Schätzung der mikrobiellen Biomasse von Böden aus anthropogenen und natürlichen Substraten — ein Beitrag zur Standortbewertung

Field estimation of the microbial biomass of soils derived from natural and anthropogenic parent materials Whereas the estimation and evaluation of physical and chemical soil properties is possible with the use of widely accepted methods, there is still no procedure with respect to microbiological parameters. Therefore, our objective was to develop a field procedure for estimating the integral parameter ”︁microbial biomass”. For this purpose, microbial biomass data (C_mic in dry matter) of soils developed in natural parent materials from 116 sites in Germany and abroad were analyzed. Additionally, C_mic in 33 German soils developed in anthropogenic parent materials was determined. In the soils under consideration, C_mic varied between 100 and 4000 kg ha^—1 in the upper 30 cm. For soils of natural substrates statistical relations between C_mic and the humus and clay content as well as pH were derived. From these parameters which are combined as the diagnostic characteristics of humus a simple procedure for estimating C_mic of arable soils was developed. For soils developed in anthropogenic parent materials, however, an estimation procedure was developed that uses the nature of the parent material and the degree of soil development. To evaluate the estimated amount of C_mic, a frame consisting of 6 classes is proposed: < 200 kg ha^—1 (= very low), 200—400 kg ha^—1 (= low), 400—800 kg ha^—1 (= moderate), 800—1600 kg ha^—1 (= medium), 1600—3200 kg ha^—1 (= high), and > 3200 kg ha^—1 (= very high).     

Metabolic and anabolic responses of arable and forest soils to nutrient addition§

The increase in microbial C content, cumulative respiration and changes in ”︁available” C were determined after adding glucose (2 mg glucose-C (g soil)^—1, ”︁C”), glucose + nitrogen (”︁C+N”) or glucose + nitrogen + phosphorus (”︁C+N+P”) to four soils. In two sandy soils, one agricultural and the other from a beech forest in Germany, available C was still present approximately 7 days after C addition. The supplement N and N+P decreased the content of available C and stimulated respiration rate and microbial growth. In two loamy forest soils from Italy, which had a high native content of microbial C, available C was present in the beech soil but not in a silver fir soil treated with C+N. In the Italian beech and fir soil, microbial growth was highest with C+N+P and C+N addition respectively. Available C remaining in the soil was related to some extent to the native microbial C content. However, microbial growth and respiration response varied between soil and treatment. The respiratory coefficient, that is the ratio of assimilated to respired C, varied between 0.0 and 1.45 μg C_mic (μg CO₂-C)^—1 and was generally higher when a large amount of native biomass was present. The eco-physiological strategy of the soil microbiota in using C seemed to shift according to the biomass content, the added concentration and composition of available substrates, and emergent system properties.     

Initiale Marschbodenentwicklung aus brackigen Sedimenten des Dollarts an der südwestlichen Nordseeküste

Initial marsh soil development from brackish sediments The initial marsh soil development from brackish sediments was investigated in a transect from the tidal flat to the dike in the southeast Dollart (Lower Saxony, Germany). Oxidized morphological features increased from the tidal flat to the dike. Simultaneously the bulk density increased from 0.57 g cm^—3 to 1.12 g cm^—3 and the water content decreased from 78.8 % to 54.9 %. The soils closest to the tidal flat were massive, those closest to the dike had a crumble structure. The clay/carbonate ratio increased slightly from 3.3 to 4.8 in the same succession as well as the C/N ratio from 13.9 to 15.6. Likewise the salinity decreased from 7.8 ‰ to 1.5 ‰ and the dominance of Na was replaced by Ca within the pool of exchangeable and soluble cations. The data indicate initial processes of marsh soil development: structure forming, settlement, aeration, salt and lime loss, decomposition and changing ratios of adsorbed cations. Similar to marine developments the soils will enter the terrestrial phase as carbonate containing soils not characterized by the brackish sedimentation conditions. For the initial development of today old marshland soils (”︁Kleimarshes”) from brackish sediments, in contrast, it is likely, that they were already free of carbonate when entering the terrestrial phase. This is explained by long‐term reduction and oxidation of sulfur and low sedimentation rates.     

