Gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

The impact of land-use change on soil nitrogen (N) transformations was investigated in adjacent native forest (NF), 53 y-old first rotation (1R) and 5 y-old second rotation (2R) hoop pine (Araucaia cunninghamii) plantations. The ¹⁵N isotope dilution method was used to quantify gross rates of N transformations in aerobic and anaerobic laboratory incubations. Results showed that the land-use change had a significant impact on the soil N transformations. Gross ammonification rates in the aerobic incubation ranged between 0.62 and 1.78 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹, while gross nitrification rates ranged between 2.1 and 6.6 mg N kg⁻¹ d⁻¹. Gross ammonification rates were significantly lower in the NF and the 1R soils than in the 2R soils, however gross nitrification rates were significantly higher in the NF soils than in the plantation soils. The greater rates of gross nitrification found in the NF soil compared to the plantation soils, were related to lower soil C:N ratios (i.e. more labile soil N under NF). Nitrification was found to be the dominant soil N transformation process in the contrasting forest ecosystems. This might be attributed to certain site conditions which may favour the nitrifying community, such as the dry climate and tree species. There was some evidence to suggest that heterotrophic nitrifiers may undertake a significant portion of nitrification.     

Soluble organic nitrogen in temperate forest soils

Very few studies have been related to soluble organic nitrogen (SON) in forest soils. However, this nitrogen pool could be a sensitive indicator to evaluate the soil nitrogen status. The current study was conducted in temperate forests of Thuringia, Germany, where soils had SON (extracted in 0.5 M K₂SO₄) varying from 0.3 to 2.2% of total N, which was about one-third of the soil microbial biomass N by CFE. SON in study soils were positively correlated to microbial biomass N and soil total N. Multiple regression analysis also showed that mineral N negatively affected SON pool. The dynamics of the SON was significantly affected by mineralization and immobilization. During the 2 months of aerobic incubation, the SON were significantly correlated with net N mineralization and microbial biomass N. SON extracted by two different salt solution (i.e. 1 M KCl and 0.5 M K₂SO₄₎ were highly correlated. In mineral soil, SON concentrations extracted by 1 M KCl and 0.5 M K₂SO₄ solutions were similar. In contrast, in organic soil layer the amount of KCl-extractable SON was about 1.2-1.4 times higher than the K₂SO₄-extractable SON. Further studies such as the differences of organic N form and pool size between SON and dissolved organic N (DON) are recommended.     

Soluble organic nitrogen in agricultural soils

 The existence of soluble organic forms of N in rain and drainage waters has been known for many years, but these have not been generally regarded as significant pools of N in agricultural soils. We review the size and function of both soluble organic N extracted from soils (SON) and dissolved organic N present in soil solution and drainage waters (DON) in arable agricultural soils. SON is of the same order of magnitude as mineral N and of equal size in many cases; 20–30 kg SON-N ha^–1 is present in a wide range of arable agricultural soils from England. Its dynamics are affected by mineralisation, immobilisation, leaching and plant uptake in the same way as those of mineral N, but its pool size is more constant than that of mineral N. DON can be sampled from soil solution using suction cups and collected in drainage waters. Significant amounts of DON are leached, but this comprises only about one-tenth of the SON extracted from the same soil. Leached DON may take with it nutrients, chelated or complexed metals and pesticides. SON/DON is clearly an important pool in N transformations and plant uptake, but there are still many gaps in our understanding. Received: 10 June 1999     

Dissolved soil organic nitrogen and carbon in a Norway spruce stand and an adjacent clear-cut

