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.     

Amino acid,peptide and protein mineralization dynamics in a taiga forest soil

The availability of inorganic N has been shown to be one of the major factors limiting primary productivity in high latitude ecosystems. The factors regulating the rate of transformation of organic N to nitrate and ammonium, however, remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of the soluble N pool in forest soils and to determine the relative rate of inorganic N production from high and low molecular weight (MW) dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds in black spruce forest soils. DON was found to be the dominant N form in soil solution, however, most of this DON was of high MW of which >75% remained unidentified. Free amino acids constituted less than 5% of the total DON pool. The concentration of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ was low in all soils but significantly greater than the concentration of free amino acids. Incubations of low MW DON with soil indicated a rapid processing of amino acids, di- and tri-peptides to NH₄⁺ followed by a slower transformation of the NH₄⁺ pool to NO₃⁻. The rate of protein transformation to NH₄⁺ was slower than for amino acids and peptides suggesting that the block in N mineralization in taiga forest soils is the transformation of high MW DON to low MW DON and not low MW DON to NH₄⁺ or NH₄⁺ to NO₃⁻. Calculated turnover rates of amino acid-derived C and N immobilized in the soil microbial biomass were similar with a half-life of approximately 30 d indicating congruent C and N mineralization.     

土壤可溶性有机氮测定方法研究进展

可溶性有机氮(DON)是土壤中生物可利用有机氮库的主要成分,是最为活跃的有机氮形态之一。DON在土壤中的迁移和转化是土壤氮素地球生物化学循环的重要一环,与氮素养分供应、损失等过程密切相关。然而缺失准确、可靠的土壤DON分析方法严重限制了DON的相关研究进程。本文综述了近年来国内外土壤浸提液和水体中DON测定方法,重点比较了不同可溶性总氮(DTN)测定方法以及不同前处理方法对提高DON测定结果准确性的影响。     

Leaching of dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen from legume-based grasslands

Leaching of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and dissolved organic N (DON) is a considerable loss pathway in grassland soils. We investigated the white clover (Trifolium repens) contribution to N transport and temporal N dynamics in soil solution under a pure stand of white clover and white clover-ryegrass (Lolium perenne) mixed stand. The temporal white clover contribution to N leaching was analysed by ¹⁵N incorporation into DIN and DON in percolating soil solution collected at 25-cm depth following white clover ¹⁵N leaf labelling that was applied at different times during the growing season. The white clover contribution to N transport in the soil profile was investigated over 2 years by analysing ¹⁵N in DIN and DON in percolating soil solution collected at 25-, 45- and 80-cm depth following ¹⁵N leaf labelling of white clover. The results showed that clover was a source of both DIN and DON. White clover autumn deposition contributed the most to N leaching. The leaching of DIN from the white clover in pure stand exceeded that of the mixed stand and confirmed that leaching of DIN is a function of N loadings and N demand. The DON leaching was unaffected by the presence of a companion grass, suggesting that the DON leaching from our grassland derived from the lysis of soil microbial biomass living on recent white clover deposits. White clover contributed to the leaching of DIN and DON at all depths, and the fact that the contents of DI ¹⁵N and DO ¹⁵N did not change with depth indicated that surplus of DIN and DON, formed in the uppermost soil layer, was transported in the soil profile.     

Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Fractions under Different Land Uses and Tillage Practices

Many questions have surfaced regarding long-term impacts of land-use and cultivation system on soil carbon (C) sequestration. The experiment was conducted at Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Only minor variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) fractions with depth under plow tillage (PT). The SOC, total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) concentrations were higher under grassland and forestland in the top 0–15 cm depth than arable soils. No-tillage (NT) also increased SOC and N fractions concentrations in the surface soils than PT. Compared to arable, grass and forest could significantly improve proportions of MBC and MBN, and reduce proportions of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). NT and forest also increased the ratio of SOC/TN, MBC/MBN, and DOC/DON. Overall, grass and forest provided more labile C and improved C sequestration than arable. So did NT under arable land-use.     

Do late-successional tannin-rich plant communities occurring on highly acidic soils increase the DON/DIN ratio?