Methane oxidation,nitrification, and counts of methanotrophic bacteria in soils from a long-term fertilization experiment (”︁Ewiger Roggenbau” at Halle)

Aerobic soils are important sinks for atmospheric methane. CH₄ oxidation, mediated mainly by methanotrophic bacteria, is the responsible process, which is strongly inhibited by ammonium accessible for nitrification. An inhibitory effect immediately after fertilization as well as a long-term effect exists, which results from repeated ammonium applications and which is independent from the actual concentration of NH₄⁺-N in soil. This long-term effect could be caused by a shift in the microbial population of the soil. Thus, with soil samples from long-term fertilization treatments of the field experiment ”︁Ewiger Roggenbau” at Halle (Germany) incubation studies were conducted to investigate the interference between CH₄ oxidation and nitrification and to determine the cell numbers of methanotrophic bacteria. Including the treatments PK, NPK, and farmyard manure, which were established in 1878, a close negative correlation between CH₄ oxidation and net nitrification was found (r = —0.92). The CH₄ oxidation rates, determined with an initial concentration of 10 μl CH₄ l^—1, varied between 6.7 and 1.1 μg C kg^—1 d^—1 in the PK and NPK treatment, respectively. After application of NH₄Cl a strong inhibition of CH₄ oxidation occurred, which was 91%, 88%, 81%, and 63% in the treatments PK, NPK, FYM, and U (unfertilized), respectively. After a lag-phase of 2 to 3 weeks an incubation with high CH₄ concentrations (20 Vol.% CH₄) could induce CH₄ oxidizing activity in the NPK treatments under continuous rye or maize cropping. An increase of up to 40 times in comparison to the control under atmospheric CH₄ (2 μl CH₄ l^—1) was observed. A negative correlation (r = —0.74) existed between the CH₄ oxidation rates of the soils without recently applied NH₄⁺ and the numbers of methanotrophic bacteria, determined with the ”︁most probable number” method (MPN). Thus, the MPN technique is not suitable to characterize the physiologically active population of methanotrophic bacteria in soils, which oxidize CH₄ in the atmospheric concentration range. The results of this study suggest that in aerobic arable soils methanotrophic bacteria and not nitrifiers are responsible for CH₄ oxidation.     

Energetic eco‐physiology of the soil microbiota in two landscapes of southern and northern Germany

Interactions between microbial communities and organic matter were analyzed for soils from the project regions ’︁Ecosystem Research in the Agricultural Landscape/FAM, Munich’ in southern Germany and ’︁Ecosystem Research in the Bornhöved Lake district’ from northern Germany using ratios between microbial biomass content (C_mic), microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂) and organic carbon content (C_org). In the agricultural soils in southern Germany, the qCO₂/C_org ratio differed significantly with respect to agricultural management in contrast to ecophysiological C_mic/C_org ratio. In addition, C_mic/C_org ratio decreased from 39 to 21 mg C_mic g^—1 C_org and qCO₂/C_org ratio increased from 72 to 180 mg CO₂‐C g^—1 C_mic h^—1 (g C_org g^—1 soil)^—1 with increasing soil depth. For the upper soil horizons from the landscape in northern Germany the two quotients differed significantly with reference to land use showing highest microbial colonization under grassland and lowest under beech forest. In contrast, C use efficiency was lowest in arable field under maize monoculture and highest in a wet grassland having a high organic C content.     

Dissolved organic matter sorption by mineral constituents of subsoil clay fractions

The retention of dissolved organic matter in soils is mainly attributed to interactions with the clay fraction. Yet, it is unclear to which extent certain clay‐sized soil constituents contribute to the sorption of dissolved organic matter. In order to identify the mineral constituents controlling the sorption of dissolved organic matter, we carried out experiments on bulk samples and differently pretreated clay‐size separates (untreated, organic matter oxidation with H₂O₂, and organic matter oxidation with H₂O₂ + extraction of Al and Fe oxides) from subsoil horizons of four Inceptisols and one Alfisol. The untreated clay separates of the subsoils sorbed 85 to 95% of the dissolved organic matter the whole soil sorbed. The sorption of the clay fraction increased when indigenous organic matter was oxidized by H₂O₂. Subsequent extraction of Al and Fe oxides/hydroxides caused a sharp decrease of the sorption of dissolved organic matter. This indicated that these oxides/hydroxides in the clay fraction were the main sorbents of dissolved organic matter of the investigated soils. Moreover, the coverage of these sorbents with organic matter reduced the amount of binding sites available for further sorption. The non‐expandable layer silicates, which dominated the investigated clay fractions, exhibited a weak sorption of dissolved organic matter. Whole soils and untreated clay fractions favored the sorption of ”︁hydrophobic” dissolved organic matter. The removal of oxides/hydroxides reduced the sorption of the lignin‐derived ”︁hydrophobic” dissolved organic matter onto the remaining layer silicates stronger than that of ”︁hydrophilic” dissolved organic matter.     

