Premium
Temperature and pH as Limiting Factors in Loss of Nitrate from Saturated Atlantic Coastal Plain Soils
Author(s) -
Gilliam J. W.,
Gambrell R. P.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1978.00472425000700040012x
Subject(s) - soil water , nitrate , coastal plain , environmental science , limiting , organic matter , environmental chemistry , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , chemistry , geology , ecology , biology , mechanical engineering , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
Nitrate reduction rates under water‐saturated conditions were determined for two acid Atlantic Coastal Plain topsoils and their acid subsoils at 5, 15, and 25°C. Nitrate reduction readily occurred in subsoils even at pH values of 4.5 when an energy source was added. It was concluded that the acid pH values which commonly occur in Atlantic Coastal Plain soils is not a serious limiting factor in NO 3 − reduction. The temperatures of 5 to 15°C which exist in the shallow ground water of the Atlantic Coastal Plain soils during much of the winter limits the rate of NO 3 − reduction. Nitrate reduction can occur in these soils at 5°C but the rate is relatively slow and is highly dependent upon the amount of available C. A significant amount of NO 3 − reduction can be expected during the winter in poorly drained soils which contain relatively high organic matter contents.