The behaviour of nitrogen fertilizers in neutral and acid loess soils II. Distribution and balances of 15 N-tagged nitrogen

A study, to investigate the remaining fertilizer-N in undisturbed soil columns from agricultural and forest soils after 60 days of percolation (see part I), was carried out. The columns were fertilized with two 15-N tagged nitrogen fertilizers (Ca(NO₃)₂ and (NH₄)₂SO₄) at a rate of 80kg N/ha. The investigation involved the distribution and fractionation of nitrogen in the soils. The soil columns were therefore cut into 8 segments and nitrogen forms analyzed were: total N, fixed-NH₄-N, exchangeable NH₄-N, NO₃-N and organic N. Consequently, the N-balances were established. It was ascertained that immobilization and gaseous losses from the fertilizers were higher after NH₄- than after NO₃-application in both soils. Immobilization in all treatments was temperature dependent and concentrated at the upper segments of the columns. The forest soil had higher incorporation than the agricultural soil. Nitrification was low in the forest soil while in the agricultural soil there was a fairly high nitrification even at 4°C. The balances showed losses of nitrogen in the range of 10 to 35 %. While this agrees with the findings of other workers in case of the agricultural soil, it leaves however, some questions unanswered in case of the forest soil.     

Nitrification in soils incubated with pig slurry

Incubation studies (5 weeks at 30°C) of nitrification were made in an acid (pH 5.8) and a neutral (pH 7.1) soil receiving varying concentrations of pig slurry and (NH₄)₂SO₄ solution. Mineral-N and pH changes were observed at weekly intervals and inorganic salts media were used to obtain separate estimates of the numbers of NH₄-N- and NO₂-N-oxidizing bacteria. In the acid soil, pig slurry NH₄-N was nitrified to a greater extent than (NH₄)₂SO₄. In the neutral soil, slurry additions resulted in the accumulation of NO₂^?-N and, in one case, the complete inhibition of nitrification for 4 weeks. Slurry raised the pH of both soils more than (NH₄)₂SO₄ and nitrification in the acid soil was most rapid in a 2 week period of elevated pH following slurry applications. Numbers of Nitroxomonas isolated from the acid soil were considered high enough to account for NH₄-N oxidation in slurry-treated samples. Numbers of nitrifiers recovered from the incubated neutral soil samples were variable but frequently high enough (>10⁴/g dry soil) to account for observed rates of nitrification. Results are discussed in relation to heterotrophic nitrification in soils, and the practical implications of spreading slurry on agricultural land.     

Conversion of forest to agricultural land affects the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to nitrification in humid subtropical soils

Land-use and management practices can affect soil nitrification. However, nitrifying microorganisms responsible for specific nitrification process under different land-use soils remains unknown. Thus, we investigated the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to specific soil nitrification in different land-use soils (coniferous forest, upland fields planted with corn and rice paddy) in humid subtropical region in China. ¹⁵N dilution technique in combination with selective biomass inhibitors and C₂H₂ inhibition method were used to estimate the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to heterotrophic nitrification and autotrophic nitrification in the different land-use soils in humid subtropical region. The results showed that autotrophic nitrification was the predominant nitrification process in the two agricultural soils (upland and paddy), while the nitrate production was mainly from heterotrophic nitrification in the acid forest soil. In the upland soils, streptomycin reduced autotrophic nitrification by 94%, whereas cycloheximide had no effect on autotrophic nitrification, indicating that autotrophic nitrification was mainly driven by bacteria. However, the opposite was true in another agricultural soil (paddy), indicating that fungi contributed to the oxidation of NH₄⁺ to NO₃^?. In the acid forest soil, cycloheximide, but not streptomycin, inhibited heterotrophic nitrification, demonstrating that fungi controlled the heterotrophic nitrification. The conversion of forest to agricultural soils resulted in a shift from fungi-dominated heterotrophic nitrification to bacteria- or fungi-dominated autotrophic nitrification. Our results suggest that land-use and management practices, such as the application of N fertilizer and lime, the long-term waterflooding during rice growth, straw return after harvest, and cultivation could markedly influence the relative contribution of bacteria and fungi to specific soil nitrification processes.     

