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Substrate type, temperature, and moisture content affect gross and net N mineralization and nitrification rates in agroforestry systems

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Abstract

Accurate prediction of soil N availability requires a sound understanding of the effects of environmental conditions and management practices on the microbial activities involved in N mineralization. We determined the effects of soil temperature and moisture content and substrate type and quality (resulting from long-term pasture management) on soluble organic C content, microbial biomass C and N contents, and the gross and net rates of soil N mineralization and nitrification. Soil samples were collected at 0–10 cm from two radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) silvopastoral treatments (with an understorey pasture of lucerne, Medicago sativa L., or ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.) and bare ground (control) in an agroforestry field experiment and were incubated under three moisture contents (100, 75, 50% field capacity) and three temperatures (5, 25, 40 °C) in the laboratory. The amount of soluble organic C released at 40 °C was 2.6- and 2.7-fold higher than the amounts released at 25 °C and 5 °C, respectively, indicating an enhanced substrate decomposition rate at elevated temperature. Microbial biomass C:N ratios varied from 4.6 to 13.0 and generally increased with decreasing water content. Gross N mineralization rates were significantly higher at 40 °C (12.9 μg) than at 25 °C (3.9 μg) and 5 °C (1.5 μg g−1 soil day−1); and net N mineralization rates were also higher at 40 °C than at 25 °C and 5 °C. The former was 7.5-, 34-, and 29-fold higher than the latter at the corresponding temperature treatments. Gross nitrification rates among the temperature treatments were in the order 25 °C >40 °C >5 °C, whilst net nitrification rates were little affected by temperature. Temperature and substrate type appeared to be the most critical factors affecting the gross rates of N mineralization and nitrification, soluble organic C, and microbial biomass C and N contents. Soils from the lucerne and ryegrass plots mostly had significantly higher gross and net mineralization and nitrification rates, soluble organic C, and microbial biomass C and N contents than those from the bare ground, because of the higher soil C and N status in the pasture soils. Strong positive correlations were obtained between gross and net rates of N mineralization, between soluble organic C content and the net and gross N mineralization rates, and between microbial biomass N and C contents.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Lincoln University (New Development Fund) and Brian Mason Scientific Trust (New Zealand) for funding this project and Prof. P. Brookes and Munib Akhtar for helpful discussion in the preparation of this manuscript. Two anonymous reviewers’ comments helped improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Enhanced Forest Management, Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 442 Earth Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E3, Canada

    S. X. Chang

  2. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Gate 10, Silverdale Road, P.O. Box 11-115, Hamilton, New Zealand

    M. Zaman

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  1. M. Zaman
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Correspondence to S. X. Chang.

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Zaman, M., Chang, S.X. Substrate type, temperature, and moisture content affect gross and net N mineralization and nitrification rates in agroforestry systems. Biol Fertil Soils 39, 269–279 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0716-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-003-0716-0

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