Potential soil enzyme activities are decoupled from microbial activity in dry residue-amended soil

Extracellular enzymes play an important role in the microbial acquisition of carbon (C) and organically bound nutrients, such as nitrogen (N). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of different soil moisture contents on potential soil enzyme activities (β-glucosidase and protease), microbial biomass and activity. Soil incubations were carried out with gravimetric moisture contents (GMC) ranging from 0.8 (air-dry) to 30%. After 14 days, respiration, net N mineralization and potential enzyme activities were lowest at GMC below 10% in the unamended samples. In the residue-amended soil, however, respiration and net N mineralization were highest at GMC of 20% or more, while potential β-glucosidase and protease activity were highest at GMC of 10% or less. Increasing the moisture content of air-dry soil after 14 days of incubation resulted in significantly reduced β-glucosidase activity, but increased protease activity. With the exception of the high potential β-glucosidase activity in the residue-amended dry soil, enzyme activities were well correlated with microbial biomass and ergosterol, a biomarker for fungal biomass. Therefore, our results suggest that across the different GMC, protease activity was mainly dependent on the continuous production by microorganisms, while β-glucosidase accumulated in the dry soil due to an increased half-life, which was the result of interactions with soil colloids. Shifts in microbial community composition may also have contributed to the observed differences.     

Urea hydrolysis in wetland soil amended with Sesbania aculeata green manure and rice straw

Summary The effect of incorporating sesbania and rice straw and of period of decomposition on urea hydrolysis was studied in a wetland soil under laboratory conditions. Urea hydrolysis proceeded more rapidly in the crop residue-amended soil than in the control soil, and increased with increases in the rate of addition of crop residues and with longer periods of decomposition. Irrespective of amendment treatment, urea hydrolysis followed first-order reaction kinetics, and rate constants in the unamended soil ranged from 0.021 to 0.024 h^-1 after urea application of 200 g N g^-1 soil. In the amended soil, hydrolysis rates ranged from 0.033 to 0.149 h^-1 with sesbania and 0.071 and 0.250 h^-1 with rice straw, depending on the length of decomposition period.     

Influence of soil compaction on carbon and nitrogen mineralization of soil organic matter and crop residues

 We studied the influence of soil compaction in a loamy sand soil on C and N mineralization and nitrification of soil organic matter and added crop residues. Samples of unamended soil, and soil amended with leek residues, at six bulk densities ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 Mg m^–3 and 75% field capacity, were incubated. In the unamended soil, bulk density within the range studied did not influence any measure of microbial activity significantly. A small (but insignificant) decrease in nitrification rate at the highest bulk density was the only evidence for possible effects of compaction on microbial activity. In the amended soil the amounts of mineralized N at the end of the incubation were equal at all bulk densities, but first-order N mineralization rates tended to increase with increasing compaction, although the increase was not significant. Nitrification in the amended soils was more affected by compaction, and NO₃ ^–-N contents after 3 weeks of incubation at bulk densities of 1.5 and 1.6 Mg m^–3 were significantly lower (by about 8% and 16% of total added N, respectively), than those of the less compacted treatments. The C mineralization rate was strongly depressed at a bulk density of 1.6 Mg m^–3, compared with the other treatments. The depression of C mineralization in compacted soils can lead to higher organic matter accumulation. Since N mineralization was not affected by compaction (within the range used here) the accumulated organic matter would have had higher C : N ratios than in the uncompacted soils, and hence would have been of a lower quality. In general, increasing soil compaction in this soil, starting at a bulk density of 1.5 Mg m^–3, will affect some microbially driven processes. Received: 10 June 1999     

Dissipation of fungicides in a vineyard soil amended with different spent mushroom substrates