Feldmethode zur Bestimmung der substrat‐induzierten Bodenatmung

A field method for the measurement of substrate‐induced soil respiration A novel method for in situ measurements of microbial soil activity using the CO₂ efflux combined with kinetic analysis is proposed. The results are compared with two conventional, laboratory methods, (1) substrate‐induced respiration using a ’︁Sapromat’ and (2) dehydrogenase activity. Soil respiration was measured in situ after addition of aqueous solutions containing 0 to 6 g glucose kg^—1 soil. The respiration data were analysed using kinetic models to describe the nutritional status of the soil bacteria employing few representative parameters. The two‐phase soil respiration response gave best fit results with the Hanes' or non‐parametric kinetic model with Michaelis‐Menten constants (K_m) of 0.05—0.1 g glucose kg^—1 soil. The maximum respiration rates (V_max) were obtained above 1 g glucose. Substrate‐induced respiration rates of the novel in situ method were significantly correlated to results of the ’︁Sapromat’ measurements (r² = 0.81***). The in situ method combined with kinetic analysis was suitable for the characterisation of microbial activity in soil; it showed respiration rates lower by 59% than measured in the laboratory with disturbed samples.     

Veränderungen physikalischer Bodenmerkmale im „Statischen Düngungsversuch”︁ während einer Vegetationsperiode

Temporal variations of physical soil properties in the “Static Fertilization Experiment” The objective of the present paper was to observe short-term changes in physical soil properties of a differently fertilized loess-Chernozem. Samples were taken weekly from the plots with 17.2 g C_org kg^?1 (unfertilized) and 25.0 g C_org kg^?1 (NPK + farmyard manure) of the “Static Fertilization Experiment”, Bad Lauchstädt, and their moisture contents (θ), bulk densities (?_d) and particle densities (?_s) were determined. The soil moisture contents showed very similar variations in the two treatments. Clear differences between the unfertilized (≈ 16 Vol.-%) and the NPK + farmyard manure treatment (≈ 10 Vol.-%) only occurred during summer (means 25th–29th week). The values for ?_d were lower in the NPK + farmyard manure plot (mean: –0.10 g cm^?3). Similar short-term changes in ?_d were found in both treatments and correlated to both, organic matter contents and composition (C_org, N_t, C/N). These data, however, gave no indication of reasons for the short-term changes in particle densities up to 0.09 g cm^?3.     

Die Rolle der mikrobiellen Biomasse und des mineralisch fixierten Ammoniums bei den Stickstoff-Transformationen in niedersächsischen Löß-Ackerböden unter Winter-Weizen. I. Poolgrößenveränderungen

Significance of microbial biomass and non-exchangeable ammonium with respect to the nitrogen transformations in loess soils of Niedersachsen during the growing season of winter wheat. I. Change of pool sizes Nitrogen transformations in loess soils have been examined by laboratory and field experiments. After straw application (· 8 t · ha^?1), N in microbial biomass (N_mic) increased by about 20 mg · kg^?1 soil (· 90 kg N · ha^?1 · 30 cm^?1) after 9 days of incubation (20 °C). Another laboratory experiment yielded an increase of about 400 mg of NH₄+-N · kg^?1 fixed by minerals within 1 h after addition of 1 M NH₄+-acetate. Defixation of the recently fixed NH₄+ after addition of 1 M KCl amounted to only 60 mg · kg^?1 within 50 days. In a field experiment with winter wheat 1991, an increase in N_mic of about 80 kg N · ha^?1 · 30 cm^?1 was observed from March to June. After July, growth of the microbes was limited by decreased soluble carbon concentrations in the rhizosphere. Different levels of mineral N-fertilizer (0, 177 and 213 kg N · ha^?1) did not affect significantly the microbial biomass. The same field experiment yielded a decrease of non-exchangeable ammonium on the “zero”-fertilized plot in spring by 200 kg N · ha^?1 · 30 cm^?1. The pool of fixed ammonium increased significantly after harvest. After conventional mineral N-fertilizer application (213 kg N · ha^?1). NH₄+-defixation was only about 120 kg N · ha^?1 · 30 cm^?1 until July.     

