Effects of liming on carbon and nitrogen mineralization in coniferous forests

A temporary decline in tree growth has often been observed after liming in coniferous forests poor in N but seldom in forests rich in N. To test the hypothesis that the decline was caused by decreases in N supply, C and N mineralization were estimated in incubated soil: (1) after liming in the laboratory, and (2) after earlier liming in the field. Liming increased the C mineralization rate in needle litter, nor humus and 0 to 5 cm mineral soil for a period of 40 to 100 days at 15°C. After that period, liming had no effect on the CO₂ evolution rate in materials poor in N (C:N ratios 30 to 62) but increased the CO₂ evolution rate in materials rich in N (C:N ratios 24 to 28). When liming induced nitrification, the CO₂ evolution rate was reduced. Liming resulted in lower net N mineralization rate in needle litter and mor humus. The reduction was more pronounced when NH₄ ⁺ was the only inorganic form than when NO₃ ^? was the predominant form. The reason is probably that chemical fixation of NH₃ and amino compounds increases with increasing pH. Because of the fixation, the incubation technique most likely underestimated the mineralized N available to the roots. Taking this underestimation into consideration, liming initially reduced the N release in the litter layer. In the other soil layers, liming increased the N release in soils rich in N and had only small effects in soils poor in N. For the total N supply to the roots in the litter, humus and 0 to 5 cm mineral soil layers, liming caused a slight reduction in soils poor in N and a slight increase in soils rich in N. Data on tree growth corresponded with these results.The hypotheses that tree growth depressions can be caused by reduced N supply after liming and that tree growth increases can be caused by increased N supply after liming thus seem reasonable.     

Effects of liming on carbon and nitrogen mineralization in coniferous forests

A temporary decline in tree growth has often been observed after liming in coniferous forests poor in N but seldom in forests rich in N. To test the hypothesis that the decline was caused by decreases in N supply, C and N mineralization were estimated in incubated soil: (1) after liming in the laboratory, and (2) after earlier liming in the field. Liming increased the C mineralization rate in needle litter, mor humus and 0 to 5 cm mineral soil for a period of 40 to 100 days at 15°C. After that period, liming had no effect on the CO₂ evolution rate in materials poor in N (C:N ratios 30 to 62) but increased the CO₂ evolution rate in materials rich in N (C:N ratios 24 to 28). When liming induced nitrification, the CO₂ evolution rate was reduced. Liming resulted in lower net N mineralization rate in needle litter and mor humus. The reduction was more pronounced when NH ₄ ⁺ was the only inorganic form than when NO ₃ ^? was the predominant form. The reason is probably that chemical fixation of NH₃ and amino compounds increases with increasing pH. Because of the fixation, the incubation technique most likely underestimated the mineralized N available to the roots. Taking this underestimation into consideration, liming initially reduced the N release in the litter layer. In the other soil layers, liming increased the N release in soils rich in N and had only small effects in soils poor in N. For the total N supply to the roots in the litter, humus and 0 to 5 cm mineral soil layers, liming caused a slight reduction in soils poor in N and a slight increase in soils rich in N. Data on tree growth corresponded with these results. The hypotheses that tree growth depressions can be caused by reduced N supply after liming and that tree growth increases can be caused by increased N supply after liming thus seem reasonable.     

Acidification and liming of coniferous forest soil: Long-term effects on turnover rates of carbon and nitrogen during an incubation experiment

Forest soils from field plots, subjected to long-term acidification by H₂SO₄ treatment, or to liming, were examined for the effects of treatment on net mineralization and turnover rates of carbon and nitrogen during incubation. The total soil respiration was decreased as a result of acidification, whereas the proportion of labeled C, introduced as ¹⁴C-glucose at start of the incubation, was increased in the CO₂ pool emitted. The accumulation of mineral N (ammonium) was not significantly influenced by acidification, whereas the rate of microbial N turnover, obtained from ¹⁵N-dilution data for the exchangeable NH₄⁺ fraction, was markedly decreased.     

