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Nitrogen turnover in bare soil planted subsequently with grass as investigated by electro‐ultrafiltration (EUF)
Author(s) -
Maci Ardian,
Rroço Evan,
Kosegarten Harald,
Mengel Konrad
Publication year - 2007
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.200625079
Subject(s) - chemistry , ammonium , zoology , nitrogen , agronomy , lolium multiflorum , soil water , sowing , environmental science , soil science , biology , organic chemistry
Changes of EUF‐extractable nitrogen (N) (nitrate, ammonium, organic N) in 20 arable bare soils, subsequently planted with ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum L.) and cutting three times were investigated in pot experiments. All 20 soils responded qualitatively in the same way. During the period of bare soil, there was a significant increase of EUF‐extractable nitrate (EUF NO $ _3^- $ ), while extractable ammonium (EUF NH $ _4^+ $ ) remained on the same level and organic N (EUF N org ) decreased. This decrease, however, was not significant. From sowing until the first cutting of the grass, EUF‐NO $ _3^- $ concentration decreased to almost zero. This low EUF‐NO $ _3^- $ level was maintained throughout the subsequent experimental period (three cuttings of grass). During the growth of the first cutting, EUF N org decreased while EUF NH $ _4^+ $ remained constant, however, on a low level. EUF NH $ _4^+ $ fell during the growth of the second and third cutting. In this period, however, the N supply of the grass was insufficient. EUF N org decreased during the growth of the second cutting, but increased during the growth of the third cutting. This shows that the EUF‐N org fraction represents a transient pool, which gains and loses N. EUF NO $ _3^- $ , EUF NH $ _4^+ $ , and EUF N org correlated with the N uptake of the grass. Strongest correlation for EUF NO $ _3^- $ was found for the first cutting ( p < 0.001), and for EUF NH $ _4^+ $ and EUF N org for the second and third cutting ( p < 0.001). Total soil N was not correlated with the N uptake of the grass. EUF N org was only about 2% of the total N. This relatively small EUF‐N org fraction, however, is relevant for the mineralization of organic soil N, and the N quantity indicated by EUF N org is in the range of the N amount mineralized in arable soils within a growing season.