Root renewal of sugar beet as a mechanism of P uptake efficiency

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was grown in two different long‐term P fertilization experiments on a sandy and a loamy soil. The P supply levels of the soils were ”︁low”, ”︁sufficient”, and ”︁high”, according to the German recommendation scheme. The low P level decreased shoot and storage root yield only on the loam soil, where the recovery of the P‐deficient plants after a drought period was slower than at a sufficient P supply. The size of the living root system, as determined by a conventional auger sampling method, peaked at early July and decreased until harvest on the sandy soil without any influence of the P level. On loam, the living root systems were more constant and larger at P shortage. Total root production, as determined by the ingrowth core method, was about 120 km m^—2 in the well P supplied loam treatments and 200 km m^—2 at P deficiency, which was 3—4 times and 5 times higher than the average size of the living root systems, respectively. Hence, a rapid root renewal took place. On sand, where no P deficiency occurred, total root production was not different between the P supply levels but higher than in the well‐supplied loam treatments. Modelling P uptake revealed that this root turnover and the concomitant better exploitation of the soil facilitates P uptake at a low P level in soil, but is of no advantage at a sufficient P supply. The increase of root production at P shortage increased calculated P uptake by 25% compared to a calculation with the ”︁usual” root production at a sufficient supply.     

Verformungsverhalten künstlicher Makroporen unter variierenden Druck‐ und Bodenfeuchtebedingungen

Structural deformation of artificial macropores under varying load and soil moisture In the present study, the stability and deformation behavior of artificial macropores under varying load and soil moisture levels was investigated by means of X‐ray computed tomography (CT). The results should be a reference for similar studies on soil samples from field trials. The soil tested was a well structured humic silt loam with a bulk density of 1 g cm^—3. Round‐shaped pores of vertical and 45 degree angle orientation were drilled into the samples with a plastic needle (∅︁ 5 mm). These samples were compacted in an uniaxial compression device at four different moisture levels and four pressure stages each. Stepwise CT imaging and its 3‐dimensional reconstruction enabled us to study systematically the mode and intensity of pore deformation. As a result four different deformation stages could be identified in dependence from load, soil moisture, and pore orientation. The deformation stage ”︁stable” was characterized by mostly unaffected pore dimensions and shapes. Increasing load and/or moisture content led to prominent bottle necks within the pores which was named ”︁structure deformation”. Due to the shape and size of these bottle necks it seems to be most likely that still intact aggregates were moved into the inner pore space, reducing the mean cross sectional areas. The deformation stage ”︁total deformation” appeared with further increase of load and/or moisture. The aggregated structure disappeared while the inner roughness of the pores became smoother again. This represents a viscoplastic deformation. Cross sectional areas, pore lengths, and volumes significantly decreased. The stage ”︁extinction” was finally reached at water contents around the liquid limit, where the pore structure was completely lost, at least on CT resolution level. The deformation stages could be attributed to load stages depending from pore orientation. Unexpectedly, all pores kept their originally round shape over all stages until extinction.     

Temporal and spatial variability of the CH4 dynamics of landfill cover soils

Landfills are regarded as important sources of the atmospheric methane (CH₄), one of the major greenhouse gases. In this study we investigated the CH₄ dynamics of landfill cover soils in a long‐term field experiment. The CH₄ emission rates were low, mostly ranging from —100 to 100 μmol m^—2 h^—1, with prevailing negative values. Higher values of up to 130,000 μmol m^—2 h^—1, obtained concurrently, were due to mice burrows, connecting the reduced soil sections with the aerated ones. Thus, the appearance of spatial dissimilarity was the most important factor influencing temporal variability. Reducing the soil cover from 120 cm to at least 60 cm caused a tendency of increased CH₄ emission. The oxidation rates were also low and differed with low temporal variability from 1.0—11.9 nmol g^—1 h^—1 in 0—10 cm soil depth and 0—5.3 nmol g^—1 h^—1 in 40—50 cm, respectively. Highest rates were obtained at 25—30 % soil water content. A mapping of CH₄ concentrations over the whole landfill showed a large spatial variation with values of 3.1—343 nmol g^—1. Subsequent CH₄ emission rates were between —0.2 and 120,000 mmol m^—2 d^—1 and showed a positive correlation to the CH₄ concentrations (r = 0.993, P < 0.05). Thus, by a large scale mapping of CH₄ concentrations a low‐cost procedure is proposed to identify the hot spots of CH₄ release which should be treated with additional thick and well aerated cover soil materials.     