Pools and fluxes of carbon and nitrogen in 40-year-old forest liming experiments in Southern Sweden

Soil samples were collected from litter, humus and mineral soil layers to a depth of 50 cm in 37–42 year-old limed and unlimed plots in one beech and three spruce stands in S Sweden for determination of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools, C and N mineralization rates and nitrification rates. The samples were sifted while still fresh and incubated at a constant temperature (15°C) and soil moisture (50 % WHC) for 110–180 days with periodic subsamplings. The C and N pools in the uppermost soil layers were significantly lower in plots limed with 9–10 t CaCO₃ ha^?1 than in unlimed plots, whereas the pools in the deeper mineral soil did not differ markedly between the treatments. In the whole soil profile, the C and N pools had, on average, decreased by 16% (P<0.05) and 11% (P>0.05), respectively, after 40 yrs. The smaller reduction in N pools resulted in significantly lower C:N ratios and increased N immobilization in the limed spruce plots but not in the limed beech plot. C and net N mineralization rates were increased in some of the limed plots and decreased in others. This indicates that liming can still have a stimulatory effect after 40 yrs in some soils. The nitrification potential was increased in the limed plots. Liming did not increase tree growth in the stands investigated. We conclude that liming with high doses of CaCO₃ is likely to reduce pools of soil C and possibly even soil N in relation to unlimed areas in spruce and beech forests in S Sweden. If trees in limed stands do not respond with better growth, the treatment will thus result in a net ecosystem loss of C and N in relation to unlimed areas. It was not possible to conclude whether the effects of low doses of lime would be similar to those of high doses.     

Fumigation-extraction and substrate-induced respiration derived microbial biomass C,and respiration rate in limed soil of Scots pine sapling stands

The effect of liming on microbial biomass C and respiration activity was studied in four liming experiments on young pine plantations. One of the experimental sites had been limed and planted 12 years before, two 5 years before, and one a year before soil sampling. The youngest experimental site was also treated with ash fertilizer. Liming raised the pH_KCl of the humus layer by 1.5 units or less. Microbial biomass was measured using the fumigation-extraction and substrate-induced respiration methods. Liming did not significantly affect microbial biomass C, except in the experiment which had been limed 11 years ago, where there was a slight biomass increase. Basal respiration, which was measured by the evolution of CO₂, increased in the limed soils, except for the youngest experiment, where there was no effect. Ash fertilization raised the soil pH_KCl by about 0.5 unit, but did not influence microbial biomass C or basal respiration. Fumigation-extraction and substrate-induced respiration derived microbial biomass C values were correlated positively with each other (r=0.65), but substrate-induced respiration gave approximately 1.3 times higher results. In addition, the effect of storing the soil samples at +6 and -18°C was evaluated. The effects were variable but, generally, the substrate-induced respiration derived microbial biomass C decreased, and the fumigation-extraction derived microbial biomass C and basal respiration decreased or were not affected by storage.     

Effects of forest liming on the nutrient status of podzolic soils in Finland

The results of 40 long-term liming experiments in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands on mineral soil sites of varying fertility are reviewed in this paper. Limestone was broadcast at a dose of 2 t ha^?1 at the end of the 1950s and sampling was carried out at the end of the 1970s. Liming resulted in considerable accumulation (10 to 50% increase) of organic matter in the humus layer, but no changes in the mineral soil. The C/N ratio of the humus increased on the most productive sites. Liming brought about a long-term decrease in acidity of the humus layer on all site types, as well as a decrease in the mineral soil (0 to 10 cm) of the least productive ones. There was also a corresponding increase in base saturation. There was considerable accumulation of B and Mn in the humus layer. Sulphur was found to have been immobilized to a considerable extent in the humus layer, presumably as Al sulfate. Liming at fairly low doses (e.g. 2 t ha^?1) thus seems to be sufficient to counteract any future increases in soil acidification without bringing about any adverse effects (apart from perhaps B levels) on the nutrient status of the soil.     

