Effects of plants on net mineralization of nitrogen in forest soil microcosms

Summary The effects of plant roots on net N mineralization were examined by comparing soil microcosms with and without plants. Additionally, inorganic N amendments were used to test for competition for N between plants and microorganisms. Daily watering and the application of suction to microcosms eliminated the effects of transpiration on soil moisture content. Monthly litter collections reduced the influence of the aboveground portions of plants. Plants decreased net N mineralization by 23% during days 0–114 and then increased net mineralization by the same amount during days 144–124. Root-free soil collected from with-plant microcosms on day 244 evolved 24% more CO₂ in laboratory incubations than soil from without-plant microcosms. This indicates that plants had increased substrate availability to soil microorganisms. Inorganic N amendments had no significant effects on the microcosms or on laboratory soil incubations. Evidence is most consistent with the hypothesis that plant roots increased microbial activity due to the increased substrate availability. Different net N mineralization rates probably resulted from changes in the substrate C : N ratio.