Previous studies suggested that late-successional tannin-rich plant communities increase the amount of dissolved organic N (DON) relative to dissolved inorganic N (DIN) in decomposing litter. We devised an experiment to test this hypothesis by adding varying proportions of black spruce (Picea mariana) and tannin-rich Kalmia angustifolia litter to forest floor samples collected on six black spruce cutovers. An increasing proportion of Kalmia litter increased condensed tannin and total phenolic concentrations over the course of a 46-week incubation period. Mineral N concentrations did not vary among treatments in spite of much higher total N concentrations in Kalmia litter. This was more likely due to the formation of protein–tannin complexes rather than microbial immobilization of N, as indicated by the decline in available C with increasing Kalmia litter on two of the five sampling dates. There was a significant positive linear trend between the proportion of Kalmia litter and the DON/DIN ratio on one sampling date (week 13) only. Results suggest that the DON/DIN ratio is controlled by confounding factors (e.g., tannins bonding with non-extractable humus particles) and has limited value for describing ecological succession.     

Differential Utilization of Dissolved Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen by Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

A study was conducted under greenhouse conditions on wheat to investigate the utilization of dissolved organic nitrogen (N) in comparison with conventionally applied inorganic N sources (INS). Nitrogen was applied at a rate of 90 kg N ha^?1 in an inorganic form, an organic high molecular weight (MW) form (casein, haemoglobin, albumin), and an organic low MW amino acid form (glycine, alanine, valine). Inorganic N sources recorded the maximum response (126% to 150%) in total dry matter (DM) production while dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) sources showed 61% to 116% increase in comparison to the control treatment. Glycine gave the maximum DM production, which was comparable with both INS treatments. In hydroponics, greater utilization occurred and the shoots had a higher N content in comparison to those grown in soil. The concentration of DON and NO₃^? in soil after wheat harvest was similar in all the treatments.     

Drying and rewetting effects on soil microbial community composition and nutrient leaching

The effects of a dry-rewetting event (D/RW) on soil microbial properties and nutrient release by leaching from two soils taken from adjacent grasslands with different histories of management intensity were studied. These were a low-productivity grassland, with no history of fertilizer application and a high-productivity grassland with a history of high fertilizer application, referred to as unimproved and improved grassland, respectively. The use of phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) revealed that the soil of the unimproved grassland had a significantly greater microbial biomass, and a greater abundance of fungi relative to bacteria than did the improved grassland. Soils from both grasslands were maintained at 55% water holding capacity (WHC) or dried to 10% WHC and rewetted to 55% WHC, and then sampled on days 1, 3, 9, 16, 30 and 50 after rewetting. The D/RW stress significantly reduced microbial biomass carbon (C), fungal PLFA and the ratio of fungal-to-bacterial PLFA in both soils. In contrast, D/RW increased microbial activity, but had no effect on total PLFA and bacterial PLFA in either soil. Microbial biomass nitrogen (N) was reduced significantly by D/RW in both soils, but especially in those of the improved grassland. In terms of nutrient leaching, the D/RW stress significantly increased concentrations of dissolved organic C and dissolved organic N in leachates taken from the improved soil only. This treatment increased the concentration of dissolved inorganic N in leachate of both soils, but this effect was most pronounced in the improved soil. Overall, our data show that D/RW stress leads to greater nutrient leaching from improved than from unimproved grassland soils, which have a greater microbial biomass and abundance of fungi relative to bacteria. This finding supports the notion that soils with more fungal-rich communities are better able to retain nutrients under D/RW than are their intensively managed counterparts with lower fungal to bacterial ratios, and that D/RW can enhance nutrient leaching with potential implications for water quality.     

Seasonal fluctuation in microbial biomass and activity along a natural nitrogen gradient in a drained peatland

The effects of peat total N on the dissolved N and C concentrations and microbial biomass and activity and their range of seasonal fluctuation were studied in a drained peatland forest in Finland. Seasonal fluctuations in the concentrations of extractable dissolved organic (DON) and inorganic nitrogen (DIN) compounds and extractable dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial C and N, ergosterol, net and gross N mineralisation rates were investigated during two growing seasons along a natural peat N gradient in a drained peatland. Significant seasonal fluctuations in NH₄⁺ and DOC concentrations, microbial C and N, but not in ergosterol or microbial C-to-N ratios in the peat, were observed during the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons. The peat total N concentration affected extractable DON and DOC, but not DIN concentrations in the peat. A negative correlation was found between total N concentration in peat and microbial N and C, and a positive correlation between total N and ergosterol, in peat with N concentrations of up to 2%. Gross mineralisation rates did not show any correlation, whereas net mineralisation rates showed a significant positive correlation with the total N concentration of the peat in both 1999 and 2000.     