 The aims of this study were to characterize dissolved soil organic N (DON) and C (DOC) in a coniferous stand and an adjacent clear-cut, and to evaluate the importance of DON in N leaching. The study was carried out in a Norway spruce stand and a clear-cutting treatment in the same forest stand. Concentrations of DON in soil solution were monitored for 5 years after clear-cutting with gravity lysimeters. In the Norway spruce stand DON comprised 62–83% of the total N in soil solution over the 5-year period. The concentrations of DON in the clear-cut were higher than in the forest stand, but the proportion of total N was lower. To characterize dissolved organic matter, soil samples were aerobically incubated for 6 weeks in the laboratory, and the quantity, molecular size distribution and chemical nature of both DON and DOC were determined from water extracts made before and after the incubation. In the soil samples from the Norway spruce stand, C-rich compounds with a high C/N ratio and large molecular size were formed. In contrast, after the incubation the major carriers of DON in soil samples from the clear-cut were N-rich organic compounds with a low C/N ratio and a small molecular size. The distribution of different chemical fractions of DOC in soil did not differ much whether recovered from the Norway spruce stand or the clear-cut. It was (from highest to lowest concentration): hydrophobic acids>hydrophilic acids>phenols>hydrophilic neutrals. A major part of DON was also carried by these fractions. During incubation the concentration of N-containing hydrophilic acids increased, especially in the soil from the clearcut. In soil samples from the Norway spruce stand, the rate of net N mineralization was low and no NO₃ was formed, whilst the rate of net N mineralization was high and net nitrification was intensive in soil from the clear-cut. Received: 12 June 2000     

Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

Purpose

Soil nitrogen (N) availability is a critical determinant of plantation productivity in subtropical Australia and is influenced by the soil microbial community. The size, structure and function of the soil microbial community can be impacted by land-use change and residue management. The objectives of this study were to examine the impact of land-use change from (1) native forest (NF) to first rotation (1R) hoop pine plantation and (2) 1R hoop pine plantation to second rotation (2R) hoop pine plantation on the soil microbial community. The impact of residue management on the soil microbial community was also investigated in the 2R forest, where soil microbial parameters were measured in tree rows (2R-T) and windrows (2R-W). In addition, relationships between soil microbial parameters and soil N parameters were investigated.

Materials and methods

Each of the four treatments (NF, 1R, 2R-T and 2R-W) had five 24-m² replicate plots from which 15 soil cores were collected and bulked at three depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm). Microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and N (MBN) and soil respiration were measured on field moist soils. In addition, carbon (C) source utilisation patterns were assessed using the whole soil MicroResp? technique (Campbell et al. 2003).

Results and discussion

Results indicate that the land-use change from NF to 1R hoop pine plantation significantly reduced MBC, respiration rate, soil total C and total N. Furthermore, the land-use change appeared to have a significant impact on the soil microbial community composition measured using MicroResp? profiles. Land-use change from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantation resulted in a decline in total C and MBN and a shift in microbial community composition. When compared to the 2R-T soils, the 2R-W soils tended to have a greater microbial biomass and respiration rate. Residue management also influenced the microbial community composition measured in the MicroResp? profiles.

Conclusions

Results indicate that land-use change had a significant impact on the soil microbial community, which was likely to be related to shifts in the quality and quantity of organic inputs associated with the change in land use. This may have significant implications for the long-term productivity of the soil resource. Further studies are required to confirm a difference in microbial community composition associated with residue management. In addition, long-term experiments in subtropical Australia are necessary to verify the results of this snapshot study and to improve our understanding of the impact of single-species plantation forestry and residue management on the soil microbial community, soil N dynamics and ultimately the long-term sustainability of the soil resource.     

Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia

Background, Aims, and Scope  An improved understanding of important soil carbon (C) and nutrient pools as well as microbial activities in forest ecosystems is required for developing effective forest management regimes underpinning forest productivity and sustainability. Forest types and management practices can have significant impacts on soil C and nutrient pools as well as biological properties in forest ecosystems. Soil C and nutrient pools were assessed for adjacent natural forest (NF), first rotation (1R) (50-year-old), and second rotation (2R) (1-year-old) hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Ait. ex D. Don) plantations in southeast Queensland of subtropical Australia. Materials and Methods  Five transects spaced 3 m apart with 9 sampling points along each transect were selected (9.6 m × 12.0 m each site), with 45 soil cores (7.5 cm in diameter) collected and separated into 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths. These soils were analysed for total C, total nitrogen (N), C (δ¹³C) and N (δ¹⁵N) isotope composition. The 0–10 cm soils were analysed for pH, CEC, exchangeable cations, total P and total K, and assayed for microbial biomass C and N, respiration, metabolic quotient, potential mineralizable N (PMN), gross N mineralization (M) and immobilization (I). Results  Total C and N in 0–10 cm soils were higher under NF and 1R plantation than under 2R plantation, while they were highest in 10–20 cm soils under NF, followed by the 1R and then 2R plantation. δ¹³C was lower under NF than under the plantations, while δ¹⁵N was higher under NF than under the plantations. Total P was the highest under NF, followed by the 1R and then 2R plantation, while total K was higher under the 2R plantation. No significant differences were detected for pH, CEC, exchangeable cations, microbial C and N, respiration and metabolic quotient among the 3 sites. PMN and M were higher under NF, while I was the highest under the 2R plantation, followed by the NF and then 1R plantation. Discussion  Soil total C and N in 0–10 cm depth were significantly lower under 2R hoop pine plantation than those under NF and 1R hoop pine plantation. There were significant reductions in soil total C and N from NF to 1R and from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantations in 10–20 cm depth. This highlights potential N deficiency in the 2R hoop pine plantations, and application of N fertilizers may be required to improve the productivity of 2R hoop pine plantations. There were no significant differences in other soil chemical and physical properties in 0–10 cm depth among the 3 sites under NF, 1R and 2R hoop pine plantations, except for soil total P and K. Soil microbial biomass C, CO₂ respiration and metabolic quotient did not differ among the 3 sites assessed, perhaps mainly due to these biological variables being too sensitive to variations in soil chemical and physical properties and thereby being associated with a larger variability in the soil biological properties. However, soil potential mineralizable N, gross N mineralization and immobilization were rather sensitive to the conversion of NF to hoop pine plantation and forest management practices. Conclusions  Total C and N in the top 20 cm soil were highest under NF, followed by 1R and then 2R hoop pine plantations, indicating that N deficiency may become a growth-limiting factor in the 2R hoop pine plantations and subsequent rotations of hoop pine plantation. The sample size for soil δ¹³C seems to be much smaller than those for soil total C and N as well as δ¹⁵N. The significant reductions in soil total P from NF to 1R and then from 1R to 2R hoop pine plantations highlight that P deficiency might become another growth-limiting factor in the second and subsequent rotations of hoop pine plantations. Soil microbial properties may be associated with large spatial variations due to these biological properties being too sensitive to the variations in soil chemical and physical properties in these forest ecosystems. Recommendations and Perspectives  Soil potential mineralizable N, gross N mineralization and immobilization were useful indices of soil N availability in response to forest types and management practices. The sampling size for soil δ¹³C was much smaller than the other soil chemical and biological properties due to the different patterns of spatial variation in these soil properties.     

Soil nitrogen pools and turnover in native woodland and managed pasture soils

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is a significant nitrogen (N) pool in most soils and is considered to be important for N cycling. The present study focused on paired sites of native remnant woodland and managed pasture at three locations in south-eastern Australia. Improved understanding of N cycling is important for assessing the impact of agriculture on soil processes and can guide conservation and restoration soil management strategies to maintain remnant native woodland systems, which currently exist as small pockets of woodland within extensive managed pasture landscapes. Organic and inorganic N pools were quantified, as well as the rates of amino acid and peptide mineralisation in the paired native woodland and managed pasture systems. Soil DON dominated the soil N pool in both land uses, and the proportion of DON to other N pools was greatest at the most N-limited site (up to ∼70% of extractable N). In both land uses soil ammonium and free amino acid concentrations were similar (∼20% of extractable N), and soil nitrate formed the smallest N pool (<∼5% of extractable N). Mineralisation of ¹⁴C-labelled amino acid and peptide substrates was rapid (<3 h), and more amino acid was respired than peptide in both the native woodland and managed pasture soils. Soil C:N ratio was important in separating site and land use differences, and contrasting relationships between soil physico-chemical properties and organic N uptake rates were identified across sites and land uses.     