C and N accumulation in arable soils of West Germany and its influence on the environment — Developments 1970 to 1998

During the last three decades, large amounts of soil organic matter (SOM) and associated nutrients have been accumulated in arable soils of Western Germany (former FRG) due to deepening of the plough layers (from < 25 to > 35 cm) and to fertilizer application rates which have exceeded the amounts of nutrients removed in harvested crops. Organic carbon and total nitrogen balances (1970—1998) on 120 plots from 16 farms in southern Lower Saxony yielded a cumulative increase of up to 16 t C ha⁻¹ and 1 t N ha⁻¹ in loess soils used for cash crop production and up to 26 t C ha⁻¹ and 2.4 t N ha⁻¹ in sandy soils under livestock production. The buffering capacity for reactive compounds, particularly of C, N, S and P and of other (organic or inorganic) pollutants will reach its limits in the near future, after organic matter ”︁equilibria” have been re‐established. An immediate adaptation of the current fertilizer application rates to the nutrient export by field crops is therefore urgently needed.     

Characterization of expandable layer silicates in humic‐ferralic cambisols (umbrept) derived from biotite and hornblende

Samples from a paired soil type (humic ferralic cambisol) derived from biotite schist (soil group 1) and amphibolite bedrock (soil group 2) were investigated mineralogically and chemically. Soil smectites and vermiculites were analyzed by using the improved n‐alkylammonium method (Lp correction and curve fitting). The soils of group 1 contain small smectite concentrations. The source mineral is a low charged biotite of the silt fraction (2—6 μm) with a mean layer charge of ξ = 0.58 mol per O₁₀(OH)₂. The soil smectite of the clay fraction (< 2 μm) has a mean layer charge of ξ = 0.48 mol per O₁₀(OH)₂ with nearly 100% tetrahedral substitution. The soils of group 2 contain high smectite concentrations. The total charge of these smectites varies between 0.38 and 0.43 mol per O₁₀(OH)₂. The mean value lies between 0.39 and 0.40 mol per O₁₀(OH)2; 20% of the total charge originates from octahedral substitution. Thus, the tetrahedral charge amounts to 0.32 mol per O₁₀(OH)₂. These amphibolite derived smectites have low K selectivity (K_G values of about 5 (mol/l)^—1/2) and do not show an illitization tendency. The soils of group 1 have an extremely high K selectivity (K_G values ≫ 180 (mol/l)^—1/2) when the K‐saturation is < 1.5% of CEC. The increase of K saturation up to 8—15% in the system ”︁natural soil solution versus solid soil” results in a K_G decrease to around 10 (mol/l)^—1/2. This trend can be interpreted as illitization of highly charged smectites with 100% tetrahedral substitution developing to K bearing 1.0 nm minerals.     

Measurement of coupled nitrification-denitrification in paddy fields affected by Terrazole,a nitrification inhibitor

Coupled nitrification-denitrification and potential denitrification were measured as ¹⁵N₂O and ¹⁵N₂ evolution rates in ammonium sulphate-treated rice soils with or without Terrazole [5-ethoxy-3 (trichloromethyl) 1,2,3 Thiadizole] under laboratory and field conditions. The greatest coupled nitrification-denitrification activity was found after drying and rewetting the soil, with maximum values of 322 ng N cm^–2 h^–1 in the laboratory and 90.8 ng N cm^–2 h^–1 in the field. These ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution rates were about 10 times lower than potential denitrification in these soils. These results and the observed decrease in ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution rate in soils treated with Terrazole (60% under laboratory conditions and 52% under field conditions) indicate that denitrification was limited by coupled nitrification-denitrification activity. Oxygen and previous addition of ammonium sulphate appear to control the rate of ¹⁵N₂O + ¹⁵N₂ evolution in ammonium sulphate-fertilised soils.     

