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.     

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.     

Reversing agriculture from intensive to sustainable improves soil quality in a semiarid South Italian soil

Intensive agriculture (IA) is widespread in South Italy, although it requires frequent tillage, large amounts of fertilizers and irrigation water. We have assessed the efficacy of reversing IA to sustainable agriculture (SA) in recovering quality of a typical South Italy soil (Lithic Haploxeralf). This reversion, lasting from 2000 to 2007, replaced 75% of nutrients formerly supplied inorganically by farmyard manuring and reduced the tillage frequency. Several chemical and biochemical properties, functionally related to C and N mineralisation–immobilisation processes and to P and S nutrient cycles, were monitored annually from 2005 to 2007 in the spring. Reversing IA to SA decreased soil bulk density, almost doubled the soil organic matter (SOM) as favoured the immobilisation of C and N, increased most soil microbial indicators but decreased contents of nitrate, mineral N and K₂SO₄-extractable C. The K₂SO₄-extractable C/K₂SO₄-extractable organic N ratio suggested that substrate quality rather than the mass of readily available C and N affected biomass and activity of soil microflora. Also, the largely higher 10-day-evolved CO₂–C-to-inorganic N ratio under SA than IA indicated that higher C mineralisation, associated with higher microbial biomass N immobilisation, occurred under SA than IA. Decreases in most soil enzyme activities under IA, compared to SA, were much higher than concomitant decreases in SOM content. Soil salinity and sodicity were always higher in IA than SA soil, although not critically high, likely due to the intensive inorganic fertilisation as irrigation waters were qualitatively and quantitatively the same between the two soils. Thus, we suggest that the cumulative small but long-term saline (osmotic) and sodic (dispersing) effects in IA soil decreased the microbial variables more than total organic C and increased soil bulk density.     

Soil chemical and microbiological properties in hay production systems: residual effects of contrasting N fertilization of swine lagoon effluent versus ammonium nitrate

This study characterized soil chemical and microbiological properties in hay production systems that received from 0 to 600 kg plant-available N (PAN) ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ from either swine lagoon effluent (SLE) or ammonium nitrate (AN) from 1999 to 2001. The forage systems contained plots planted with bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.) or endophyte-free tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae Schreb.). In March 2004, the plots were sampled for measurements of a suite of soil chemical and microbiological properties. Nitrogen fertilization rates were significantly correlated with soil pH and K₂SO₄-extractable soil C but not with total soil C, soil C/N ratio, electrical conductivity, or Mehlich-3-extractable nutrients. Soil supplied with SLE had significantly lower Mehlich-3-extractable nutrients than the soil supplied with AN. Two indicators of soil N-supplying capacity (potentially mineralizable N and amino sugar N) varied with plant species and the type of N fertilizer. However, they generally peaked at an application rate of 200 or 400 kg PAN ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Soil microbial biomass C also peaked at an application rate of 200 or 400 kg PAN ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Nitrification potential was significantly higher in soil supplied with AN than in the unfertilized control but was similar between SLE-fertilized and unfertilized soils. Our results indicated that an application rate as high as 600 kg PAN ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ did not benefit soil microbial biomass, microbial activity, and N transformation processes in these forage systems.     

Soil microbial biomass, activity and nitrogen transformations in a turfgrass chronosequence

Understanding the chronological changes in soil microbial properties of turfgrass ecosystems is important from both the ecological and management perspectives. We examined soil microbial biomass, activity and N transformations in a chronosequence of turfgrass systems (i.e. 1, 6, 23 and 95 yr golf courses) and assessed soil microbial properties in turfgrass systems against those in adjacent native pines. We observed age-associated changes in soil microbial biomass, CO₂ respiration, net and gross N mineralization, and nitrification potential. Changes were more evident in soil samples collected from 0 to 5 cm than the 5 to 15 cm soil depth. While microbial biomass, activity and N transformations per unit soil weight were similar between the youngest turfgrass system and the adjacent native pines, microbial biomass C and N were approximately six times greater in the oldest turfgrass system compared to the adjacent native pines. Potential C and N mineralization also increased with turfgrass age and were three to four times greater in the oldest vs. the youngest turfgrass system. However, microbial biomass and potential mineralization per unit soil C or N decreased with turfgrass age. These reductions were accompanied by increases in microbial C and N use efficiency, as indicated by the significant reduction in microbial C quotient (qCO₂) and N quotient (qN) in older turfgrass systems. Independent of turfgrass age, microbial biomass N turnover was rapid, averaging approximately 3 weeks. Similarly, net N mineralization was ∼12% of gross mineralization regardless of turfgrass age. Our results indicate that soil microbial properties are not negatively affected by long-term management practices in turfgrass systems. A tight coupling between N mineralization and immobilization could be sustained in mature turfgrass systems due to its increased microbial C and N use efficiency.     