好氧条件下两种水稻土的氮素总转化速率比较

Although to date individual gross N transformations could be quantified by ~(15)N tracing method and models,studies are still limited in paddy soil.An incubation experiment was conducted using topsoil(0-20 cm) and subsoil(20-60 cm) of two paddy soils,alkaline and clay(AC) soil and neutral and silt loam(NSL) soil,to investigate gross N transformation rates.Soil samples were labeled with either ~(15)NH4_NO_3 or NH_4~(15)NO_3,and then incubated at 25 °C for 168 h at 60%water-holding capacity.The gross N mineralization(recalcitrant and labile organic N mineralization) rates in AC soil were 1.6 to 3.3 times higher than that in NSL soil,and the gross N nitrification(autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification) rates in AC soil were 2.4 to 4.4 times higher than those in NSL soil.Although gross NO_3~- consumption(i.e.,NO_3~- immobilization and dissimilatory NO_3~- reduction to NH_4~+ rates increased with increasing gross nitrification rates,the measured net nitrification rate in AC soil was approximately 2.0 to 5.1 times higher than that in NSL soil.These showed that high NO_3~- production capacity of alkaline paddy soil should be a cause for concern because an accumulation of NO_3~- can increase the risk of NO_3~- loss through leaching and denitrification.     

亚热带松林中强酸性土壤自养和异养硝化作用的研究

The occurrence of nitrification in some acidic forest soils is still a subject of debate. Identification of main nitrification pathways in acidic forest soils is still largely unknown. Acidic yellow soil (Oxisol) samples were selected to test whether nitrification can occur or not in acidic subtropical pine forest ecosystems. Relative contributions of autotrophs and heterotrophs to nitrification were studied by adding selective nitrification inhibitor nitrapyrin. Soil NH₄⁺-N concentrations decreased, but NO₃^--N concentrations increased significantly for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation, indicating that nitrification did occur in the acidic subtropical soil. The calculated net nitrification rate was 0.49 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 for the no-nitrapyrin control during the first week of incubation. Nitrapyrin amendment resulted in a significant reduction of NO₃^--N concentration. Autotrophic nitrification rate averaged 0.28 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 and the heterotrophic nitrification rate was 0.21 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in the first week. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) abundance increased slightly during incubation, but nitrapyrin amendment significantly decreased AOB amoA gene copy numbers by about 80%. However, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) abundance showed significant increases only in the last 2 weeks of incubation and it was also decreased by nitrapyrin amendment. Our results indicated that nitrification did occur in the present acidic subtropical pine forest soil, and autotrophic nitrification was the main nitrification pathway. Both AOA and AOB were the active biotic agents responsible for autotrophic nitrification in the acidic subtropical pine forest soil.     

Heterotrophic nitrification is the predominant NO<Stack><Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack> production mechanism in coniferous but not broad-leaf acid forest soil in subtropical China

A study was carried out to investigate the potential gross nitrogen (N) transformations in natural secondary coniferous and evergreen broad-leaf forest soils in subtropical China. The simultaneously occurring gross N transformations in soil were quantified by a ¹⁵N tracing study. The results showed that N dynamics were dominated by NH₄⁺ turnover in both soils. The total mineralization (from labile and recalcitrant organic N) in the broad-leaf forest was more than twice the rate in the coniferous forest soil. The total rate of mineral N production (NH₄⁺ + NO₃⁻) from the large recalcitrant organic N pool was similar in the two forest soils. However, appreciable NO₃⁻ production was only observed in the coniferous forest soil due to heterotrophic nitrification (i.e. direct oxidation of organic N to NO₃⁻), whereas nitrification in broad-leaf forest was little (or negligible). Thus, a distinct shift occurred from predominantly NH₄⁺ production in the broad-leaf forest soil to a balanced production of NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ in the coniferous forest soil. This may be a mechanism to ensure an adequate supply of available mineral N in the coniferous forest soil and most likely reflects differences in microbial community patterns (possibly saprophytic, fungal, activities in coniferous soils). We show for the first time that the high nitrification rate in these soils may be of heterotrophic rather than autotrophic nature. Furthermore, high NO₃⁻ production was only apparent in the coniferous but not in broad-leaf forest soil. This highlights the association of vegetation type with the size and the activity of the SOM pools that ultimately determines whether only NH₄⁺ or also a high NO₃⁻ turnover is present.     