Zur Abhängigkeit des Bodenwasserpotentials von der Temperatur

Soil-water-potentials depending on temperature The soil-water-potential · of different soils has been measured in dependence of temperature. Between about — 0.2 · 10⁶ and — 0.7 · 10⁶ erg cm^?3 (corresponding to a pressure head of 2 resp. 7 m water) all soils show a significant dependence of the soil-water-potential on temperature always in connection with hysteresis phenomena. With soils rich in clay or sand the dependence is most pronounced. At very high suction values (< — 0.7 · 10⁶ erg cm^?3) the dependence becomes small. Thus the measurements agree well with psychrometric evaluations of Campbell and Gardner (1971) on the no-temperature-dependence of the soil-water-potential in the range of about — 3 ·10⁶ to — 20 ± 10⁶ erg cm^?3.     

Degradability of black carbon and its impact on trace gas fluxes and carbon turnover in paddy soils

Rice paddy soils are characterized by anoxic conditions, anaerobic carbon turnover, and significant emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. A main source for soil organic matter in paddy fields is the rice crop residue that is returned to fields if not burned. We investigated as an alternative treatment the amendment of rice paddies with rice residues that have been charred to black carbon. This treatment might avoid various negative side effects of traditional rice residue treatments. Although charred biomass is seen as almost recalcitrant, its impact on trace gas (CO₂, CH₄) production and emissions in paddy fields has not been studied. We quantified the degradation of black carbon produced from rice husks in four wetland soils in laboratory incubations. In two of the studied soils the addition of carbonised rice husks resulted in a transient increase in carbon mineralisation rates in comparison to control soils without organic matter addition. After almost three years, between 4.4% and 8.5% of the black carbon added was mineralised to CO₂ under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. The addition of untreated rice husks resulted in a strong increase in carbon mineralisation rates and in the same time period 77%-100% of the added rice husks were mineralised aerobically and 31%-54% anaerobically. The ¹³C-signatures of respired CO₂ gave a direct indication of black carbon mineralisation to CO_2. In field trials we quantified the impact of rice husk black carbon or untreated rice husks on soil respiration and methane emissions. The application of black carbon had no significant effect on soil respiration but significantly enhanced methane emissions in the first rice crop season. The additional methane released accounted for only 0.14% of black carbon added. If the same amount of organic carbon was added as untreated rice husks, 34% of the applied carbon was released as CO₂ and methane in the first season. Furthermore, the addition of fresh harvest residues to paddy fields resulted in a disproportionally high increase in methane emissions. Estimating the carbon budget of the different rice crop residue treatments indicated that charring of rice residues and adding the obtained black carbon to paddy fields instead of incorporating untreated harvest residues may reduce field methane emissions by as much as 80%. Hence, the production of black carbon from rice harvest residues could be a powerful strategy for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields.     

Nitrat‐Austräge auf intensiv und extensiv beweidetem Grünland,erfasst mittels Saugkerzen‐ und Nmin‐Beprobung II Variabilität der NO3‐ und NH4‐Werte und Aussagegenauigkeit der Messmethoden