The degradation kinetics and formation of metabolites for fungicides of different chemical classes (iprovalicarb, metalaxyl, penconazole, and pyrimethanil) and determination of bound residues for metalaxyl and penconazole were studied in both an unamended vineyard soil and in the same soil amended with two spent mushroom substrates (composted (C-SMS1) and fresh (F-SMS2)). The degradation kinetics was fitted to single first-order or first-order multicompartment patterns. Degradation rates decreased in C-SMS1-amended soils for all fungicides as compared to unamended soil, but in F-SMS2-amended soils, they decreased only for iprovalicarb and penconazole. The DT(50) values were higher by up to 1.8 (metalaxyl), 3.8 (pyrimethanil), 4.1 (iprovalicarb), and >1000 (penconazole) times in the soil plus C-SMS1 compared to those for soil plus F-SMS2 or unamended soil. The dissipation mechanism recorded the highest mineralization in the unamended soil for (14)C-metalaxyl and (14)C-penconazole, with the highest formation of nonextractable residues in the F-SMS2-amended soil for (14)C-metalaxyl. The results are consistent with (1) the chemical characteristics of each SMS (total and soluble organic carbon) controlling sorption and the bioavailability of fungicides and (2) the microbial activity of SMS-amended soils, which affects fungicide biodegradation. The findings of this work highlight the potential of SMS amendments with different characteristics to decrease or increase the degradation rate of a fungicide in a vineyard soil.     

Fate of 15N derived from soil decomposition of abscised leaves and pruning wood from apple (Malus domestica) trees

Abstract

The fate of nitrogen (N) derived from soil incorporating ¹⁵N-labeled apple (Malus domestica) leaves and wood from pruning (hereafter referred to as “pruning wood”) was studied in an 8-month pot experiment. The net mineralization of N was measured as ¹⁵N recovery in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) that was allowed to grow in soils amended with residues < 2 mm in size (litter : soil ratio, w/w, 1:250 for leaves and 1:330 for wood). The immobilization of native soil N as a consequence of residue addition was measured by comparing the amount of total N taken up by ryegrass in residue-amended soil and in control soil. Net immobilization of soil N occurred during the first 2 months after litter addition and was especially high in the soil amended with leaf litter. During the period of soil N immobilization, the amount of soil microbial N was high in the soils treated with both types of residues, while that of mineral N was markedly reduced only in the leaf-litter-amended soil. Net N uptake from the control soil almost stopped after 3 months of plant growth, while ryegrass in the litter-amended soil continued to take up N, indicating a likely release of previously immobilized N. Net mineralization of the ¹⁵N from apple residues was slow during the first 2 months after their incorporation and then increased. In total, 6% (leaves) and 12% (wood) of the N added via residues underwent mineralization, while 67% (leaves) and 85% (wood) were found in the extractable soil N pool (humic and fulvic acids and non-humified fractions). The data indicated that, even if N was incorporated into the soil, apple leaves and pruning wood did not mineralize significant amounts of N in the short term. The evidence suggested that during the decomposition of both types of apple residues the N originally present was incorporated into the stable soil N pool.     

Carbon and nitrogen mineralization dynamics in different soils of the tropics amended with legume residues and contrasting soil moisture contents

Seasonal drought in tropical agroecosystems may affect C and N mineralization of organic residues. To understand this effect, C and N mineralization dynamics in three tropical soils (Af, An₁, and An₂) amended with haricot bean (HB; Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and pigeon pea (PP; Cajanus cajan L.) residues (each at 5 mg g⁻¹ dry soil) at two contrasting soil moisture contents (pF2.5 and pF3.9) were investigated under laboratory incubation for 100–135 days. The legume residues markedly enhanced the net cumulative CO₂–C flux and its rate throughout the incubation period. The cumulative CO₂–C fluxes and their rates were lower at pF3.9 than at pF2.5 with control soils and also relatively lower with HB-treated than PP-treated soil samples. After 100 days of incubation, 32–42% of the amended C of residues was recovered as CO₂–C. In one of the three soils (An₁), the results revealed that the decomposition of the recalcitrant fraction was more inhibited by drought stress than easily degradable fraction, suggesting further studies of moisture stress and litter quality interactions. Significantly (p < 0.05) greater NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N were produced with PP-treated (C/N ratio, 20.4) than HB-treated (C/N ratio, 40.6) soil samples. Greater net N mineralization or lower immobilization was displayed at pF2.5 than at pF3.9 with all soil samples. Strikingly, N was immobilized equivocally in both NH₄⁺–N and NO₃⁻–N forms, challenging the paradigm that ammonium is the preferred N source for microorganisms. The results strongly exhibited altered C/N stoichiometry due to drought stress substantially affecting the active microbial functional groups, fungi being dominant over bacteria. Interestingly, the results showed that legume residues can be potential fertilizer sources for nutrient-depleted tropical soils. In addition, application of plant residue can help to counter the N loss caused by leaching. It can also synchronize crop N uptake and N release from soil by utilizing microbes as an ephemeral nutrient pool during the early crop growth period.     