Mineralization of nitrogen in fertilizer-acidified lime-amended soils

Summary The application of NH _inf4 ^su+ -based fertilizers to soils slowly lowers soil pH, which in turn decreases nitrification rates. Under these conditions nitrification and N mineralization may be reduced. We therefore investigated the impact of liming fertilizer-acidified soils on nitrification and N mineralization. Soil samples were collected in the spring of 1987 from a field experiment, initiated in 1980, investigating N, tillage, and residue management under continuous corn (Zea mays L.). The pH values (CaCl₂) in the surface soil originally ranged from 6.0 to 6.5. After 6 years the N fertilizer and tillage treatments had reduced the soil pH to values that ranged between 3.7 and 6.2. Incubation treatments included two liming rates (unlimed or SMP-determined lime requirement), two ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizer rates (0 or 20 g N m^-2), and three replicates. Field-moist soil was mixed with lime and packed by original depth into columns. Labeled-¹⁵N ammonium sulfate in solution was surface-applied and columns were leached with 1.5 pore volumes of deionized water every 7 days over a 70-day period. Nitrification occurred in all pH treatments, suggesting that a ferilizer-acidified soil must contain a low-pH tolerant nitrifier population. Liming increased soil pH values (CaCl₂) from 3.7 to 6.2, and increased by 10% (1.5 g N m^-2) the amount of soil-derived NO₃ ^--N that moved through the columns. This increase was the result of enhanced movement of soil-derived NO₃ ^--N through the columns during the first 14 days of incubation. After the initial 14-day period, the limed and unlimed treatments had similar amounts of soil N leaching through the soil columns. Lime increased the nitrification rates and stimulated the early movement of fertilizer-derived NO₃ ^--N through the soil.     

Effectiveness of dicyandiamide as a nitrification inhibitor in biochar-amended soil

Overuse of nitrogen (N) fertilizers may lead to many environmental issues via N leaching into groundwater and agricultural runoff into surface water. Biochar, a sustainable soil amendment agent, has been widely studied because of its potential to retain moisture and nutrients. However, recent studies have shown that biochar has a very limited ability to improve the retention of negatively charged nitrite (NO₂^-) or nitrate (NO₃^-). Although positively charged ammonium (NH₄⁺) can be better held by biochar, it is usually susceptible to nitrification and can be easily transformed into highly mobile NO₂^-and/or NO₃^-. In practice, dicyandiamide (DCD) has been used to inhibit nitrification, preserving N in its relatively immobile form as NH₄⁺. Therefore, it is likely that the effects of DCD and biochar in soils would be synergistic. In this study, the influences of biochar on the effectiveness of DCD as a nitrification inhibitor in a biochar-amended soil were investigated by combining the experimental results of incubation, adsorption isotherm, and column transport with the simulated results of different mathematical models. Biochar was found to stimulate the degradation of DCD, as the maximum degradation rate slightly increased from 1.237 to 1.276 mg kg^-1 d^-1 but the half-saturation coefficient significantly increased from 5.766 to 9.834 mg kg^-1. Considering the fact that the availability of DCD for nitrification inhibition was continuously decreasing because of its degradation, a novel model assuming non-competitive inhibition was developed to simulate nitrification in the presence of a decreasing amount of DCD. Depending on the environmental conditions, if the degradation of DCD and NH₄⁺ in biochar-amended soil is not significant, improved contact due to the mitigated spatial separation between NH₄⁺ and DCD could possibly enhance the effectiveness of DCD.     

Effects of drying and rewetting on soluble phosphorus and nitrogen in forest floors: An experiment with undisturbed columns

