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Changes in soil–biological quality indices after long‐term addition of shredded shrubs and biogenic waste compost
Author(s) -
Quintern Michael,
Lein Marcus,
Joergensen Rainer G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of plant nutrition and soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.644
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1522-2624
pISSN - 1436-8730
DOI - 10.1002/jpln.200521801
Subject(s) - compost , biomass (ecology) , chemistry , agronomy , organic matter , amendment , soil organic matter , soil quality , human fertilization , zoology , soil water , environmental science , biology , soil science , organic chemistry , political science , law
Long‐term effects on soil chemical and soil biological properties were analyzed after an 8 y period with addition of biogenic household‐waste compost and shredded shrubs with and without N fertilization to an arable field. The addition of compost and shredded shrubs to soil increased significantly all soil organic matter–related properties. The effects of compost addition on soil chemical properties were in most cases stronger than those of adding shredded shrubs, especially the effects on total N, 0.5 M K 2 SO 4 ‐extractable C org and 0.5 M NaHCO 3 ‐extractable phosphate. In the shredded‐shrubs treatments, basal respiration and the contents of soil microbial‐biomass C, biomass N, and fungal ergosterol were significantly increased by 40%, 45%, 67%, and 90%, respectively. In the compost treatment, only microbial‐biomass C and biomass N were significantly increased by 25% and 38%, respectively. Microbial‐biomass P remained unaffected by both organic‐amendment treatments. Nitrogen fertilization had significantly negative effects on the NaHCO 3 ‐extractable P fraction (–22%) and on the basal respiration (–31%), but positive effects on the ergosterol content (+17%).