Calculation of nitrogen mineralization and leaching in fallow soil using a simple dynamic model

Simple models describing nitrogen processes are required both to estimate nitrogen mineralization in field conditions and to predict nitrate leaching at large scales. We have evaluated such a model called LIXIM, which allows calculation of nitrogen mineralization and leaching from bare soils, assuming that these are the dominant processes affecting N in bare soil. LIXIM is a layered, functional model, with a 1-day time step. Input data consist of frequent measurements of water and mineral N contents in soil cores, standard meteorological data and simple soil characteristics. The nitrate transport is simulated using the ‘mixing-cells’ approach. The variations in N mineralization with temperature and moisture are accounted for, providing calculation of the ‘normalized time’. An optimization routine is used to estimate the actual evaporation and the N mineralization rates that provide the best fit between observed and simulated values of water and nitrate contents in all measured soil layers. The model was evaluated in two field experiments (on loamy and chalky soils) including treatments, lasting 9–20 months. The water and nitrate contents in soil were satisfactorily simulated in both sites, and all treatments, including a ¹⁵N tracer experiment performed in the loamy soil. In the chalky soil, the calculated water balance agreed well with drainage results obtained in lysimeters and independent estimates of evaporation. At both sites, N mineralization was reduced by the incorporation of crop residues (wheat or oilseed rape straw); the amounts of nitrogen immobilized varied between 20 and 35 kg N ha^?1. In the treatments without crop residues, the mineralization rate followed first-order kinetics (against normalized time) in the loamy soil, and zero-order kinetics in the chalky soil. In the latter soil, the mineralization kinetics calculated in situ were close to the kinetics measured in laboratory conditions when both were expressed against normalized time.     

Carbon mineralization in an arid soil amended with thermally-dried and composted sewage sludges

Soil amendment with sewage sludge (SS) from municipal wastewater treatment plants is nowadays a common practice for both increasing soil organic matter and nutrient contents and waste disposal. However, the application of organic amendments that are not sufficiently mature and stable may adversely affect soil properties. Composting and thermal drying are treatments designed to minimize these possible deleterious effects and to facilitate the use of SS as a soil organic amendment. In this work, an arid soil either unamended or amended with composted sewage sludge (CSS) or thermally-dried sewage sludge (TSS) was moistened to an equivalent of 60% soil water holding capacity and incubated for 60 days at 28 °C. The C–CO₂ emission from the samples was periodically measured in order to study C mineralization kinetics and evaluate the use of these SS as organic amendments. In all cases, C mineralization decreased after the first day. TSS-amended soil showed significantly higher mineralization rates than unamended and CSS-amended soils during the incubation period. The data of cumulative C–CO₂ released from unamended and SS-amended soils were fitted to six different kinetic models. A two simultaneous reactions model, which considers two organic pools with different degree of biodegradability, was found to be the most appropriate to describe C mineralization kinetics for all the soils. The parameters derived from this model suggested a larger presence of easily biodegradable compounds in TSS-amended soil than in CSS-amended soil, which in turn presented a C mineralization pattern very similar to that of the unamended soil. Furthermore, net mineralization coefficient and complementary mineralization coefficient were calculated from C mineralization data. The largest losses of C were measured for TSS-amended soil probably due to an extended microbial activity. The results obtained thus indicated that CSS is more efficient for increasing total organic C in arid soils.     