Drying and rewetting (D/W) of soils often resulted in the release of soluble phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N), thereby changing the availability of both nutrients. Most experiments on D/W have been conducted with disturbed mineral soil samples and with rewetting of the soil samples by abrupt change in the water potential. Here, we studied the effect of D/W on the leaching of P and N from undisturbed forest floors of a European beech and a Norway spruce site under near field conditions of desiccation and rewetting. We hypothesized that even under realistic rewetting of undisturbed forest floors, the leaching of P and N is increased after D/W and that the effects are less pronounced for spruce than for beech because of the larger hydrophobicity of the spruce forest floor. Undisturbed forest floor columns were subjected to desiccation at 20°C until a matrix potential of –100 MPa (pF 6.0) was reached, while controls were kept at moist conditions. Columns were irrigated by 22 mm day^?1 from day 1–3 and by 10 mm day^?1 from day 4–14 given in automated short pulses. Leachates from the soil columns were analyzed for orthophosphate, total P, NH₄, NO₃, and total N. In the spruce forest floor the concentrations of total P in leachates and the leachate fluxes were strongly increased after D/W. The increase of solute P was less for beech than for spruce coinciding with less actual rewetting of the beech forest floor. Leaching of total N from the spruce forest floor was not affected by D/W, however, concentrations and leaching of NH₄ increased, while leaching of NO₃ decreased. For beech the leaching of total N and NH₄ increased after D/W, while NO₃ leaching decreased. The results indicate that also under realistic conditions, D/W of forest floors increases solute P and leads to changes in the ratio of NH₄/NO₃ in solution, thereby altering the availability of the nutrients.     

Absorption of Ammonia Released from Poultry Manure to Soil and Bark and the Use of Absorbed Ammonia in Solubilizing Phosphate Rock

Composting systems were designed to utilize ammonia (NH₃) released during composting of poultry manure to solubilize phosphate rock (PR). The NH₃ released from decomposing manure was allowed to pass through columns containing soil or bark materials mixed with North Carolina phosphate rock (NCPR) at a rate of 1 mg P g^?1. After eight weeks of incubation, the columns were dismantled and the forms of P and N in PR/soil or PR/bark mixtures were measured. The dissolution of PR was determined from the increases in the amount of soluble and adsorbed P (resin plus NaOH extractable P) or from the decreases in the residual apatite P (HC1 extractable P).

The amounts of NH₄^+-N in the soil and bark columns increased due to absorption of the NH₃ released from poultry manure. No nitrification of absorbed NH₃ occurred, however, unless the soil or bark were reinoculated with a fresh soil solution and incubated for further six weeks.

In the absence of NH₃ absorption, soil and bark materials dissolved approximately 33 percent and 82 percent of NCPR, respectively. The higher dissolution of NCPR in bark was attributed to its higher exchangeable acidity and Ca sink size. There was no increase in NCPR dissolution during the initial NH₃ absorption phase (36 percent and 85 percent dissolution in soil and bark respectively), which may be due to the absence of nitrification. However, during subsequent reincubation when nitrification occurred, the final dissolution of NCPR in the NH₃ treated soil and bark was slightly higher (41 percent and 100 percent, respectively). Protons (H⁺) are released during the oxidation of NH₄⁺ to NO_3? (nitrification) which promote the dissolution of PR. However, most of the H⁺ released during nitrification was involved with soil and bark pH buffering reactions. Only five to 10 percent was involved in PR solubilization in PR/soil mixtures whereas about 50 percent was involved in PR/bark systems.

Bark covers for poultry manure and poultry manure compost heaps have the potential to reduce NH₃ loss and conserve N and may be useful for other purposes such as PR solubilization.     

烤烟钾素库源关系生理调控措施研究

在大田生产条件下 ,采用单株挂牌设置处理的研究方法 ,研究涂抹生长素与其它不同生长调节剂和烟株顶端调控等措施对烤烟钾吸收及其在库源中再分配的影响。结果表明 ,现蕾后不打顶或打顶结合生长素处理茎断面均有利于不同部位叶片含钾量的提高 ,以打顶结合涂抹生长素效果更好 ;内源生长素和外源生长素都有利于烟株体内的钾素向叶片中分配 ,其中外源生长素的活性更强 ,能更有效地提高烟株叶片的含钾量 ,且涂抹 2次比涂抹 1次的效果好 ,但涂抹次数间差异不显著。     

Nitrification and ammonification in acid forest litter and humus as affected by peptone and ammonium-n amendment