Variation in the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized during forest humus decomposition

Laboratory incubations of sieved (<2mm) forest humus were used to study the response of C and N mineralization to perturbation. Considerable variation in the ratio of mineralized C to mineralized N was observed. This ratio widened with increasing temperature. At constant temperature, addition of P stimulated CO₂-C evolution and reduced NH₄⁺-N production, also widening the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized. Addition of weak base stimulated mineralization of N more than C, reducing the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized. Addition of weak acid, mineral-N, or excessive amounts of water inhibited CO₂-C evolution while stimulating production of NH₄⁺-N, resulting in a “negative correlation” between the two, and reducing the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized still further.Results were interpreted in terms of effects on microbial biomass. A relatively benign treatment (P addition) may promote microbial growth and respiration, reducing net N availability. A moderate perturbation (addition of weak base) favors new organisms growing partly at the expense of microbial necromass. These organisms will mineralize some necromass-N, increase net N mineralization, and reduce the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized. Under severe conditions (addition of acid) the C:N ratio of substrate mineralized approaches that of the microbial biomass itself, suggesting that the biomass is the primary substrate mineralized. Microbial mortality is likely to be a significant factor affecting the supply of N in field situations, and should be included in any general model of soil N mineralization processes.     

Effects of forest liming on the nutrient status of podzolic soils in Finland

The results of 40 long-term liming experiments in Scots pine and Norway spruce stands on mineral soil sites of varying fertility are reviewed in this paper. Limestone was broadcast at a dose of 2 t ha^–1 at the end of the 1950s and sampling was carried out at the end of the 1970s. Liming resulted in considerable accumulation (10 to 50% increase) of organic matter in the humus layer, but no changes in the mineral soil. The C/N ratio of the humus increased on the most productive sites. Liming brought about a long-term decrease in acidity of the humus layer on all site types, as well as a decrease in the mineral soil (0 to 10 cm) of the least productive ones. There was also a corresponding increase in base saturation. There was considerable accumulation of B and Mn in the humus layer. Sulphur was found to have been immobilized to a considerable extent in the humus layer, presumably as Al sulfate. Liming at fairly low doses (e.g. 2 t ha^–1) thus seems to be sufficient to counteract any future increases in soil acidification without bringing about any adverse effects (apart from perhaps B levels) on the nutrient status of the soil.     

Liming effects on some chemical and biological parameters of soil (spodosols and histosols) in a hardwood forest watershed

Acidic lakes and streams can be restored with base application (usually limestone) provided that the base does not wash out before the benefits of alkalization can be realized; liming soils of the adjoining watershed may be an alternative approach. This study was conducted to provide a scientific basis for soil liming. Plots (50 m²) with different limestone dosages (e.g. 0, 5, 10 or 15 Mg CaCO₃ ha^?1) were established on each of two different soils (a Spodosol and a Histosol) in the Woods Lake watershed of the Adirondack Park Region of New York, USA. Six months after soil liming much of the added limestone was still present in both the Spodosol and in the Histosol. Ten months after soil liming results indicated that: (1) soil pH increased (>1 unit) but mostly in the top 1 cm; (2) net N mineralization increased from 9.6 to ca. 15 µg N g^?1 d^?1 and nitrification increased from 2.8 to ca. 8 µg N g^?1 d^?1; (3) denitrification was not affected (98 µg N g^?1 d^?1); (4) CO₂ production potential decreased in the surface soil and as a function of limestone dosage (60 to 6 µmol g^?1 d^?1); and (5) soluble SO ₄ ^2? concentrations in the Histosol were not affected (105 µmol L^?1). Liming acidic forest soils with >5 Mg CaCO₃ ha^?1 may increase the soil's acid neutralizing capacity, which could provide long-term benefits for surface water acidification.     

Effect of liming on some chemical,biochemical, and microbiological properties of acid soils under spruce (Picea abies L.)

