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Fixation of added ammonium and nitrification of fixed ammonium in soil clays
Author(s) -
Blasco M. L.,
Cornfield A. H.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740171010
Subject(s) - nitrification , kaolinite , ammonium , montmorillonite , chemistry , clay minerals , soil water , ammonia , environmental chemistry , mineralogy , nitrogen , environmental science , soil science , organic chemistry
Under wet conditions there was no fixation of added ammonium by soil‐clays (< 2μ fraction) extracted from Colombian soils. The extent of average fixation by the clays was approximately in the ratio 1 : 12 : 16, when air‐drying, oven‐drying (100°), and five cycles of wetting and oven‐drying were used. The highest fixation occurred in clays which contained montmorillonite and the lowest in those which contained kaolinite as the main clay minerals. The extent of nitrification of fixed ammonium during incubation under aerobic conditions for 6 weeks ranged from 6% to 88% of the fixed ammonium, and was not related to the main types of clays present.