Microbial C,N, and P relationships in moisture‐stressed soils of Potohar,Pakistan |
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Authors: | Khalid Saifullah Khan Rainer Georg Joergensen |
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Abstract: | In 11 rain‐fed arable soils of the Potohar plateau, Pakistan, the amounts of microbial‐biomass C (Cmic), biomass N (Nmic), and biomass P (Pmic) were analyzed in relation to the element‐specific total storage compartment, i.e., soil Corg, Nt, and Pt. The effects of climatic conditions and soil physico‐chemical properties on these relationships were highlighted with special respect to crop yield levels. Average contents of soil Corg, Nt, and Pt were 3.9, 0.32, and 0.61 mg (g soil)–1, respectively. Less than 1% of Pt was extractable with 0.5 M NaHCO3. Mean contents of Cmic, Nmic, and Pmic were 118.4, 12.0, and 3.9 µg (g soil)–1. Values of Cmic, Nmic, Pmic, soil Corg, and Nt were all highly significantly interrelated. The mean crop yield level was closely connected with all soil organic matter– and microbial biomass–related properties, but showed also some influence by the amount of precipitation from September to June. Also the fraction of NaHCO3‐extractable P was closely related to soil organic matter, soil microbial biomass, and crop yield level. This reveals the overwhelming importance of biological processes for P turnover in alkaline soils. |
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Keywords: | microbial biomass soil organic C total N crop yield level precipitation |
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