地中海生态系统中可溶性有机N研究

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in soils has recently gained increasing interest because it may be both a direct N source for plants and the dominant available N form in nutrient-poor soils, however, its prevalence in Mediterranean ecosystems remains unclear. The aims of this study were to i) estimate soil DON in a wide set of Mediterranean ecosystems and compare this levels with those for other ecosystems; ii) describe temporal changes in DON and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) forms (NH4+ and NO3? ), and characterize spatial heterogeneity within plant communities; and iii) study the relative proportion of soil DON and DIN forms as a test of Schimel and Bennett’s hypothesis that the prevalence of different N forms follows a gradient of nutrient availability. The study was carried out in eleven plant communities chosen to represent a wide spectrum of Mediterranean vegetation types, ranging from early to late successional status. DON concentrations in the studied Mediterranean plant communities (0-18.2 mg N kg-1) were consistently lower than those found in the literature for other ecosystems. We found high temporal and spatial variability in soil DON for all plant communities. As predicted by the Schimel and Bennett model for nutrient-poor ecosystems, DON dominance over ammonium and nitrate was observed for most plant communities in winter and spring soil samples. However, mineral-N dominated over DON in summer and autumn. Thus, soil water content may have an important effect on DON versus mineral N dominance in Mediterranean ecosystems.     

Dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in precipitation,throughfall, soil solution,and stream water of the tropical highlands in northern Thailand

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is important for the cycling and transport of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in soil. In temperate forest soils, dissolved organic N (DON) partly escapes mineralization and is mobile, promoting loss of N via leaching. Little information is available comparing DOC and DON dynamics under tropical conditions. Here, mineralization is more rapid, and the demand of the vegetation for nutrients is larger, thus, leaching of DON could be small. We studied concentrations of DOC and DON during the rainy seasons 1998–2001 in precipitation, canopy throughfall, pore water in the mineral soil at 5, 15, 30, and 80 cm depth, and stream water under different land‐use systems representative of the highlands of northern Thailand. In addition, we determined the distribution of organic C (OC) and N (ON) between two operationally defined fractions of DOM. Samples were collected in small water catchments including a cultivated cabbage field, a pine plantation, a secondary forest, and a primary forest. The mean concentrations of DOC and DON in bulk precipitation were 1.7 ± 0.2 and 0.2 ± 0.1 mg L^–1, respectively, dominated by the hydrophilic fraction. The throughfall of the three forest sites became enriched up to three times in DOC in the hydrophobic fraction, but not in DON. Maximum concentrations of DOC and DON (7.9–13.9 mg C L^–1 and 0.9–1.2 mg N L^–1, respectively) were found in samples from lysimeters at 5 cm soil depth. Hydrophobic OC and hydrophilic ON compounds were released from the O layer and the upper mineral soil. Concentrations of OC and ON in mineral‐soil solutions under the cabbage cultivation were elevated when compared with those under the forests. Similar to most temperate soils, the concentrations in the soil solution decreased with soil depth. The reduction of OC with depth was mainly due to the decrease of hydrophobic compounds. The changes in OC indicated the release of hydrophobic compounds poor in N in the forest canopy and the organic layers. These substances were removed from solution during passage through the mineral soil. In contrast, organic N related more to labile microbial‐derived hydrophilic compounds. At least at the cabbage‐cultivation site, mineralization seemed to contribute largely to the decrease of DOC and DON with depth, possibly because of increased microbial activity stimulated by the inorganic‐N fertilization. Similar concentrations and compositions of OC and ON in subsoils and streams draining the forested catchments suggest soil control on stream DOM. The contribution of DON to total dissolved N in those streams ranged between 50% and 73%, underscoring the importance of DOM for the leaching of nutrients from forested areas. In summary, OC and ON showed differences in their dynamics in forest as well as in agricultural ecosystems. This was mainly due to the differing distribution of OC and ON between the more immobile hydrophobic and the more easily degradable hydrophilic fraction.     

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.     