Newsprint pulp and paper sludge as a soil additive/ amendment for alfalfa and bluegrass: Greenhouse study

Abstract

A newsprint, pulp and paper sludge was evaluated as a soil additive/amendment at 0, 8, 15, 31, 62, 123, and 246 Mgfta for growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and bluegrass (Poa pratensis) under greenhouse conditions. Bluegrass biomass increased by 300%, and protein content increased by 27% at 246 Mg/ha compared to the unamended soil. Alfalfa biomass was unaffected by sludge application rate, but protein content increased by 12%. No net nitrogen (N) immobilization was observed. A comparison of single and double exponential N mineralization models showed that the two pool model more closely fit the N mineralization data obtained from a laboratory incubation study. The two pool model was then used to develop linear regression equations to estimate appropriate sludge application rates based on the rate of N mineralization.     

Using soil temperature and moisture to predict forest soil nitrogen mineralization

Due to the importance of N in forest productivity ecosystem and nutrient cycling research often includes measurement of soil N transformation rates as indices of potential availability and ecosystem losses of N. We examined the feasibility of using soil temperature and moisture content to predict soil N mineralization rates (Nmin) at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in the southern Appalachians. We conducted seasonal laboratory incubations of A and AB horizon soils from three sites with mixed-oak vegetation using temperature and moisture levels characteristic of the season in which the soils were collected. The incubations showed that temperature and temperature-moisture interactions significantly affected net soil Nmin. We used the laboratory data to generate equations relating net Nmin to soil temperature and moisture data. Using field-collected temperature and moisture data we then calculated Nmin on similar forest sites and compared predicted rates with in situ, closed-core Nmin measurements. The comparison showed that the in situ Nmin was greater than rates predicted from laboratory generated equations (slope =3.22; r²=0.89). Our study suggests that while climatic factors have a significant effect on soil Nmin, other factors also influence rates measured in the laboratory and in situ.     

Nitrogen mineralization and availability of mixed leguminous and non-leguminous cover crop residues in soil

Whereas non-leguminous cover crops such as cereal rye (Secale cereale) or annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorium) are capable of reducing nitrogen (N) leaching during wet seasons, leguminous cover crops such as hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) improve soil N fertility for succeeding crops. With mixtures of grasses and legumes as cover crop, the goal of reducing N leaching while increasing soil N availability for crop production could be attainable. This study examined net N mineralization of soil treated with hairy vetch residues mixed with either cereal rye or annual ryegrass and the effect of these mixtures on growth and N uptake by cereal rye. Both cereal rye and annual ryegrass contained low total N, but high water-soluble carbon and carbohydrate, compared with hairy vetch. Decreasing the proportion of hairy vetch in the mixed residues decreased net N mineralization, rye plant growth and N uptake, but increased the crossover time (the time when the amount of net N mineralized in the residue-amended soil equalled that of the non-amended control) required for net N mineralization to occur. When the hairy vetch content was decreased to 40% or lower, net N immobilization in the first week of incubation increased markedly. Residue N was significantly correlated with rye biomass (r=0.81, P<0.01) and N uptake (r=0.83, P<0.001), although the correlation was much higher between residue N and the potential initial N mineralization rate for rye biomass (r=0.93, P<0.001) and N uptake (r=0.99, P<0.001). Judging from the effects of the mixed residues on rye N Concentration and N uptake, the proportion of rye or annual ryegrass when mixed with residues of hairy vetch should not exceed 60% if the residues are to increase N availability. Further study is needed to examine the influence of various mixtures of hairy vetch and rye or annual ryegrass on N leaching in soil. Received: 10 March 1997     