Distribution of nitrogen pools in the soil profile of undisturbed and reseeded grasslands

 This study evaluated the effect of cultivation and reseeding on the distribution and fate of soil mineral N (SMN), soluble organic N (SON) and potentially mineralisable N (PMN) in the soil profile of two long-term grasslands in the UK. Cultivation and reseeding significantly increased the total soluble N concentration (SMN plus SON) of the soil profile (0–90 cm), with over 50 mg SON kg^–1 observed. By contrast, the PMN pool was unaffected by cultivation and declined with increasing soil depth. The flush in SON and SMN observed in both soils disappeared within 1 year following cultivation. The fate of SON appeared to be dependent on soil type, with considerably more movement to deeper layers apparent in the profile of a silty clay loam (30% clay) than in a clay loam (49% clay). Mineralisation and/or immobilisation of SON in the topsoil probably accounted for the changes observed in the SON content of the clay loam. SON is an important N pool in grassland soils and cultivation has a significant impact on its release. Measurements of SON should therefore be included in studies of N cycling in agricultural cropping systems, so that full account may be taken of its potential as a source or sink of mobile N. Received: 17 February 1999     

Indices of dissolved organic nitrogen, ammonium and nitrate across productivity gradients of boreal forests

Organic nitrogen (N) uptake, rather than solely inorganic N (DIN), is considered a significant pathway for plant nutrition, especially in arctic, alpine and boreal ecosystems. Assays of plant-available N in these ecosystems might therefore be improved with measures of dissolved organic N (DON). We examined DON and DIN abundance from an in situ 5-week incubation across plant associations that represent the widest range in site potential in southern boreal forests of British Columbia, Canada. The supply of N from forest floors and mineral soils (20 cm depth) was measured separately and then combined (kg ha⁻¹) to facilitate comparisons of sites. DON was the predominant form of extractable N, and was increasingly supplemented, rather than replaced, by NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ on productive sites. The amount of DIN produced in the soils was very low, perhaps too small to support forest needs, and the correlation of DIN to asymptotic stand height (a measure of site potential) was significant but nonlinear. The combined amount of DON+DIN was considered a more effective index of plant-available N because it was strongly significant as a linear correlation to stand height and more typical of annual forest N uptake. The relative shift in N forms, from a predominance of DON to progressively greater ratios of DIN:DON, was consistent with the current paradigm of N forms across gradients of N availability, although the actual amounts of DON increased, rather than decreased, with site potential. Based on this, we suggest organic N uptake has the potential to contribute to plant nutrition across the entire productivity gradient of soils in southern boreal forests. Although other N indices were effective in characterizing forest productivity, a combined assay of DON+DIN production could provide new insights into functional differences in plant-available N.     