Relationships of soil respiration to microbial biomass, substrate availability and clay content

The roles of microbial biomass (MBC) and substrate supply as well as their interaction with clay content in determining soil respiration rate were studied using a range of soils with contrasting properties. Total organic C (TOC), water-soluble organic carbon, 0.5 M K₂SO₄-extractable organic C and 33.3 mM KMnO₄-oxidisable organic carbon were determined as C availability indices. For air-dried soils, these indices showed close relationship with flush of CO₂ production following rewetting of the soils. In comparison, MBC determined with the chloroform fumigation-extraction technique had relatively weaker correlation with soil respiration rate. After 7 d pre-incubation, soil respiration was still closely correlated with the C availability indices in the pre-incubated soils, but poorly correlated with MBC determined with three different techniques—chloroform fumigation extraction, substrate-induced respiration, and chloroform fumigation-incubation methods. Results of multiple regression analyses, together with the above observations, suggested that soil respiration under favourable temperature and moisture conditions was principally determined by substrate supply rather than by the pool size of MBC. The specific respiratory activity of microorganisms (CO₂-C/MBC) following rewetting of air-dried soils or after 7 d pre-incubation was positively correlated with substrate availability, but negatively correlated with microbial pool size. Clay content had no significant effect on CO₂ production rate, relative C mineralization rate (CO₂-C/TOC) and specific respiratory activity of MBC during the first week incubation of rewetted dry soils. However, significant protective effect of clay on C mineralization was shown for the pre-incubated soils. These results suggested that the protective effect of clay on soil organic matter decomposition became significant as the substrate supply and microbial demand approached to an equilibrium state. Thereafter, soil respiration would be dependent on the replenishment of the labile substrate from the bulk organic C pool.     

Soil organic matter,microbial properties,and aggregate stability under annual and perennial pastures

The use of annually sown pastures to provide winter forage is common in dairy farming in many regions of the world. Loss of organic matter and soil structural stability due to annual tillage under this management may be contributing to soil degradation. The comparative effects of annual ryegrass pastures (conventionally tilled and resown each year), permanent kikuyu pastures and undisturbed native vegetation on soil organic matter content, microbial size and activity, and aggregate stability were investigated on commercial dairy farms in the Tsitsikamma region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. In comparison with soils under sparse, native grassy vegetation, those under both annual ryegrass and permanent kikuyu pasture had higher soil organic matter content on the very sandy soils of the eastern end of the region. By contrast, in the higher rainfall, western side, where the native vegetation was coastal forest, there was a loss of organic matter under both types of pasture. Nonetheless, soil organic C, K₂SO₄-extractable C, microbial biomass C, basal respiration, arginine ammonification and fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis rates and aggregate stability were less under annual than permanent pastures at all the sites. These results reflect the degrading effect of annual tillage on soil organic matter and the positive effect of grazed permanent pasture on soil microbial activity and aggregation. Soil organic C, microbial biomass C, K₂SO₄-extractable C, basal respiration and aggregate stability were significantly correlated with each other. The metabolic quotient and percentage of organic C present as microbial biomass C were generally poorly correlated with other measured properties but negatively correlated with one another. It was concluded that annual pasture involving conventional tillage results in a substantial loss of soil organic matter, soil microbial activity and soil physical condition under dairy pastures and that a system that avoids tillage needs to be developed.     