Nitrate leaching from intensively and extensively grazed grassland measured with suction cup samplers and sampling of soil mineral‐N II Variability of NO₃ and NH₄ values and degree of accuracy of the measurement methods Data from a grazing experiment — comparison of mean values, see Anger et al. (2002) — were used to estimate within‐field variability to asses the accuracy of two frequently used methods of estimating NO₃ leaching on pastures: (1) the ceramic suction cup sampling (with 34 cups ha^—1 minimum, calculated climatic water balance, 4 leaching periods) and (2) using the soil mineral‐N method (vertical soil NO₃ and NH₄ content in 0—0.9 m (N_min) measured at the beginning and end of two winters on a minimum of 10 different areas of 50 m² each with a minimum of 7 different sample cores). These methods were used on two permanent pastures with high mean stocking density of cattle of 4.9 LU ha^—1 on 1.3 ha with N‐fertilization of 250 kg N ha^—1 (= intensive [I]) and 2.9 LU without N fertilization on a 2.2 ha pasture (= extensive [E]). The results show that NO₃ leaching on pastures was largely due to few selectively extremely high NO₃ amounts under a few excrement spots — mainly urine spots — which would not be sampled representatively with an acceptable effort in a conventional grazing experiment. In both grazing treatments, very large spatial variation occurred. This was greater between the different suction cups than between the compound mineral N samples of each area. Therefore, a marked skewness and kurtosis demonstrated a non‐normal distribution of samples from suction cups, while mineral N values did not show this effect consistently. Sampling selected mostly spots without noticeable influence of excrement, but a few samples with very high values identified evidently urine spots from summer or autumn grazing. The differences in mean coefficient of variation (CV) between the grazing treatments and estimation methods were mainly based on the stocking rate and the density of excrement spots. CV values were 131 % [I] / 242 % [E] for NO₃ leaching measured with suction cup samplers and of 71 % [I] / 116 % [E] for soil NO₃ values and 24 % [I] / 34 % [E] for soil NH₄ values in 0—0.9 m according N_min‐method. Results of the N_min method are obviously inaccurate even with a sampling intensity much greater than 70 cores ha^—1; and so making an estimation of NO₃ leaching by this method is unsatisfactory for pastures. Compared to this, the results of suction cup sampling are more convincing; but even with a tolerated deviation of ± 20 % from the empirically estimated average and with a 95 %‐confidence interval, the calculated mean minimum number of samples in our experiment should be increased to 146 and 265 suction cups ha^—1 for the intensively and extensively grazed treatments, respectively. This requirement would be prohibitive for many field experiments.     

Beziehungen zwischen “verfügbarem” Bodenphosphat und den Phosphatblattgehalten von Tectona grandis (Teak) in Westafrika

Relationships between “available” soil phosphorus and foliar phosphorus content of Tectona grandis (teak) in West-Africa Significant relationships were analysed between the foliar phosphorus content of Tectona grandis L. and the topsoil phosphorus contents on a broad range of soils in West African plantations of Tectona grandis L. (teak), except for soils very poor in clay or organic matter (< 15% T or < 1% C). Of all methods used (P-H₂O, P-Mehlich, P-CAL, P-Bray-1, P-Soltanpour, P-Dabin, P-Resin, P-H₂SO₄, P-550, P-org) the fraction of soil P (P-550) dissolved in 1 n H₂SO₄ after dry ashing at 550 °C (r = 0.548^***, n = 63) and the method of Bray-1 (r = 0.505^***, n = 63) show the best results. The first reflects 80-90% of the organic P content and is recommended for the evaluation of the phosphorus supply. Using multiple correlation analysis we found a highly significant relationship (R = 0.794^***, R² = 0.63, n = 58) between foliar P as depending variable and P-Bray (positive), the soil sand content (negative) as well as soil pH (positive). A sufficient phosphorus supply of teak foliage (0.2% P) occured at soil levels of 300-320 kg P per ha and 15 cm (or more than 150 mg P/kg in topsoils free of stones (P-550)) in the studied area between Benin and Liberia.     

Effect of extreme acid and alkali treatment on pore properties of soil samples

Samples of six Polish and three Korean soils were acidified and alkalized with elevated concentrations of hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide from 0.001 to 1 mol dm^—3. The pore system of the studied soils was investigated using mercury intrusion (”︁macropores”) and water vapor adsorption (”︁mesopores”) experiments. The characteristics of the pores and their surfaces were very sensitive against acid and alkaline treatments. The macropore volume and radii increased in general with increasing of the concentrations of the treatment solutions. The macropore surface of all the clay rich soils exhibited a fractal behavior. The ranges of fractal scaling differed for particular soils. Macropore surface fractal dimensions changed under both treatments. For a given soil, the macropore fractal dimensions changed in the same direction under the effect of acid as under alkali. Both treatments decreased the mesopore volumes of Polish and increased the mesopore volumes of Korean soils. However, this was not true for two of Korean soils after extreme alkali treatments. In general, the average mesopore radius increased under lower treatments concentrations and decreased under higher concentrations. The mesopores were also fractal. The range of their fractal scaling was different for the Polish and Korean soils and roughly the same within each group. The fractal dimension of the mesopores decreased after acid treatment showing a smoothing of the material porous surface. Alkaline treatment affected the mesopore fractal dimension to a lower extent. A slight rise of the mesopore fractal dimension was noted in most cases.<?show $6#>