Samples of strongly acid forest litter and humus from beneath Sitka spruce, heather, Scots pine and larch from two sites in north-east Scotland were incubated aerobically at 20°C in the laboratory. At the Glen Tanar site, spruce litter and larch humus showed significant nitrification and ammonification whereas spruce humus and Scots pine humus produced only NH₄⁺-N. Heather humus showed no net mineralization. At the Fetteresso site, application of fertilizer N, P and K to Sitka spruce up to 3 yr previously, significantly stimulated the production of NO₃⁻-N in both litter and humus.Amendment of the samples with organic N as peptone caused significant increases in NO₃⁻-N production in those samples that already showed nitrification. The increases in NO₃⁻-N generally represented a low proportion of the added peptone-N. Amendment with NH₄⁺-N as (NH₄)₂SO₄ either had no effect or significantly reduced NO₃⁻-N production (in larch humus). The results suggest the occurrence of heterotrophic nitrification in some of these forest samples.Net immobilization of NH₄⁺-N was typically greater in NH₄⁺-N amended than in peptone amended samples, except for heather humus which showed complete immobilization of both N sources.Total mineral N produced at the end of the aerobic incubation was correlated (P < 0.01) with NH₄⁺-N produced during a 30-day anaerobic incubation at 30°C. Net NO₃⁻-N production was greater in litter than in the corresponding humus samples and was correlated (P < 0.001) with initial organic N soluble in 1 m KCl.     

不同氮肥在石灰性潮土中的转化及ATS对尿素氮转化的调控效应

根据氮肥施入土壤后的转化特性进行氮肥的高效调控和管理是提高氮肥利用效率、缓解氮肥污染的重要措施。为探究不同氮肥在石灰性潮土中的转化特性差异及硫代硫酸铵（ammonium thiosulfate，ATS）作为氮肥调控剂对尿素氮转化的影响，该研究采用室内土壤培养（土壤水分含量为田间持水量的60%，温度25 ℃）试验方法，以尿素、硫酸铵、氯化铵和ATS作为供试肥料，比较4种氮肥施入石灰性潮土后的转化特性差异，并以ATS作为氮素调控剂，以单施尿素作为对照，探究尿素配施不同用量ATS对尿素氮转化的影响。结果表明，4种供试氮肥在石灰性潮土中的转化过程明显不同。尿素在石灰性潮土中的水解速率最快，硝化作用强度也最高，硫酸铵其次；氯化铵由于Cl^-的硝化抑制作用，土壤表观硝化率在7～21 d显著低于尿素和硫酸铵（P＜0.05）；ATS施入土壤后，NH₄⁺-N转化为NO₂^--N的速率最高，而NO₂^--N转化为NO₃^--N的速率最低，NH₄⁺-N在土壤中的存留时间最长，出现峰值之后也一直保持最高的含量，表观硝化率最低。将ATS作为氮素调控剂与尿素配合施用，当其用量在60 mg/kg（含S量）以上时，既表现出了明显的抑制尿素水解的作用效果，也表现出了显著的硝化抑制作用（ P <0.05），且随着ATS用量的增加，抑制效应明显增强。这对于减少氮素损失，提高氮肥利用效率具有积极意义。但供试4种氮肥施入土壤后均出现了亚硝酸盐的累积，其中ATS处理的累积量显著高于尿素、硫酸铵和氯化铵（P＜0.05），累积持续时间也最长。ATS作为氮素调控剂调控氮素转化，也出现了类似的结果，且随着ATS用量增加，亚硝酸盐在土壤中存留时间明显延长，含量和峰值明显提高，出现峰值的时间也明显延后。     

Nitrate leaching in an Atlantic Coastal Plain soil amended with poultry manure or urea-ammonium nitrate: Influence of thiosulfate

Nitrate leaching, which can lead to groundwater contamination, is a common occurrence, especially in sandy, well drained soils. Nitrogen from poultry manure (PM) and ammonium fertilizers has been shown to undergo rapid nitrification upon addition to soils, making it highly susceptible to nitrate leaching. Any management technique that could delay nitrification and thereby reduce nitrate leaching would be desirable. Ammonium thiosulfate has been shown to be an effective nitrification inhibitor in laboratory studies and may be useful in reducing nitrate leaching. Soil columns, 75 cm long and inner diameter 19.6 cm, were packed with a reconstituted profile of a Rumford loamy sand and amended with urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) or PM. Corn was grown in the columns to create a dynamic soil/plant system. Columns were placed in a greenhouse and were leached periodically for a period of 10 weeks with deionized water in amounts intended to simulate early spring and summer rainfall patterns in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Column leachates, as well as plant and soil samples were collected and analyzed for NO₃-N and NH₄-N. Nitrate-N leaching was largely dependent upon the amount of water moving through the system. Ammonium thiosulfate did not significantly decrease NO₃-N leaching or increase plant N uptake when used in combination with UAN or PM. Comparable amounts of NO₃-N leaching were observed for the UAN and the PM treated column. Additionally, large amounts of NO₃-N leaching were observed with the control columns, suggesting that residual soil N from previous crops can contribute significantly to NO₃-N leaching and may deserve further investigation.     

