ISSN:
1432-0789
Keywords:
Freezing and thawing of soils
;
Nitrogen mineralization
;
Microbial biomass
;
Ninhydrin-reactive N
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Geosciences
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Summary In humid regions of the United States there is considerable interest in the use of late spring (April–June) soil NO 3 − concentrations to estimate fertilizer N requirements. However, little information is available on the environmental factors that influence soil NO 3 − concentrations in late winter/early spring. The influence of freeze-thaw treatments on N mineralization was studied on several central Iowa soils. The soils were subjected to temperatures of-20°C or 5°C for 1 week followed by 0–20 days of incubation at various temperatures. The release of soluble ninhydrin-reactive N, the N mineralization rate, and net N mineralization (mineral N flush) were observed. The freeze-thaw treatment resulted in a significant increase in the N mineralization rate and mineral N flush. The N mineralization rate in the freeze-thaw treated soils remained higher than in non-frozen soils for 3–6 days when thawed soils were incubated at 25°C and for up to 20 days in thawed soils incubated at 5°C. The freeze-thaw treatments resulted in a significant release of ninhydrin-reactive N. These values were closely correlated with the mineral N flush (r 2=0.84). The release of ninhydrin-reactive N was more closely correlated with biomass N (r 2=0.80) than total N (r 2=0.65). Our results suggest that freeze-thaw events in soil disrupt microbial tissues in a similar way to drying and re-wetting or chloroform fumigation. Thus the level of mineral N released was directly related to the soil microbial biomass. We conclude that net N mineralization following a spring thaw may provide a significant portion of the total NO 3 − present in the soil profile.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00336260