Summary Soil pH, total organic C, total N, exchangeable Al, available P, CO₂ evolution, microbial biomass C and N, phosphatase and dehydrogenase activities were determined in acid soils sampled under spruce subjected to acid deposition, before and after liming. A slight decrease in pH values was observed from the edge of a tree canopy to the base of the trunk in acid soils. Liming drastically reduced exchangeable Al and increased CO₂ evolution, microbial biomass, and the metabolic quotient. The microbial biomass C to total organic C ratio increased after liming but did not reach 2%, the average value considered valid in soils where the C content is in equilibrium, that is when C inputs are equal to C outputs. The microbial biomass C:N ratio decreased after liming, thus indicating that bacteria became predominant over fungi when soil acidity decreased. Dehydrogenase activity but not phosphatase activity was increased by liming. The decrease in phosphatase activity was not completely related to the increase in available P, but was also dependent on microbial growth and the decrease in acid phosphatase, the predominant component of acid soils.     

Effects of artificial acidification and liming on biomass and on the activity of digestive enzymes in Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta): Results of an ongoing study

Summary The effects of simulated acid rain and acidification combined with liming on enzymatic activities in the gut of the enchytraied Fridericia sp. were studied under laboratory conditions. Simulated mild (pH 4.4) and strong (pH 3.1) acid rain was applied throughout a 52-day experiment. Liming, at rates of 1500 and 4000 kg CaCO₃ powder ha^-1, was applied once on the 27th day of acid rain. After 52 days, the treatment effects were determined by analysing changes in the fresh body weight of enchytraeids and the activities of amylase (EC 3.2.1.1), xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8), trehalase (EC 3.2.1.28) and C₁-cellulase (EC 3.2.1.91) in the gut. The effects were significant in only a few instances. After acidification, xylanase and trehalase activities decreased. The changes in fresh body biomass were not significant. Amylase and cellulase activities increased slightly, possibly because the acidification had a stimulatory effect on soil amylolytic and cellulolytic microorganisms. After liming, both xylanase activity and the enchytraeid body biomass decreased. This was the only marked evidence of a negative effect on the enchytraeids. The high amylase, trehalase and cellulase activities that were observed might have been caused by intensive digestion of dead acidophilous microflora.     

Seasonal effects of liming,irrigation, and acid precipitation on microbial biomass N in a spruce (Picea abies L.) forest soil

Summary Seasonal effects of liming, irrigation, and acid precipitation on microbial biomass N and some physicochemical properties of different topsoil horizons in a spruce forest (Picea abies L.) were measured throughout one growing season. The highest biomass N was recorded in autumn and spring in the upper soil horizons, while the lowest values were obtained in summer and in deeper horizons. The clearest differences between the different soil treatments were apparent in autumn and in the upper horizons. Liming increased the microbial biomass N from 1.7% of the total N content to 6.8% (Olf₁ layer) and from 1% to 2% of the total N content in the Of₂ layer. The main inorganic-N fraction in the deeper horizons was NO _inf3 ^sup- . An increase in cation exchange capacity was observed down to the Oh layer, while soil pH was only slightly higher in the Olf₁ and Of₂ layers after liming. The effects of irrigation were less marked. The microbial biomass N increased from 1.7% of total N to 4.8% in the Olf₁ layer and from 1% to 2% of total N in the Of₂ layer. In the Olf₁ layer an increase in C mineralization was observed. Acid precipitation decreased the microbial biomass N in the upper horizons from 4.8% of total N to 1.8% in the Olf₁ layer and from 2% to 0.5% in the Of₂ layer. No significant changes in soil pH were observed, but the decrease in cation exchange capacity may result in a decrease in the proton buffering capacity in the near future.     