过量施氮对旱地土壤碳、氮及供氮能力的影响

【目的】过量施氮会影响土壤有机碳、氮的组成与数量,进而改变土壤供氮能力,但关于西北旱地长期过量施用氮肥后土壤有机碳、氮及土壤供氮能力变化的研究尚缺乏。本文在长期定位试验的基础上,通过分析不同氮肥水平特别是过量施氮条件下土壤硝态氮,有机碳、氮和微生物量碳、氮的变化,探讨长期过量施氮对土壤有机碳、氮及供氮能力的影响。【方法】长期定位试验位于陕西杨凌西北农林科技大学农作一站。在施磷(P2O5)100kg/hm2的基础上,设5个氮水平,施氮量分别为N 0、80、160、240、320 kg/hm2。重复4次,小区面积40 m2,完全随机区组排列。种植冬小麦品种为小堰22。本文选取其中3处理,以不施氮为对照(N0)、施氮量N 160 kg/hm2为正常施氮(N160),施氮量N 320 kg/hm2为过量施氮(N320),分别于2012年6月小麦收获后和10月下季小麦播前采集土壤样品,进行测定分析。【结果】过量施氮导致下季小麦播前0—300 cm各土层硝态氮含量显著增加,平均由对照的2.8 mg/kg增加到15.5 mg/kg;同时,0—60 cm和0—300 cm土层的硝态氮累积量分别由对照的47.2和108.9 kg/hm2增加到76.5和727.7 kg/hm2。过量施氮也增加了夏闲期间0—300 cm土层土壤有机氮矿化量,由对照的72.4 kg/hm2增加到130.7 kg/hm2。但过量施氮未显著增加土壤的有机碳含量,却显著增加了土壤有机氮含量,过量施氮0—20、20—40 cm土层土壤有机碳分别为9.24和5.39 g/kg,有机氮分别为1.05和0.71 g/kg,较对照增加52.2%和54.3%。同样,过量施氮未显著影响0—20、20—40 cm土层土壤微生物量碳含量,其平均含量分别为253和205 mg/kg,却显著提高了0—20、20—40 cm土层土壤微生物量氮含量,由对照的24.1和7.5 mg/kg提高到43.6和16.1 mg/kg。【结论】过量施氮可以显著增加旱地土壤剖面中的硝态氮累积量、夏闲期氮素矿化量、小麦播前土壤氮素供应量和土壤微生物量氮含量,但对土壤有机碳和微生物量碳没有显著性影响,同时过量施氮增加了土壤硝态氮淋溶风险,故在有机质含量低的黄土高原南部旱地冬小麦种植中不宜施用高量氮肥,以减少土壤氮素残留和农业投入,达到保护环境和培肥土壤的目的。     

凋落物中次生代谢物对森林土壤可溶性氮的影响

通过外加性质不同的凋落物以及不同浓度的单宁酸,于武夷山不同海拔高度的森林土壤中进行培养,研究森林凋落物中次生代谢物对土壤可溶性氮(N)的影响。结果显示,土壤经加入凋落物处理,其可溶性N含量降低。加入杉木凋落物使红壤可溶性N含量降低12.0%～27.5%,杉木较竹叶凋落物处理降低作用显著(p0.05);对黄红壤添加不同浓度单宁酸处理显示,与对照比较,高浓度单宁酸可显著(p0.001)降低土壤可溶性N含量,降低幅度在40.6%～48.1%,而低浓度单宁酸对土壤可溶性N的影响不显著。表明植物凋落物,尤其是杉木对土壤可溶性N的影响很可能与其本身单宁酸含量差异有关,从而影响了土壤可溶性有机N和无机N的转化。     

Soil soluble organic nitrogen and active microbial characteristics under adjacent coniferous and broadleaf plantation forests

Purpose  

Soil soluble organic nitrogen (SON) is considered as a sensitive indicator of soil nitrogen (N) status and plays an important role in N cycling in forest ecosystems. Most work on forest soil SON to date has been conducted in temperate areas. The information about soil SON pools and dynamics in tropical and subtropical areas is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different forest types on soil SON availability and associated microbial properties.     

Nitrogen pools and turnover in arable soils under different durations of organic farming: I: Pool sizes of total soil nitrogen,microbial biomass nitrogen,and potentially mineralizable nitrogen

Soil organic matter contents, soil microbial biomass, potentially mineralizable nitrogen (N) and soil pH values were investigated in the Ap horizons of 14 field plots at 3 sites which had been under organic farming over various periods. The objective was to test how these soil properties change with the duration of organic farming. Site effects were significant for pH values, microbial biomass C and N, and for potentially mineralizable N at 0—10 cm depth. The contents of total organic C, total soil N, and potentially mineralizable N tended to be higher in soils after 41 versus 3 years of organic farming, but the differences were not significant. Microbial biomass C and N contents were higher after 41 years than after 3 years of organic farming at 0—10 cm depth, and the pH values were increased at 10—27 cm depth. Nine years of organic farming were insufficient to affect soil microbial biomass significantly. Increased biomass N contents help improve N storage by soil micro‐organisms in soils under long‐term organic farming.     

