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The Effect of Nitrite and Organic Matter on Aerobic Gaseous Losses of Nitrogen from a Calcareous Soil
Author(s) -
Meek B. D.,
MacKenzie A. J.
Publication year - 1965
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1965.03615995002900020019x
Subject(s) - laboratory flask , nitrite , chemistry , loam , straw , nitrogen , calcareous , incubation , organic matter , environmental chemistry , nitrification , nitrogen gas , soil water , inorganic chemistry , botany , nitrate , organic chemistry , soil science , biochemistry , environmental science , biology
The loss of gaseous nitrogen compounds when nitrite accumulates in a calcareous silty clay loam during nitrification was investigated under aerobic conditions. Soil to which either (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , NaNO 2 , or (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 + barley straw was added, was incubated at 28C and 31% moisture for 28 days. Samples were maintained under aerobic conditions in a N‐free atmosphere of 21% oxygen and 79% helium. Gas samples were taken every 7 days from the incubation flasks and analyzed, using a gas chromatograph, for gaseous N products evolved. The accumulation of nitrite was measured on separate soil samples incubated in the same manner as the flasks used to secure gas samples. The gaseous N forms produced were N 2 O and N 2 . It was found that losses were low even when large amounts (250 ppm) of nitrite‐N accumulated. The gaseous N loss was 1.3% for (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 and NaNO 2 and 3.6% for the (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 + barley straw treatment.