Effects of heavy metal accumulation in apple orchard soils on microbial biomass and microbial activities

Abstract

The effects of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, and As) accumulated in apple orchard surface soils on the microbial biomass, dehydrogenase activity, and soil respiration were investigated. The largest concentrations of total Cu, Pb, and As found in the soils used were 1,010, 926, and 166 mg kg^?1 soil, respectively. The amounts of microbial biomass C and N, expressed on a soil organic C and soil total N basis, respectively, were each negatively correlated with the amounts of total, 0.1 M HCI-extractable, and 0.1 M CaCl₂-extractable Cu as logarithmic functions, the correlation coefficient being lowest for the 0.1 M CaCl₂extractable Cu. Nevertheless, they were not correlated with the soil pH which was controlling the solubility of Cu in 0.1 M CaCl₂. The dehydrogenase activity expressed per unit of soil organic C was also negatively correlated with the amounts of total, 0.1 M HCI-extractable Cu, and 0.1 M CaCl₂-extractable Cu as logarithmic functions. However, the correlation coefficient was highest for the 0.1 M CaCl₂-extractable Cu. Although the soil respiration per unit of soil total organic C did not show any significant correlations with the total concentrations of heavy metals, it showed negative significant correlations with the amount of 0.1 M HCI-extractable Cu, and to a greater extent, with the amount of 0.1 M CaCl₂-extractable Cu. Both the dehydrogenase activity and respiration per unit of soil total organic C increased significantly with increasing soil pH. These results suggested that in apple orchard soils with heavy metal accumulation the microbial biomass was adversely affected by the slightly soluble Cu, whereas the microbial activities by the readily soluble Cu whose amount depended on the soil pH. The respiration per unit of microbial biomass C showed a positive significant correlation with the logarithmic concentration of total Cu. Furthermore, the contribution of fungi to substrate-induced respiration increased with increasing total Cu content in the 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.     

Microbial activity and biomass in mixture treatments of soil and biogenic municipal refuse compost

An incubation experiment was performed to determine how the mixing of soil with municipal organic refuse compost affects C mineralization, growth of the microbial biomass, and changes in organic components, especially in the fractions of amino acids and amino sugars. Compost and soil differed in almost every parameter measured, with the organic C content of the compost representing only 10.8% of the dry weight. The fractions of K₂SO₄-extractable organic C and of non-hydrolyzable C were larger in the compost (1.24 and 62.9% of organic C, respectively) than in the soil (0.56 and 41.6% of organic C). These two fractions increased in proportion to the addition of compost, in contrast to amino sugar and amino acid C which were identified overproportionately in the mixture treatments, especially in the 30% compost treatment. Overproportionate increases in the microbial biomass C content and CO₂ evolution rate were also measured in this treatment. The adsorption of compost colloids on the surface of regular soil silicates increased both the availability for microbial enzymes and the detectability for chemical analysis.     

Addition of a clay subsoil to a sandy topsoil changes the response of microbial activity to drying and rewetting after residue addition – a model experiment

The effect of drying and rewetting (DRW) on C mineralization has been studied extensively but mostly in absence of freshly added residues. But in agricultural soils large amounts of residues can be present after harvest; therefore, the impact of DRW in soil after residue addition is of interest. Further, sandy soils may be ameliorated by adding clay‐rich subsoil which could change the response of microbes to DRW. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of DRW on microbial activity and growth in soils that were modified by mixing clay subsoil into sandy top soil and wheat residues were added. We conducted an incubation experiment by mixing finely ground wheat residue (20 g kg^–1) into top loamy sand soil with clay‐rich subsoil at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40% (w/w). At each clay addition rate, two moisture treatments were imposed: constantly moist control (CM) at 75% WHC or dry and rewet. Soil respiration was measured continuously, and microbial biomass C (MBC) was determined on day 5 (before drying), when the soil was dried, after 5 d dry, and 5 d after rewetting. In the constantly moist treatment, increasing addition rate of clay subsoil decreased cumulative respiration per g soil, but had no effect on cumulative respiration per g total organic C (TOC), indicating that the lower respiration with clay subsoil was due to the low TOC content of the sand‐clay mixes. Clay subsoil addition did not affect the MBC concentration per g TOC but reduced the concentration of K₂SO₄ extractable C per g TOC. In the DRW treatment, cumulative respiration per g TOC during the dry phase increased with increasing clay subsoil addition rate. Rewetting of dry soil caused a flush of respiration in all soils but cumulative respiration at the end of the experiment remained lower than in the constantly moist soils. Respiration rates after rewetting were higher than at the corresponding days in constantly moist soils only at clay subsoil addition rates of 20 to 40%. We conclude that in presence of residues, addition of clay subsoil to a sandy top soil improves microbial activity during the dry phase and upon rewetting but has little effect on microbial biomass.     