土壤可溶性有机氮及其在氮素供应及转化中的作用

可溶性有机氮(SON)是指土壤中可以溶于水或盐溶液的有机态氮,在土壤中的行为既不同于矿质氮,也不同于不溶性有机氮。综述了对这一特殊的氮素组分研究进展,包括不同生态系统土壤SON的含量,SON与土壤氮素供应、转化的关系,SON在土壤氮素损失中的作用等,认为SON是土壤氮素中的重要组分之一,今后应开展土壤SON在不同土壤生态系统中氮素循环中作用的研究工作。     

不同类型水稻土可溶性有机氮及其组分的剖面分布

为揭示可溶性有机氮(soluble organic nitrogen,SON)在土壤剖面的分布状况,选取中亚热带地区发育于相同母质的黄泥田、灰黄泥田和灰泥田3种不同类型水稻土为对象,研究不同类型水稻土剖面中SON含量、组分及主控因子。结果表明,不同类型水稻土SON、游离氨基酸氮(FAA-N)、酰胺氮(AN-N)和可溶性蛋白氮(SP-N)含量具有明显的剖面分异,均表现为0～20 cm土层>20～40 cm土层>40～60 cm土层。不同类型水稻土SON及各组分含量差异主要表现在0～20 cm土层,均表现为灰泥田>灰黄泥田>黄泥田,灰泥田SON、FAA-N、AN-N和SP-N含量分别高于灰黄泥田50.5%、41.7%、44.8%和2.1%,高于黄泥田196.5%、200.9%、180.4%和76.5%。0～20 cm土层3种不同类型水稻土FAA-N和AN-N分别占SON的54.4%～58.7%和45.5%～48.1%,而底层(40～60 cm)FAA-N和AN-N分别占SON的33.1%～55.7%和50.3%～52.8%,说明FAA-N和AN-N具有向下累积的趋势...     

有机氮与无机氮不同配比对设施菜地次生盐渍化土壤改良效果

通过设施菜地小区试验,研究有机氮与无机氮不同比例配合施用对土壤次生盐渍化的改良效果以及对番茄产量、品质的影响。结果表明:有机氮与无机氮配合施用可以明显降低土壤中全盐含量与电导率,显著降低了土壤中硝态氮的过量积累,尤其有机氮与无机氮比例为2∶1时,效果最好;同时有机氮与无机氮配合施用,达到改善土壤有机质平衡及调控的作用,有机质从16. 8 g/kg增加到21. 7 g/kg;有机氮、无机氮2∶1配施可以明显降低番茄中硝酸盐的含量,显著提高番茄中可溶性总糖和还原型Vc的含量,达到提高番茄产量和提升果实品质的效果。从改良设施土壤次生盐渍化和优质施肥管理两方面综合考虑,建议设施大棚采用有机氮与无机氮配合施用,土壤全盐含量3. 54 g/kg条件下以有机氮与无机氮2∶1配施有机肥与化肥效果最佳。     

The value of primary, secondary and plantation forests for Amazonian birds

Secondary forests and exotic tree plantations are rapidly expanding across tropical landscapes, yet we currently have a very poor understanding of the value of these human-dominated forest landscapes for biodiversity conservation. Mist netting, point counts and transect walks were used to compare the bird communities of these habitats and neighboring primary forest in north-east Brazilian Amazonia. The extensive spatial scale of plantations and second-growth in our study area enabled us to implement a robust replicated design, with survey plots approximately two to three orders of magnitude larger than most previous studies of land-use change in the tropics, thus minimising the influence of the surrounding landscape. Species richness was highest in primary forest and lowest in Eucalyptus plantations, and community turnover between habitats was very high whether based upon matrices of relative abundance or species presence-absence data, and for both point count and mist net data. Monthly line-transect censuses conducted over an annual cycle showed an increase in the detection of canopy frugivores and seed predators during the peak of flower and fruit availability in primary forest, but failed to suggest that second-growth or Eucalyptus stands provide suitable foraging habitat at any time of the year. The conservation value of both secondary forest and plantations was low compared to conclusions from previous studies. Our results indicate that while large-scale reforestation of degraded land can increase regional levels of diversity, it is unlikely to conserve most primary forest species, such as understorey insectivores and canopy frugivores.     