Contribution of dissolved organic nitrogen deposition to total dissolved nitrogen deposition under intensive agricultural activities

For elucidating the atmospheric deposition contribution of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) to the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) deposition rate, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN: NH₄ ⁺ + NO₃ ^–) and DON deposition rates were annually and monthly estimated during 4 and half-yr monitoring period in an experimental multi-farm under intensive agricultural activities of N fertilizer use and animal husbandry in Central Japan. Annual NH₄ ⁺, DON and NO₃ ^– deposition rates in bulk and wet deposition data accounted for 48%, 32% and 20% of TDN deposition, respectively, which indicated that this area is strongly affected by the intensive agricultural activities. The DIN and DON deposition rates were respectively estimated at 21.6 and 10.1 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1, which ranked high in a worldwide regional data set. Consequently, this area has been exposed to a large amount of N deposition including DON with N fertilizer input. The difference between bulk and wet deposition rates (NH₄ ⁺ and DON) is one of important factors controlling the N deposition in this area. Monthly DON deposition showed positive correlations with DIN and NH₄ ⁺ deposition rates, respectively, with a significant linear regression curve. The linear regression curve of our monthly data (n = 127) indicates the same trend as the worldwide annual data set (n = 31).     

有机物料输入稻田提高土壤微生物碳氮及可溶性有机碳氮

土壤微生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮是土壤碳、氮库中最活跃的组分,是反应土壤被干扰程度的重要灵敏性指标,通过设置相同有机碳施用量下不同有机物料处理的田间试验,研究了有机物料添加下土壤微生物量碳（soil microbial biomass carbon,MBC）、氮（soil microbial biomass nitrogen,MBN）和可溶性有机碳（dissolved organic carbon,DOC）、氮（dissolved organic nitrogen,DON）的变化特征及相互关系。结果表明化肥和生物碳、玉米秸秆、鲜牛粪或松针配施下土壤微生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮显著大于不施肥处理（no fertilization,CK）和单施化肥处理,分别比不施肥处理和单施化肥平均高23.52%和12.66%（MBC）、42.68%和24.02%（MBN）、14.70%和9.99%（DOC）、22.32%和21.79%（DON）。化肥和有机物料配施处理中,化肥+鲜牛粪处理的微生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮最高,比CK高26.20%（MBC）、49.54%（MBN）、19.29%（DOC）和32.81%（DON）,其次是化肥+生物碳或化肥+玉米秸秆处理,而化肥+松针处理最低。土壤可溶性有机碳质量分数（308.87 mg/kg）小于微生物量碳（474.71 mg/kg）,而可溶性有机氮质量分数（53.07 mg/kg）要大于微生物量氮（34.79 mg/kg）。与不施肥处理相比,化肥和有机物料配施显著降低MBC/MBN和DOC/DON,降低率分别为24.57%和7.71%。MBC和DOC、MBN和DON随着土壤有机碳（soil organic carbon,SOC）、全氮（total nitrogen,TN）的增加呈显著线性增加。MBC、MBN、DOC、DON、DOC+MBC和DON+MBN之间呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）。从相关程度看,DOC+MBC和DON+MBN较MBC、DOC、MBN、DON更能反映土壤中活性有机碳和氮库的变化,成为评价土壤肥力及质量的更有效指标。结果可为提高洱海流域农田土壤肥力,增强土壤固氮效果,减少土壤中氮素流失,保护洱海水质安全提供科学依据。     

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.     

Microbial immobilization and mineralization of dissolved organic nitrogen from forest floors

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) plays a key role in the N cycle of many ecosystems, as DON availability and biodegradation are important for plant growth, microbial metabolism and N transport in soils. However, biodegradation of DON (defined as the sum of mineralization and microbial immobilization) is only poorly understood. In laboratory incubations, biodegradation of DON and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from Oi and Oa horizons of spruce, beech and cypress forests ranged from 6 to 72%. Biodegradation of DON and DOC was similar in most samples, and mineralization of DON was more important than microbial immobilization. Nitrate additions (0-10 mg N L⁻¹) never influenced either DON immobilization by microorganisms or mineralization. We conclude that soil microorganisms do not necessarily prefer mineral N over DON for meeting their N demand, and that biodegradation of DON seems to be driven by the microbial demand for C rather than N. Quantifying the dynamics of DON in soils should include consideration of both C and N demands by microbes.     