Retention and Leaching of Elevated N Deposition in a Forest Ecosystem with Gleysols

The responses of nitrogen transformations and nitrate (NO_{_3} ^-) leaching to experimentally increased N deposition were studied in forested sub-catchments (1500 m²) with Gleysols in Central Switzerland. The aim was toinvestigate whether the increase in NO₃ ^- leaching,due to elevated N deposition, was hydrologically driven orresulted from N saturation of the forest ecosystem.Three years of continuous N addition at a rate of 30 kgNH₄NO₃-N ha^-1 yr^-1 had no effects on bulksoil N, on microbial biomass N, on K₂SO₄-extractableN concentrations in the soil, and on net nitrification rates.In contrast, N losses from the ecosystem through denitrification and NO₃ ^- leaching increased significantly. Nitrate leaching was 4 kg N ha^-1yr^-1at an ambient N deposition of 18 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1.Leaching of NO₃ ^- at elevated N deposition was 8 kg Nha^-1 yr^-1. Highest NO₃ ^- leaching occurredduring snowmelt. Ammonium was effectively retained within theuppermost centimetres of the soil as shown by the absence ofNH₄ ⁺ in the soil solution collected with microsuction cups. Quantifying the N fluxes indicated that 80% ofthe added N were retained in the forest ecosystem.Discharge and NO₃ ^- concentrations of the outflow from the sub-catchments responded to rainfall within 30 min. The water chemistry of the sub-catchment outflow showed thatduring storms, a large part of the runoff from this Gleysol derived from precipitation and from water which had interactedonly with the topsoil. This suggests a dominance of near-surface flow and/or preferential transport through this soil. The contact time of the water with the soil matrix wassufficient to retain NH₄ ⁺, but insufficient for a complete retention of NO₃ ^-. At this site with soilsclose to water saturation, the increase in NO₃ ^- leaching by 4 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 through elevated N inputsappeared to be due to the bypassing of the soil and the rootsystem rather than to a soil-internal N surplus.     

农田土壤中氮同位素分级与硝化能力的关系研究

A laboratory-based aerobic incubation was conducted to investigate nitrogen(N) isotopic fractionation related to nitrification in five agricultural soils after application of ammonium sulfate((NH4)2SO4). The soil samples were collected from a subtropical barren land soil derived from granite(RGB),three subtropical upland soils derived from granite(RQU),Quaternary red earth(RGU),Quaternary Xiashu loess(YQU) and a temperate upland soil generated from alluvial deposit(FAU). The five soils varied in nitrification potential,being in the order of FAU YQU RGU RQU RGB. Significant N isotopic fractionation accompanied nitrification of NH+4. δ15N values of NH+4 increased with enhanced nitrification over time in the four upland soils with NH+4 addition,while those of NO-3 decreased consistently to the minimum and thereafter increased. δ15N values of NH+4 showed a significantly negative linear relationship with NH+4-N concentration,but a positive linear relationship with NO-3-N concentration. The apparent isotopic fractionation factor calculated based on the loss of NH+4 was 1.036 for RQU,1.022 for RGU,1.016 for YQU,and 1.020 for FAU,respectively. Zero- and first-order reaction kinetics seemed to have their limitations in describing the nitrification process affected by NH+4 input in the studied soils. In contrast,N kinetic isotope fractionation was closely related to the nitrifying activity,and might serve as an alternative tool for estimating the nitrification capacity of agricultural soils.     