中国南亚热带三种不同林型下土壤应对酸沉降的响应

Long-term changes in soil pH, the current status of soil acidification, and the response of bulk soil and soil water pH to experimental nitrogen addition under three subtropical forests were investigated in Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve of subtropical China. The results showed that the mineral soil pH at 0-20 cm depth declined significantly from 4.60-4.75 in 1980s to 3.84-4.02 in 2005. Nitrogen addition resulted in the decrease of pH in both bulk soil and soil water collected at 20-cm depth. The rapid decline of soil pH was attributed to long-term high atmospheric acid deposition (nitrogen and sulphur) therein. The forest at earlier succession stage with originally higher soil pH appeared to be more vulnerable to acid deposition than that at later succession stage with originally low soil pH.     

Long-term organic phosphorus mineralization in Spodosols under forests and its relation to carbon and nitrogen mineralization

In forest soils where a large fraction of total phosphorus (P) is in organic forms, soil micro-organisms play a major role in the P cycle and plant availability since they mediate organic P transformations. However, the correct assessment of organic P mineralization is usually a challenging task because mineralized P is rapidly sorbed and most mineralization fluxes are very weak. The objectives of the present work were to quantify in five forest Spodosols at soil depths of 0-15 cm net mineralization of total organic P and the resulting increase in plant available inorganic P and to verify whether net or gross P mineralization could be estimated using the C or N mineralization rates. Net mineralization of total organic P was derived from the net changes in microbial P and gross mineralization of P in dead soil organic matter. We studied very low P-sorbing soils enabling us to use lower extractants to assess the change in total inorganic P as a result of gross mineralization of P in dead soil organic matter. In addition, to enable detection of gross mineralization of P in dead soil organic matter, a long-term incubation (517 days) experiment was carried out. At the beginning of the experiment, total P contents of the soils were very low (19-51 μg g⁻¹) and were essentially present as organic P (17-44 μg g⁻¹, 85-91%) or microbial P (6-14 μg g⁻¹; 24-39%). Conversely, the initial contents of inorganic P were low (2-7 μg g⁻¹; 9-15%). The net changes in the pool size of microbial P during the 517 days of incubation (4-8 μg g⁻¹) and the amounts of P resulting from gross mineralization of dead soil organic matter (0.001-0.018 μg g⁻¹ day⁻¹; 0.4-9.5 μg g⁻¹ for the entire incubation period) were considerable compared to the initial amounts of organic P and also when compared to the initial diffusive iP fraction (<0.3 μg g⁻¹). Diffusive iP corresponds to the phosphate ions that can be transferred from the solid constituents to the soil solution under a gradient of concentration. Net mineralization of organic P induced an important increase in iP in soil solution (0.6-10 μg g⁻¹; 600-5000% increase) and lower increases in diffusive iP fractions (0.3-5 μg g⁻¹; 300-2000% increase), soil solid constituents having an extremely low reactivity relative to iP. Therefore, soil micro-organisms and organic P transformations play a major role in the bioavailability of P in these forest soils. In our study, the dead soil organic matter was defined as a recalcitrant organic fraction. Probably because gross mineralization of P from this recalcitrant organic fraction was mainly driven by the micro-organisms’ needs for energy, the rates of gross mineralization of C, N and P in the recalcitrant organic fraction were similar. Indirect estimation of gross mineralization of P in dead soil organic matter using the gross C mineralization rate seems thus an alternative method for the studied soils. However, additional studies are needed to verify this alternative method in other soils. No relationships were found between microbial P release and microbial C and N releases.