Influence of organic by-products and nitrogen source on chemical and microbiological status of an agricultural soil

We assessed the influence of the addition of four municipal or agricultural by-products (cotton gin waste, ground newsprint, woodchips, or yard trimmings), combined with two sources of nitrogen (N), [ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) or poultry litter] as carbon (C) sources on active bacterial, active fungal and total microbial biomass, cellulose decomposition, potential net mineralization of soil C and N and soil nutrient status in agricultural soils. Cotton gin waste as a C source promoted the highest potential net N mineralization and N turnover. Municipal or agricultural by-products as C sources had no affect on active bacterial, active fungal or total microbial biomass, C turnover, or the ratio of net C:N mineralized. Organic by-products and N additions to soil did not consistently affect C turnover rates, active bacterial, active fungal or total microbial biomass. After 3, 6 or 9 weeks of laboratory incubation, soil amended with organic by-products plus poultry litter resulted in higher cellulose degradation rates than soil amended with organic by-products plus NH₄NO₃. Cellulose degradation was highest when soil was amended with newsprint plus poultry litter. When soil was amended with organic by-products plus NH₄NO₃, cellulose degradation did not differ from soil amended with only poultry litter or unamended soil. Soil amended with organic by-products had higher concentrations of soil C than soil amended with only poultry litter or unamended soil. Soil amended with organic by-products plus N as poultry litter generally, but not always, had higher extractable P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations than soil amended with poultry litter or unamende soil. Agricultural soil amended with organic by-products and N had higher extractable N, P, K, Ca and Mg than unamended soil. Since cotton gin waste plus poultry litter resulted in higher cellulose degradation and net N mineralization, its use may result in faster increase in soil nutrient status than the other organic by-products and N sources that were tested. Received: 15 May 1996     

Effect of organic residue amendments and soil moisture on N mineralization,maize (Zea maysL.) dry biomass and nutrient concentration

Greenhouse pot experiments using four tropical soils were conducted to measure the effect of crop residues on nitrogen mineralization/immobilization and the growth of maize plants under two soil moisture regimes (pF2.5 and pF3.5). Nitrogen-rich residues of pigeon pea [PP, Cajanus cajan (L.) Millps, C/N, 18.8] enhanced plant growth and increased the assimilation of mineral elements (N, P and K) at both moisture regimes. Less nitrogen-rich residues of haricot beans [HB, Phaseolus vulgaris (L.), C/N, 28.9] had a slightly negative effect on plant growth and the assimilation of mineral elements, and a stronger negative effect was recorded for the most N-poor plant residue, maize [M, Zea mays (L.), C/N, 33.6]. For PP, we estimated the recovery of residue-nutrients in maize plants (net increase in N, P and K assimilation due to PP incorporation) as 19% for N, 88% for P and 86% for K in the high-moisture regime (pF2.5). The equivalent values for the drought-stress regime (pF3.5) were 10, 34 and 38%, respectively. The results demonstrate the immediate enhancement of plant growth by plant residues with a low C/N ratio, even under drought-stress conditions.     

