ISSN:
1432-0789
Keywords:
Microbial biomass
;
Soil enzymes
;
N mineralization
;
Grassland soils
;
Nitrogen leaching
;
Root growth
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Geosciences
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract High rates of cattle slurry application induce NO inf3 sup- leaching from grassland soils. Therefore, field and lysimeter trials were conducted at Gumpenstein (Austria) to determine the residual effect of various rates of cattle slurry on microbial biomass, N mineralization, activities of soil enzymes, root densities, and N leaching in a grassland soil profile (Orthic Luvisol, sandy silt, pH 6.6). The cattle slurry applications corresponded to rates of 0, 96, 240, and 480 kg N ha-1. N leaching was estimated in the lysimeter trial from 1981 to 1991. At a depth of 0.50 m, N leaching was elevated in the plot with the highest slurry application. In October 1991, deeper soil layers (0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–40, and 40–50 cm) from control and slurry-amended plots (480 kg N ha-1) were investigated. Soil biological properties decreased with soil depth. N mineralization, nitrification, and enzymes involved in N cycling (protease, deaminase, and urease) were enhanced significantly (P〈0.05) at all soil depths of the slurry-amended grassland. High rates of cattle slurry application reduced the weight of root dry matter and changed the root distribution in the different soil layers. In the slurry-amended plots the roots were mainly located in the topsoil (0–10 cm). As a result of this study, low root densities and high N mineralization rates are held to be the main reasons for NO inf3 sup- leaching after heavy slurry applications on grassland.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00336437
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