Soil‐microbial response to sugarcane filter cake and biogenic waste compost

An incubation experiment was carried out to examine the N‐immobilizing effect of sugarcane filter cake (C : N = 12.4) and to prove whether mixing it with compost (C : N = 10.5) has any synergistic effects on C and N mineralization after incorporation into the soil. Approximately 19% of the compost‐C added and 37% of the filter cake–C were evolved as CO₂, assuming that the amendments had no effects on the decomposition of soil organic C. However, only 28% of the added filter cake was lost according to the total‐C and δ¹³C values. Filter cake and compost contained initially significant concentrations of inorganic N, which was nearly completely immobilized between day 7 and 14 of the incubation in most cases. After day 14, N remineralization occurred at an average rate of 0.73 µg N (g soil)^–1 d^–1 in most amendment treatments, paralleling the N mineralization rate of the nonamended control without significant difference. No significant net N mineralization from the amendment N occurred in any of the amendment treatments in comparison to the control. The addition of compost and filter cake resulted in a linear increase in microbial biomass C with increasing amounts of C added. This increase was not affected by differences in substrate quality, especially the three times larger content of K₂SO₄‐extractable organic C in the sugarcane filter cake. In most amendment treatments, microbial biomass C and biomass N increased until the end of the incubation. No synergistic effects could be observed in the mixture treatments of compost and sugarcane filter cake.     

Impact of activated charcoal and tannin amendments on microbial biomass and residues in an irrigated sandy soil under arid subtropical conditions

Effects of goat manure application combined with charcoal and tannins, added as feed additives or mixed directly, on microbial biomass, microbial residues and soil organic matter were tested in a 2-year field trial on a sandy soil under Omani irrigated subtropical conditions. Soil microbial biomass C revealed the fastest response to manure application, followed by microbial residue C, estimated on the basis of fungal glucosamine and bacterial muramic acid, and finally soil organic C (SOC), showing the slowest, but still significant response. At the end of the trial, microbial biomass C reached 220 μg g^?1 soil, i.e. contents similar to sandy soils in temperate humid climate, and showed a relatively high contribution of saprotrophic fungi, as indicated by an average ergosterol to microbial biomass C ratio of 0.35 % in the manure treatments. The mean fungal C to bacterial C ratio was 0.55, indicating bacterial dominance of microbial residues. This fraction contributed relatively low concentrations of between 20 and 35 % to SOC. Charcoal added to manure increased the SOC content and the soil C/N ratio, but did not affect any of the soil microbial properties analysed. Tannins added to manure reduce the 0.5 M K₂SO₄-extractable N to N total ratio compared to manure control. These effects occurred regardless of whether charcoal or tannins were supplied as feed additive or directly mixed to the manure.     

Effect of pH on nitrogen mineralization in crop-residue-treated soils

Summary This study compares N mineralization in soils treated with crop residues [corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.)] or alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) at three adjusted soil pH values (4, 6, and 8); pH was adjusted with dilute H₂SO₄ or KOH. A sample of soil (20 g) was treated with 0.448 g plant material (equivalent to 50t ha^–1), mixed with 20 g silica sand adjusted to the pH of the soil, and packed in a leaching tube. The soil-sand mixture was leached with 100 ml 5 mM CaCl₂ adjusted to the same pH as that of the treated soil to remove the initial mineral N, and incubated at 30°C. The leaching procedure was repeated every 2 weeks for 20 weeks. Results from three soils showed that N mineralization increased as the soil pH increased. In one soil (Lester soil), significant amounts of NH ₄ ⁺ -N accumulated at pH 4 during the first 12 weeks. Treatment with corn and soybean residues resulted in a marked reduction in N mineralization, especially at pH 4. The percentage of organic N mineralized from sorghum residue and alfalfa added to soils increased as the soil pH increased; the values ranged from 7.7% to 37.0% for sorghum and from 17.2% to 30.1% for alfalfa.     