Soil NO3-N production and immobilization affected by NH4-N,glycine, and NO3-N addition in different forest types in Shikoku,southern Japan

The characteristics of production and immobilization of NO₃-N were evaluated for soils from four forest types in Kochi Prefecture, southern Japan. Net NO₃-N production during the laboratory incubation differed among the soils from the four forest types, being high under Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and deciduous hardwood, and negligible under Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) and hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher). Nitrification under Japanese cedar and hardwood was mainly autotrophic based on the fact that nitrification was inhibited by acetylene or nitrapyrin, and was not affected by cycloheximide. Net NO₃-N production in these soils increased by glycine addition, but did not increase appreciably by NH₄Cl addition. However, net NO₃-N production increased after the addition of CaCO₃ with NH₄Cl. These results indicate that the substrate of nitrification is NH₃ rather than NH₄ ⁺ and that the added NH₄ ⁺ is not utilized by nitrifiers at low pH values. With NO₃-N addition to soils under red pine and hinoki cypress, immobilization of NO₃-N was observed followed by rapid production of NH₄-N. These findings suggested that mobile NO₃-N can be converted to less mobile NH₄-N by the activities of soil microorganisms. This microbial process may play an important role in retaining nitrogen within forest ecosystems where the potential of N loss is high due to the high precipitation in the area.     

Denitrification and C,N mineralization as function of temperature and moisture potential in organic and mineral horizons of an acid spruce forest soil

The influence of temperature (T) and water potential (ψ) on the denitrification potential, C and N mineralization and nitrification were studied in organic and mineral horizons of an acid spruce forest soil. The amount of N₂O emitted from organic soil was 10 times larger than from the mineral one. The maximum of N₂O emission was in both soils at the highest water potential 0 MPa and at 20°C. CO₂ production in the organic soil was 2 times higher than in mineral soil. Net ammonification in organic soil was negative for most of the T‒ψ variations, while in mineral soil it was positive. Net nitrification in organic soil was negative only at the maximum water potential and temperature (0 MPa, 28°C). The highest rate was between 0 and −0.3 MPa and between 20 and 28°C. In mineral soil NO₃⁻ accumulated at all T‒ψ variations with a maximum at 20^oC and −0.3 MPa. We concluded that in organic soil the immobilization of NH₄⁺ is the dominant process in the N‒cycling. Nevertheless, decreasing of total N mineralized at 0 MPa and 20—28^oC can be explained by denitrification.     

尿素和KNO3对水稻土无机氮转化过程和产物的影响 Ⅰ无机氮转化过程

用15N分别标记尿素和KNO3,研究了淹水条件下 ,黄泥土和红壤性水稻土的无机氮转化过程及尿素和KNO3对氮素转化过程的影响。结果表明 ,淹水条件下 ,土壤中存在15NH 4 的成对硝化和反硝化过程。红壤性水稻土15NH 4 硝化只检测到15NO- 2 ,但有反硝化产物15N2 生成 ,因此 ,很可能存在着好气反硝化过程。15NO- 3浓度的下降符合一级反应方程 ,黄泥土的速率常数几乎是红壤性水稻土的 1 0倍。反硝化过程和DNRA过程共同参与15NO- 3的还原。加入尿素提高土壤pH ,增加黄泥土DNRA过程对反硝化过程的基质竞争能力 ,但反硝化过程仍占绝对优势。加入尿素或KNO3改变土壤pH是导致对无机氮转化影响有所不同的主要原因 ,浓度的作用较为次要。     

Simultaneous nitrification and diffusion in soil. III. The effects of the addition of ammonium sulphate

The simultaneous nitrification and diffusion of NH₄⁺, applied as ammonium sulphate to laboratory columns, was followed experimentally and with a simulation model. Ammonium was applied as a fertilizer band at levels equivalent to 69 kg N ha^?1 to a 1 cm depth. The concentration profiles of NH₄⁺, NO₃^?, SO^2?₄ and pH were measured in two columns for incubation times of 214 and 286 h. The simulation model provided for the precipitation and ion pair formation of CaSO₄, the adsorption equilibria of NH₄⁺ and soil acid with the soil solid phase, and nitrifier growth and activity. In general, good agreement was found between the experimental and simulated concentration profiles. The effect of CaSO₄ precipitation on the diffusion of N was investigated using model simulations of the diffusion of NH₄⁺ in the absence of nitrification. The simulations suggested that the reactions of SO^2?4 in the soil could markedly affect the spread of NH₄⁺ from a band of (NH₄)₂SO₄.