Response of soil C and N transformations to tannin fractions originating from Scots pine and Norway spruce needles

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds that may influence litter decomposition, humus formation, nutrient (especially N) cycling and ultimately, plant nutrition and growth. The aim of this study was to determine the response of C and N transformations in soil to tannins of different molecular weight from Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles, tannic acid and cellulose. Arginine was added to test whether the soil microbial community was limited by the amount of N, and arginine+tannin treatments were used to test whether the effects of tannins could be counteracted by adding N. Soil and needle samples were taken from adjacent 70-year-old Scots pine and Norway spruce stands located in Kivalo, northern Finland. Tannins were extracted from needles and fractioned based on molecular weight; the fractions were then characterized by LC-MS and GC-MS. Light fractions contained tannin monomers and dimers as well as many other compounds, whereas heavy fractions consisted predominantly of polymerized condensed tannins. Spruce needles contained more procyanidin than prodelphinidin units, while in pine needles prodelphinidin units seemed to be dominant. The fractions were added to soil samples, pine fractions to pine soil and spruce fractions to spruce soil, and incubated at 14 °C for 6 weeks. CO₂ evolution was followed throughout the experiment, and the rates of net mineralization of N and net nitrification, concentration of dissolved organic N (DON) and amounts of microbial biomass C and N were measured at the end of the experiment. The main effects of the fractions were similar in both soils. Light fractions strongly enhanced respiration and decreased net N mineralization, indicating higher immobilization of N in the microbial biomass. On the contrary, heavy fractions reduced respiration and slightly increased net N mineralization, suggesting toxic or protein-precipitating effects. The effects of tannic acid and cellulose resembled those of light fractions. DON concentrations generally decreased during incubation and were lower with heavy fractions than with light fractions. No clear differences were detected between the effects of light and heavy fractions on microbial biomass C and N. Treatments that included addition of arginine generally showed trends similar to treatments without it, although some differences between light and heavy fractions became more obvious with arginine than without it. Overall, light fractions seemed to act as a labile source of C for microbes, while heavy fractions were inhibitors.     

Liming and nitrogen efficiency: Some effects of increased calcium supply and increased soil pH on nitrogen recovery by perennial ryegrass

Abstract

Positive effects of liming on the nitrogen (N) contents of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) shoots might be due in part to the effects of increased exogenous calcium (Ca) level on the rate of N uptake by plants. To test this hypothesis, perennial ryegrass was grown in soil culture treated with different rates of lime, gypsum, and ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃), in a factorial combination. The effects of these treatments on yield, N offtake, and shoot chemical composition were examined at two consecutive harvests. At both harvests, liming significantly increased plant yield and N offtake. There was no response to gypsum at cut 1; but at the second harvest, a negative interaction occurred between the two Ca treatments such that gypsum increased plant yield and N offtake in the absence of lime but not in its presence. The results suggest that liming affects N recovery by swards in at least two different ways, each associated with a different phase in the soil MIT (Mineralization Immobilization Turnover) cycle. During phases of net N mineralization, liming by raising soil pH stimulates biomass activity and increases the amount of organic N mineralized. In contrast, during phases of net N immobilization, liming by increasing Ca availability in the rhizosphere improves the ability of plants to absorb N, and thus helps them to compete more effectively with the biomass for mineral N.     

Liming reduces nitrogen uptake from chemical fertilizer but increases that from straw in a double rice cropping system

Liming materials are widely applied to alleviate soil acidification and increase rice yield in acidic soils, but their effects on nitrogen (N) use efficiency are still unclear. Here, we conducted a field-, pot-, and micro-plot experiment to investigate how the application of slaked lime (i.e., Ca(OH)₂) affects the fate of chemical fertilizer-N and straw-N in a double rice cropping system. In the field experiment, liming increased grain yield and N uptake by an average of 9.0% and 10.6%, respectively. In contrast, CaCl₂ application did not affect rice yield and N uptake, suggesting that the effects of lime application were not related to the addition of Ca²⁺. Results from a ¹⁵N tracer experiment (i.e., ¹⁵N-labeled urea and straw) indicated that liming reduced N uptake from fertilizer (−5.7%), but increased N uptake from straw (+31.3%). Liming also reduced soil retention of both urea- and straw-N and increased their loss rates. Taken together, our results indicate that although liming increases rice yield and N uptake, it lowers the use efficiency of fertilizer N and facilitates N losses. In addition, our results emphasize the need for long-term studies on the impact of liming on soil N dynamics in paddy soils.     