C and N turnover in structurally intact soils of different texture

The turnover of native and applied C and N in undisturbed soil samples of different texture but similar mineralogical composition, origin and cropping history was evaluated at −10 kPa water potential. Cores of structurally intact soil with 108, 224 and 337 g clay kg⁻¹ were horizontially sliced and ¹⁵N-labelled sheep faeces was placed between the two halves of the intact core. The cores together with unamended treatments were incubated in the dark at 20 °C and the evolution of CO₂-C determined continuously for 177 d. Inorganic and microbial biomass N and ¹⁵N were determined periodically. Net nitrification was less in soil amended with faeces compared with unamended soil. When adjusted for the NO₃-N present in soil before faeces was applied, net nitrification became negative indicating that NO₃-N had been immobilized or denitrified. The soil most rich in clay nitrified least N and ¹⁵N. The amounts of N retained in the microbial biomass in unamended soils increased with clay content. A maximum of 13% of the faeces ¹⁵N was recovered in the microbial biomass in the amended soils. CO₂-C evolution increased with clay content in amended and unamended soils. CO₂-C evolution from the most sandy soil was reduced due to a low content of potentially mineralizable native soil C whereas the rate constant of C mineralization rate peaked in this soil. When the pool of potentially mineralizable native soil C was assumed proportional to volumetric water content, the three soils contained similar proportions of potentially mineralizable native soil C but the rate constant of C mineralization remained highest in the soil with least clay. Thus although a similar availability of water in the three soils was ensured by their identical matric potential, the actual volume of water seemed to determine the proportion of total C that was potentially mineralizable. The proportion of mineralizable C in the faeces was similar in the three soils (70% of total C), again with a higher rate constant of C mineralization in the soil with least clay. It is hypothesized that the pool of potentially mineralizable C and C rate constants fluctuate with the soil water content.     

添加表面活性剂土壤中蒽的去除以及矿质态氮动态研究

Surfactants, such as non-ionic Surfynol 485 （ethoxylated 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol）, have been applied to accelerate removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from soil. This study investigated the dissipation of anthracene, and carbon （C） and nitrogen （N） mineralization in soil amended with non-ionic Surfynol 485 at different rates. Soil samples of a Typic Fragiudept taken from Otumba, Mexico were spiked with anthracene at a final concentration of 520 mg kg^-1 dry soil using acetone as solvent, amended with 0.0, 24.9, 49.8 or 124.4 g kg^-1 soil of the surfactant and incubated in the laboratory. The soil not amended with anthracene, acetone and the surfactant was used as a control. Dynamics of C and N and the concentration of anthracene were monitored for 56 d. After 56 d of incubation, 38% of the anthracene was removed from the unamended soil, and 47%, 55% and 66% of the anthracene were removed when 24.9, 49.8 and 124.4 g kg^-1 of the surfactant were applied, respectively. Application of acetone, anthracene or surfactant increased the emission of CO2, but decreased the mineral N compared to the unamended control. Applying the surfactant to the acetone or anthracene-amended soil reduced emission of CO2, but increased the mineral N at the lower application rates of the surfactant. It was found that the application of the non-ionic surfactant increased the bioavailability of anthracene and thus its removal from soil, increased C mineralization, but decreased N miaeralization. Consequently, the application of non-ionic surfactant could be easily used to accelerate the removal of pollutants from hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, but mineral N in the soil would decrease, which might inhibit plant growth.     

施氮量和土壤含水量对黑麦草还田红壤氮素矿化的影响

目标 氮素矿化是决定土壤供氮能力的重要生态过程,养分添加和水分在调节土壤的氮转化方面起着重要的作用。探讨施氮和土壤水分对黑麦草还田过程中土壤氮素矿化的影响有利于进一步优化红壤旱地作物生产的水肥管理。 【方法】 通过室内培养试验,研究了施氮量 (0、60、120 mg/kg) 和土壤含水量 (15%、30%、45%) 对红壤旱地黑麦草还田过程中土壤净硝化量、氨化量和氮矿化量的影响。 【结果】 土壤含水量15%时,施氮有利于提高黑麦草还田初期土壤净硝化量,施氮量120 mg/kg抑制了黑麦草还田后期土壤硝化作用。在30%土壤含水量时,施氮量120 mg/kg明显抑制了黑麦草还田后期土壤硝化作用。土壤含水量45%抑制了黑麦草还田初期不同施氮水平下土壤净硝化量,但增加了黑麦草还田91 d时土壤净硝化量,且施氮量60 mg/kg下的净硝化量显著高于120 mg/kg水平下的。土壤净氨化量在整个黑麦草还田过程中均为正值,且呈现多次升高-降低的往复动态变化。土壤净氨化量在三种土壤含水量下均表现为施氮条件下的显著高于不施氮处理。土壤含水量的增加有利于提高施氮量120 mg/kg下黑麦草还田初期土壤的氨化作用,但降低了黑麦草还田后期土壤净氨化量。相比不施氮,三个含水量条件下的施氮处理在黑麦草还田过程中的大部分阶段都显著增加了土壤净氮矿化量,土壤含水量30%条件下土壤净氮矿化量的变化最大。相比土壤含水量15%,30%含水量促进了黑麦草还田中期 (13～57 d) 土壤净氮矿化量的增加,45%含水量抑制了黑麦草还田后期 (73～91 d) 土壤净氮矿化量。 【结论】 红壤区旱地黑麦草还田时应合理施入化学氮肥 (60 mg/kg),在黑麦草还田初期保持较高的土壤含水量 (45%) 能够抑制土壤的氮矿化作用,还田中后期适当降低土壤含水量 (30%)有利于增加土壤氮素的矿化。      