Effect of K2SO4 concentration on extractability and isotope signature (δ13C and δ15N) of soil C and N fractions

Determination of the labile soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) fractions and measurement of their isotopic signatures (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) has been used widely for characterizing soil C and N transformations. However, methodological questions and comparison of results of different authors have not been fully solved. We studied concentrations and δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of salt‐extractable organic carbon (SEOC), inorganic (N–NH₄⁺ and N–NO₃^?) and organic nitrogen (SEON) and salt‐extractable microbial C (SEMC) and N (SEMN) in 0.05 and 0.5 m K₂SO₄ extracts from a range of soils in Russia. Despite differences in acidity, organic matter and N content and C and N availability in the studied soils, we found consistent patterns of effects of K₂SO₄ concentration on C and N extractability. Organic C and N were extracted 1.6–5.5 times more effectively with 0.5 m K₂SO₄ than with 0.05 m K₂SO₄. Extra SEOC extractability with greater K₂SO₄ concentrations did not depend on soil properties within a wide range of pH and organic matter concentrations, but the effect was more pronounced in the most acidic and organic‐rich mountain Umbrisols. Extractable microbial C was not affected by K₂SO₄ concentrations, while SEMN was greater when extracted with 0.5 m K₂SO₄. We demonstrate that the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of extractable non‐microbial and microbial C and N are not affected by K₂SO₄ concentrations, but use of a small concentration of extract (0.05 m K₂SO₄) gives more consistent isotopic results than a larger concentration (0.5 m ).     

Response of organic N monomers in a sub-alpine soil to a dry–wet cycle

Cycles of soil drying followed by rewetting occur in most terrestrial ecosystems, but there is conflicting evidence as to the role of osmolytes in dry–wet cycles. The broad aim of this experiment was to determine how N-containing osmolytes and other organic N monomers are affected by rewetting of a moderately dry soil. In a sub-alpine grassland, experimental plots were irrigated with 50 mm of water near the conclusion of a typical late-summer drying cycle. Twelve putative osmolytes (proline, 8 quaternary ammonium compounds, trimethylamine N-oxide, ectoine, hydroxyectoine) and 60 other organic N monomers were identified and quantified by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry of the free/exchangeable pool of soil water (0.5 M K₂SO₄ extracts) and microbial biomass (via chloroform fumigation extraction). The total concentration of organic N monomers was 25-times greater in fumigated than unfumigated extracts. Differences in relative abundance of compound classes and compounds between fumigated and unfumigated extracts suggested some compounds were localized to the free/exchangeable pool; others were predominantly microbial, whereas many were shared between pools. A striking feature of the free/exchangeable pool was that on an N-basis alkylamines were the most abundant compound class and accounted for 34% of the pool of organic N monomers. There was no evidence that osmolytes were the primary means soil microbes coped with dry–wet cycles. Instead, the pool of osmolytes was an invariant 4% of the pool of CE-MS detected monomers in K₂SO₄ extracts and 7% of the pool of CE-MS detected monomers in the chloroform-labile (microbial) fraction. The absence of substantial amounts of osmolytes may be because water stress was too mild or brief, or because osmolyte synthesis was limited by availability of energy, N or C and some alternative strategy was used to cope with water deficits.     

Activity and degradation of streptomycin and cycloheximide in soil

Streptomycin and cycloheximide were added (3 and 2 mg g^-1 dry soil, respectively) single and in combination to a forest soil to follow their possible degradation and their effects on soil mineralization-immobilization processes. After 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10 days of incubation at 25°C and 60% water-holding capacity, measurements were taken of microbial biomass C and N, the evolution of CO₂, exchangeable NH _inf4 ^sup+ , 0.5M K₂SO₄-extractable organic C, and total N in both unfumigated and CHCl₃-fumigated soil. The results indicated that during the first 2 days of incubation, soil microorganisms were killed by the antibiotics and/or by CHCl₃ and used subsequently as a substrate by the survivors. Thereafter, surviving microorganisms probably also started to use biocidal molecules as an energy and nutrient source. The ratios of biomass C to biomass N and of CO₂ evolved to net NH _inf4 ^sup+ produced indicated that both biocides had non-target effects for most of the incubation. Thus, streptomycin and cycloheximide are not suitable in determining the relative contribution from fungi and bacteria to mineralization-immobilization processes in soils.     