Short‐term effects of polyacrylamide and dicyandiamide on C and N mineralization in a sandy loam soil

The soil conditioners anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) and dicyandiamide (DCD) are frequently applied to soils to reduce soil erosion and nitrogen loss, respectively. A 27‐day incubation study was set up to gauge their interactive effects on the microbial biomass, carbon (C) mineralization and nitrification activity of a sandy loam soil in the presence or absence of maize straw. PAM‐amended soils received 308 or 615 mg PAM/kg. Nitrogen (N)‐fertilized soils were amended with 1800 mg/kg ammonium sulphate [(NH₄)₂SO₄], with or without 70 mg DCD/kg. Maize straw was added to soil at the rate of 4500 mg/kg. Maize straw application increased soil microbial biomass and respiration. PAM stimulated nitrification and C mineralization, as evidenced by significant increases in extractable nitrate and evolved carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations. This is likely to have been effected by the PAM improving microbial conditions and partially being utilized as a substrate, with the latter being indicated by a PAM‐induced significant increase in the metabolic quotient. PAM did not reduce the microbial biomass except in one treatment at the highest application rate. Ammonium sulphate stimulated nitrification and reduced microbial biomass; the resultant acidification of the former is likely to have caused these effects. N fertilizer application may also have induced short‐term C‐limitation in the soil with impacts on microbial growth and respiration. The nitrification inhibitor DCD reduced the negative impacts on microbial biomass of (NH₄)₂SO₄ and proved to be an effective soil amendment to reduce nitrification under conditions where mineralization was increased by addition of PAM.     

The response of soil microbial biomass and activity of a Norway spruce forest to liming and drought

Long-term effects of liming and short-term effects of an experimentally induced drought on microbial biomass and activity were investigated in samples from the O-layer (Of/Oh) and uppermost mineral soil (0—10 cm) in a spruce forest near Schluchsee (Black Forest, South-West Germany). Seven years after lime application a marked increase of pH values was restricted to the O-layer. The contents of C and N in the O-layer of the limed plot appeared to be lower, whereas in the A-horizon from the limed plot the contents of C and N appeared to be higher than on the control. However, these differences were statistically not significant due to a distinct spatial variability of topsoil conditions. On the limed plots C_mic, N_mic, and P_mic in the O-layer were lower in comparison to the control whereas differences in the A-horizon were negligible. In both sampling depths of the limed plot protease activity was higher while N-mineralization was lower. The other microbial activities studied (basal respiration, catalase activity) followed no consistent pattern after liming. Drought and drought in combination with liming, respectively, had no clear effects on microbial biomass and activity. Only in the A-horizon of the control, there is some evidence for drought stress for microorganisms. The high variability of results from the drought experiment (roof installation) is likely due to the marked spatial variability of top soil properties as well as imperfect and uneven achievement of experimental drought. Nevertheless, our study indicates that long-term effects of liming on microorganisms highly depend on site conditions. Thus, liming operations which currently affect vast areas of forest land should be accompanied by monitoring of soil organisms and their activities to reduce the possibility of a loss in functional diversity of soil organisms.     

Carbon mineralization is promoted by phosphorus and reduced by nitrogen addition in the organic horizon of northern hardwood forests

Limitations to the respiratory activity of heterotrophic soil microorganisms exert important controls of CO₂ efflux from soils. In the northeastern US, ecosystem nutrient status varies across the landscape and changes with forest succession following disturbance, likely impacting soil microbial processes regulating the transformation and emission of carbon (C). We tested whether nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) limit the mineralization of soil organic C (SOC) or that of added C sources in the Oe horizon of successional and mature northern hardwood forests in three locations in central New Hampshire, USA. Added N reduced mineralization of C from SOC and from added leaf litter and cellulose. Added P did not affect mineralization from SOC; however, it did enhance mineralization of litter- and cellulose- C in organic horizons from all forest locations. Added N increased microbial biomass N and K₂SO₄-extractable DON pools, but added P had no effect. Microbial biomass C increased with litter addition but did not respond to either nutrient. The direction of responses to added nutrients was consistent among sites and between forest ages. We conclude that in these organic horizons limitation by N promotes mineralization of C from SOC, whereas limitation by P constrains mineralization of C from new organic inputs. We also suggest that N suppresses respiration in these organic horizons either by relieving the N limitation of microbial biomass synthesis, or by slowing turnover of C through the microbial pool; concurrent measures of microbial growth and turnover are needed to resolve this question.     

