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Soil moisture condition and soil nitrogen dynamics in a pure Alnus japonica forest in Korea

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Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the influences of soil-moisture conditions on soil nitrogen (N) dynamics, including in situ soil N mineralization, N availability, and denitrification in a pure Alnus japonica forest located in Seoul, central Korea. The soil N mineralization, N availability, and denitrification were determined using the buried bag incubation method, ion exchange resin bag method, and acetylene block method, respectively. The annual net N mineralization rate (kg N ha−1 year−1) and annual N availability (mg N bag−1) were 40.26 and 80.65 in the relatively dry site, −5.43 and 45.39 in the moist site, and 7.09 and 39.17 in the wet site, respectively. The annual net N mineralization rate and annual N availability in the dry site were significantly higher than those in the moist and wet sites, whereas there was no significant difference between the moist and wet sites. The annual mean denitrification rate (kg N ha−1 year−1) in the dry, moist, and wet sites was 2.37, 2.76, and 1.59, respectively. However, there was no significant difference among sites due to the high spatial and temporal variations. Our results indicate that soil-moisture condition influenced the in situ N mineralization and resin bag N availability in an A. japonica forest, and treatments of proper drainage for poorly drained sites would increase soil N mineralization and N availability and consequently be useful to conserve and manage the A. japonica forest.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Seoul Metropolitan Government (No. 2007-221) and by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation A3 Foresight Program (Grant No. A307-K001). The authors thank Dohyoung Kim, Tae Kyung Yoon, and Sarah Abdul Razak for their assistance in the laboratory and field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 136-701, Korea

    Kyung Won Seo, Su Jin Heo, Yowhan Son, Nam Jin Noh & Sue Kyoung Lee

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Konkuk University, Seoul, 143-701, Korea

    Chun Gyeong Yoon

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  1. Kyung Won Seo
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  2. Su Jin Heo
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  3. Yowhan Son
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  4. Nam Jin Noh
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  5. Sue Kyoung Lee
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  6. Chun Gyeong Yoon
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Correspondence to Yowhan Son.

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Seo, K.W., Heo, S.J., Son, Y. et al. Soil moisture condition and soil nitrogen dynamics in a pure Alnus japonica forest in Korea. Landscape Ecol Eng 7, 93–99 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-010-0119-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-010-0119-y

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