Mineralization of carbon and nitrogen from fresh and anaerobically stored sheep manure in soils of different texture

A sandy loam soil was mixed with three different amounts of quartz sand and incubated with (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄ (60 g N g^-1 soil) and fresh or anaerobically stored sheep manure (60 g g^-1 soil). The mineralization-immobilization of N and the mineralization of C were studied during 84 days of incubation at 20°C. After 7 days, the amount of unlabelled inorganic N in the manure-treated soils was 6–10 g N g^-1 soil higher than in soils amended with only (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄. However, due to immobilization of labelled inorganic N, the resulting net mineralization of N from manure was insignificant or slightly negative in the three soil-sand mixtures (100% soil+0% quartz sand; 50% soil+50% quartz sand; 25% soil+75% quartz sand). After 84 days, the cumulative CO₂ evolution and the net mineralization of N from the fresh manure were highest in the soil-sand mixutre with the lowest clay content (4% clay); 28% fo the manure C and 18% of the manure N were net mineralized. There was no significant difference between the soil-sand mixtures containing 8% and 16% clay, in which 24% of the manure C and -1% to 4% of the manure N were net mineralized. The higher net mineralization of N in the soil-sand mixture with the lowest clay content was probably caused by a higher remineralization of immobilized N in this soil-sand mixture. Anaerobic storage of the manure reduced the CO₂ evolution rates from the manure C in the three soil-sand mixtures during the initial weeks of decomposition. However, there was no effect of storage on net mineralization of N at the end of the incubation period. Hence, there was no apparent relationship between net mineralization of manure N and C.     

Short-term carbon mineralization in saline–sodic soils

Previous studies have shown that carbon (C) mineralization in saline or sodic soils is affected by various factors including organic C content, salt concentration and water content in saline soils and soil structure in sodic soils, but there is little information about which soil properties control carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission from saline-sodic soils. In this study, eight field-collected saline–sodic soils, varying in electrical conductivity (EC_e, a measure of salinity, ranging from 3 to 262 dS m⁻¹) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR_e, a measure of sodicity, ranging from 11 to 62), were left unamended or amended with mature wheat or vetch residues (2% w/w). Carbon dioxide release was measured over 42 days at constant temperature and soil water content. Cumulative respiration expressed per gram SOC increased in the following order: unamended soil<soil amended with wheat residues (C/N ratio 122)<soil with vetch residue (C/N ratio 18). Cumulative respiration was significantly (p < 0.05) negatively correlated with EC_e but not with SAR_e. Our results show that the response to EC_e and SAR_e of the microbial community activated by addition of organic C does not differ from that of the less active microbial community in unamended soils and that salinity is the main influential factor for C mineralization in saline–sodic soils.     

Effect of bamboo harvest on dynamics of nutrient pools,N mineralization,and microbial biomass in soil

The effect of harvesting bamboo savanna on the dynamics of soil nutrient pools, N mineralization, and microbial biomass was examined. In the unharvested bamboo site NO _inf3 ^sup- -N in soil ranged from 0.37 to 3.11 mg kg^-1 soil and in the harvested site from 0.43 to 3.67 mg kg^-1. NaHCO₃-extractable inorganic P ranged from 0.55 to 3.58 mg kg^-1 in the unharvested site and from 1.01 to 4.22 mg kg^-1 in the harvested site. Over two annual cycles, the N mineralization range in the unharvested and harvested sites was 0–19.28 and 0–24.0 mg kg^-1 soil month^-1, respectively. The microbial C, N, and P ranges were 278–587, 28–64, and 12–26 mg kg^-1 soil, respectively, with the harvested site exhibiting higher values. Bamboo harvesting depleted soil organic C by 13% and total N by 20%. Harvesting increased N mineralization, resulting in 10 kg ha^-1 additional mineral N in the first 1st year and 5 kg ha^-1 in the 2nd year following the harvest. Microbial biomass C, N and P increased respectively by 10, 18, and 5% as a result of bamboo harvesting.