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Carbon and nitrogen mineralization of white clover plants ( Trifolium repens ) of different age during aerobic incubation with soil
Author(s) -
Kirchmann Holger,
Bergqvist Roger
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
zeitschrift für pflanzenernährung und bodenkunde
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 0044-3263
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.19891520303
Subject(s) - mineralization (soil science) , trifolium repens , nitrogen , incubation , chemistry , nitrogen cycle , tops , lignin , agronomy , zoology , botany , mineralogy , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry , polymer chemistry , spinning
Abstract A 4‐month aerobic incubation experiment was conducted measuring carbon and nitrogen mineralization from white clover in soil at 25°C and optimal moisture conditions. Cumulative carbon mineralization from clover followed a double exponential function and was similar for tops and roots amounting to 77.5% of non‐lignin carbon initially present. Rate constants for the rapidly and slowly mineralized carbon fractions amounted to 0.21 d −1 and 0.02 d −1 respectively and were identical for tops and roots. Cumulative mineralization of nitrogen followed single first‐order kinetics and was lower for older tops (31%) than younger ones (42%) and roots mineralized least relative amounts (28%). Rate constants of nitrogen mineralization from tops of different ages were fairly similar (0.058 d −1 ) whereas those for roots were lower (0.035 d −1 ). A simple predictive measure for potential N mineralization of plant material was proposed assuming a C/N ratio of 8 in the stabilized material and a constant fraction of the non‐lignin carbon to be mineralized.