上海郊区园艺土壤氮素的生物形成动态变化

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) represents a significant pool of soluble nitrogen (N) in soil ecosystems. Soil samples under three different horticultural management practices were collected from the Xiaxiyang Organic Vegetable and Fruit Farm, Shanghai, China, to investigate the dynamics of N speciation during 2 months of aerobic incubation, to compare the effects of different soils on the mineralization of ¹⁴C-labeled amino acids and peptides, and to determine which of the pathways in the decomposition and subsequent ammonification and nitrification of organic N represented a significant blockage in soil N supply. The dynamics of N speciation was found to be significantly affected by mineralization and immobilization. DON, total free amino acids, and NH₄⁺-N were maintained at very low levels and did not accumulate, whereas NO₃^--N gradually accumulated in these soils. The conversion of insoluble organic N to low-molecular-weight (LMW) DON represented a main constraint to N supply, while conversions of LMW DON to NH₄⁺-N and NH₄⁺-N to NO₃^--N did not. Free amino acids and peptides were rapidly mineralized in the soils by the microbial community and consequently did not accumulate in soil. Turnover rates of the additional amino acids and peptides were soil-dependent and generally followed the order of organic soil > transitional soil > conventional soil. The turnover of high-molecular-weight DON was very slow and represented the major DON loss. Further studies are needed to investigate the pathways and bottlenecks of organic N degradation.     

Dissolved organic nitrogen uptake by plants—an important N uptake pathway?

The direct uptake of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) by plants has the potential to be a primary Factor in ecosystem functioning and vegetation succession particularly in N-limiting environments. Clear experimental evidence to support this view, however, is still lacking. Further, many of the experimental approaches used to assess whether DON is important may be compromised due to the use of inappropriate methods for comparing and quantifying plant available inorganic and organic soil N pools. In addition, experiments aimed at quantifying plant DON capture using dual-labelled (¹⁵N, ¹³C) organic N tracers often do not consider important aspects such as isotope pool dilution, differences in organic and inorganic N pool turnover times, bi-directional DON flows at the soil-root interface, and the differential fate of the ¹⁵N and ¹³C in the tracer compounds. Based upon experimental evidence, we hypothesize that DON uptake from the soil may not contribute largely to N acquisition by plants but may instead be primarily involved in the recapture of DON previously lost during root exudation. We conclude that while root uptake of amino acids in intact form has been shown, evidence demonstrating this as a major plant N acquisition pathway is still lacking.     

冻融交替对农田棕壤氮素转化过程的调控效应

通过室内培养模拟试验,研究了农田棕壤可溶性氮(可溶性无机氮,DIN;可溶性有机氮,DON;可溶性全氮,DTN)含量、微生物生物量氮(MBN)含量和净氮矿化速率(NNMR)对不同冻融温度和冻融频数的响应。结果表明:冻结温度和冻融频数是影响农田棕壤氮素转化过程的主要因子。随着冻结温度降低,土壤NO3–-N、NH4+-N、DIN、DON、DTN和NNMR均显著增加,而MBN先降低后增加。随着冻融频数增加,土壤NO3–-N、NH4+-N、DIN和DTN均显著增加,这与NNMR的变化趋势正好相反;MBN则呈现降低–增加–降低的变化趋势,这与DON的变化正好相反。可见,冻融交替显著促进非生长季农田棕壤的氮素转化,增加土壤无机氮含量,提高土壤供氮能力。     

Leaching of soil organic carbon and nitrogen in sandy soils after cultivating grass-clover swards

Several studies have focused on the formation and losses of dissolved organic matter in forest systems, whereas a limited number have dealt with this aspect in agricultural soils. The purpose of this study was to estimate the leaching of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), with focus on the period after cultivating grass-clover swards. Grass-clovers were ploughed in the spring prior to sowing cereals followed by either catch crops or bare soil. The concentrations of DOC and DON decreased with soil depth and ranged at 90-cm soil depth between 7 and 21 mg C L⁻¹ and between 1 and 3 mg N L⁻¹, respectively, in a sandy loam soil, and between 16 and 63 mg C L⁻¹ and between 1 and 10 mg N L⁻¹, respectively, in a coarse sandy soil. The resulting DOC/DON ratios were in the range between 2 and 42, with higher values in the coarse sandy soil than in the sandy loam soil. The total percolation was 218 mm in the sandy loam soil and 596–645 mm in the coarse sandy soil, which resulted in an annual leaching of 22–40 kg DOC ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 3–4 kg DON ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the sandy loam soil, and 174–310 kg DOC ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 10–31 kg DON ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in the coarse sandy soil. It was shown that higher amounts of DOC were lost by leaching under the catch crops than from bare soil, that losses of DON were higher from bare soil than from soils with catch crops and that DON contributed significantly to the total N loss. Thus, DON needs to be taken into account in N-balance calculations.