Effects of Liming and Fertilization (N,PK) on Chemistry and Nitrogen Turnover in Acidic Forest Soils in SW Sweden

SW Sweden has very acidic forest soils because of deposition ofair-borne pollutants. Large-scale liming and fertilization have been proposed as countermeasures against a possible future development of forest decline. To test the effects of suggested treatments, liming (3 or 6 t ha¹) and fertilization with easily soluble PK (25 or 50 kg P, 80 or 160 kg K ha¹) or N(20 kg N ha¹ annually in the form of NH₄ NO₃) were applied in different combinations in four experiments in 30–60 yr-old Picea abies forests in SW Sweden. Four yearsafter the initial application of the fertilizers, samples were taken from the O-horizon and the two uppermost 5 cm thick layersof the mineral soil. Their pH(H₂O) and easily extractable Ca, Mg, K, P and inorganic N contents were analyzed. Samples werealso incubated to estimate net N mineralization and potential nitrification rates. Liming increased the pH by 0.6–1 unit in the O-horizon, and by 0.1 unit in the mineral soil. The Ca + Mg content increased by 15–25 kmol_c ha¹ (4–8 foldincrease) in the O-horizon of the limed plots, while an increaseof 5 kmol_c ha¹ (two-fold increase) was observed in theuppermost 5 cm of the mineral soil. Liming did not affect extractable P, K or inorganic N contents. Net N mineralization and potential nitrification rates in the O-horizon were enhanced 1.5- and 6-fold, respectively, by liming, but it had no apparenteffect in the mineral soil. N fertilization caused a slight increase (1.5 kg ha¹) in the content of inorganic N, buthad no effects on the other variables measured. The amount ofextractable P was raised by 16 kg ha¹ in plots given the high P dose (50 kg ha¹), but no other effects of PK fertilization were detected.     

Organic matter characteristics and C and N transformations in the humus layer under two tree species, Betula pendula and Picea abies

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) on soil C and N transformations and on the characteristics of organic matter. Soil samples were taken from the humus layer of a replicated 35-year-old birch-spruce field experiment growing on Vaccinium myrtillus site type in middle-eastern Finland. The soil was a podzol and humus type mor. Soil pH was higher under birch (4.7) than under spruce (4.1). The C-to-N ratio was lower under birch (17) than under spruce (23). Per unit organic matter, microbial biomass C and N, net N mineralization and net nitrification were all higher in birch soil than in spruce soil. The rate of C mineralization (CO₂ production) was, however, the same regardless of tree species. Water-extracts were analyzed for the concentrations of dissolved organic C (DOC) and N (DON) and characterized according to molecular size distribution by ultrafiltration and according to chemical composition using a resin fractionation technique. The concentration of DON, in particular, was higher in birch soil than in spruce soil. The distribution of DOC and DON into different fractions based on molecular size or chemical composition was rather similar in both soils. The concentration of total phenolics, expressed as tannic acid equivalents, was higher in the humus layer under birch than in the humus layer under spruce, because the birch humus layer contained significantly more low-molecular weight (about <0.5 kD) phenolics than the spruce humus layer did. The concentration of proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins) was higher in spruce soil than in birch soil. The concentrations of the five most abundant phenolic acids showed that ferulic and p-coumaric acids were more abundant in spruce soil. Birch soil tended to contain slightly more nonvolatile sesquiterpenes than the spruce soil. The concentration of diterpenes was similar in both soils; but birch soil contained significantly more triterpenes, mainly sterols, than spruce soil did.