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.     

Mineralisation of <Superscript>15</Superscript>N-labelled sheep manure in soils of different texture and water contents

In order to investigate the effect of soil water and texture on C and N mineralisation of applied organic matter, sheep manure was sandwiched between two halves of intact soil cores and incubated at 20°C. The soils contained 10.8% (L1), 22.4% (L3) and 33.7% (L5) clay, respectively, and were drained to seven different matric potentials in the range -15 to -1,500 hPa. Evolution of CO₂-C was determined during 4 weeks of incubation. Contents of NO₃^--N, ¹⁵N and microbial biomass N were determined at the end of the incubation. The net release of CO₂-C from the manure (estimated as the difference between soils with and without manure) and the total CO₂-C evolution from soils with manure was not related to soil water content. Most CO₂-C evolved from manure-amended soils in the least clayey L1 soil. The manure caused immobilisation of soil NO₃^--N but the soil matric potential had no major effects on the net NO₃^--N production. Less than 1% of the manure ¹⁵N was found as NO₃^--N at the end of the incubation. When unamended, the sandy L1 soil held the least N in microbial biomass but the largest increases in biomass N caused by manure application were found in this soil. Despite the higher increases in microbial biomass N in the L1 soil, the total content of microbial biomass N in soils with manure application peaked in the most clayey soil (L5). The recovery of manure ¹⁵N at the end of the incubation ranged from 89% to 102%. The variation in ¹⁵N recovery was not related to soil clay content nor to soil matric potential. The experimental set-up was designed to mimic field conditions where manure is left as a discrete layer surrounded by structurally intact soil. In this situation the soil clay content and the soil water level appeared to have little influence on the C and N turnover in the manure layer.     

Effects of temperature, soil water status, and soil type on swine slurry nitrogen transformations

Manure N dynamics are affected by manure characteristics, soil factors, and environmental conditions. An incubation experiment was conducted to assess the relationship of these factors. The effects of temperature (11, 18, and 25°C), soil texture (three soils, silt loam to sandy loam), and soil water status (constant at 60% water filled pore space, WFPS, and fluctuating between 30% and 60% WFPS) on net mineralization and nitrification of swine manure N were assessed. Swine manure was applied at an equivalent rate of 350 kg total N ha^-1 to 250 g air-dry soil in 2-l canning jars. Subsamples were taken from each jar for NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ determination when fluctuating moisture treatment dried to 30% WFPS, with sampling continuing through four wet-dry cycles at each temperature. Manure NH₄⁺ was rapidly nitrified to NO₃^-. The relationship between NO₃^- accumulation and degree days after application (DDAA, 0°C base) could be described across temperatures using a single pool exponential model for each soil. More NO₃^- accumulated in coarser-textured soils (150-200 mg N kg^-1 soil), compared to 130 mg N kg^-1 soil in the silt loam soil. Fluctuating soil water status did not alter estimates of rate and extent of NO₃^- accumulation, but slowed NH₄⁺ disappearance somewhat.