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Gaseous Losses of Nitrogen from Freshly Wetted Desert Soils
Author(s) -
Macgregor A. N.
Publication year - 1972
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/sssaj1972.03615995003600040028x
Subject(s) - loam , soil water , nitrogen , volatilisation , nitrate , environmental chemistry , chemistry , soil science , environmental science , organic chemistry
On the basis of manometric data and mass spectrometer analyses, N 2 and N 2 O were formed when samples from the dry surface of two semiarid soils were moistened and incubated under argon for 22 to 42 hours at 38C. Of the endogenous soil nitrate‐N present in each soil, approximately 60% was volatilized by Pima clay loam (agriculture soil) and 0.6% was volatilized by Sonoita sandy loam (virgin desert soil). When either soil was amended with organic carbon, more gaseous nitrogen (N 2 and N 2 O) was evolved than could be accounted for in terms of the initial level of endogenous nitrate. In 15 N‐experiments, N 2 O was derived primarily from nitrate. However, although significant amounts of N 2 O were evolved by both soils, much of the N 2 O was unlabelled further suggesting nonnitrate sources play a role in volatilization of nitrogen from the soils under study.