探究氮肥减量配施有机物质的情况下对氮素利用状况及土壤肥力和小麦产量的影响,为我国华北平原区小麦生产中提高氮肥利用效率、实现节肥增效提供理论基础。通过田间试验,设置5个处理：不施氮肥(CK)、农民习惯施氮肥(FN)、减氮20%(80%FN)、减氮20%+生物有机肥(80%FN+OM)、减氮20%+生物炭(80%FN+BC),研究小麦生长关键期土壤容重、有机质、NO₃^-—N和土壤微生物多样性的变化,测定小麦产量并计算氮素利用效率。结果表明,土壤容重受施入有机物质影响显著,成熟期0—20,20—40 cm的80%FN+OM、80%FN+BC的土壤容重较80%FN分别下降3.83%～4.58%和2.96%～5.07%。成熟期0—40 cm的土壤有机质均以80%FN+OM最高,较其他施氮肥处理提高2.13%～18.81%。土壤NO₃^-—N受施氮肥影响显著,挑旗期80%FN+OM和80%FN+BC处理的0—40 cm土壤NO₃^-—N较高;灌浆期80%FN+BC处理的0...     

不同土地利用方式对黒垆土有机质和全氮分布规律的影响

探讨不同土地利用方式对土壤有机质和全氮分布分布规律的影响,科学施用有机肥,改善黑垆土缺氮和土壤可持续生产能力低下的局面。采用化学分析方法,对庆阳市黒垆土区的果园土壤、牧草地土壤、大田作物土壤分三个层次,进行土壤有机质和全氮的化学分析。研究结果表明,0~20 cm和20 cm~40 cm果园土壤有机质和全氮含量最高,苜蓿地土壤有机质和全氮含量次之,玉米地土壤有机质和全氮含量最低;三种种植利用方式的土壤有机质和全氮含量均表现为第一层（0~20 cm）>第二层（20 cm~40 cm）>第三层（40 cm~60 cm）;受种植制度、施肥和气候因素影响,20 cm~40 cm和40 cm~60 cm土层土壤全氮量和有机质含量变幅大于0~20 cm土层;各层土壤全氮量和有机质含量均呈显著的直线相关性。有机肥投入和耕作管理是不同利用方式土壤有机质和全氮空间变化的主要影响因素,也是不同土层有机质和全氮相关性发生变异的主要原因。