Skip to main content

Simulation of C and N mineralisation during crop residue decomposition: A simple dynamic model based on the C:N ratio of the residues

Plant and Soil volume 228, pages 83–103 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

C and N mineralisation kinetics obtained in laboratory incubations during decomposition of crop residues under non-limiting nitrogen conditions were simulated using a simple dynamic model. This model includes three compartments: the residues, microbial biomass and humified organic matter. Seven parameters are used to describe the C and N fluxes. The decomposed C is either mineralised as CO2 or assimilated by the soil microflora, microbial decay producing both C humification and secondary C mineralisation. The N dynamics are governed by the C rates and the C:N ratio of the compartments which remain constant in the absence of nitrogen limitation. The model was parameterised using apparent C and N mineralisation kinetics obtained for 27 different residues (organs of oilseed rape plants) that exhibited very wide variations in chemical composition and nitrogen content. Except for the C:N ratio of the residues and the soil organic matter, the other five parameters of the model were obtained by non-linear fitting and by minimising the differences between observed and simulated values of CO2 and mineral N. Three parameters, namely the decomposition rate constant of the residues, the biomass C:N ratio and humification rate, were strongly correlated with the residues C:N ratio. Hyperbolic relationships were established between these parameters and the residues C:N ratio. In contrast, the other two parameters, i.e. the decay rate of the microbial biomass and the assimilation yield of residue-C by the microbial biomass, were not correlated to the residues C:N ratio and were, therefore, fixed in the model. The model thus parameterised against the residue C:N ratio as a unique criterion, was then evaluated on a set of 48 residues. An independent validation was obtained by taking into account 21 residues which had not been used for the parameterisation. The kinetics of apparent C and N mineralisation were reasonably well simulated by the model. The model tended to over-estimate carbon mineralisation which could limit its use for C predictions, but the kinetics of N immobilisation or mineralisation due to decomposition of residues in soil were well predicted. The model indicated that the C:N ratio of decomposers increased with the residue C:N ratio. Higher humification was predicted for substrates with lower C:N ratios. This simple dynamic model effectively predicts N evolution during crop residue decomposition in soil.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Adams T Mc and Laughlin R J 1981 The effects of agronomy on the carbon and nitrogen contained in the soil biomass. J. Agric. Sci. Camb. 97, 319-327.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambus P and Jensen E S 1997 Nitrogen mineralization and denitrification as influenced by crop residue particle size. Plant Soil 197, 261-270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andriulo A, Mary B and Guérif G 1999 Modelling soil carbon dynamics with various cropping sequences on the rolling pampas. Agronomie 19, 365-377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrén O and Paustian K 1987 Barley straw decomposition in the field: a comparison of models. Ecology 68, 1190-1200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ayanaba A, Tuckwell D S and Jenkinson D S 1976 The effect of clearing and cropping on the organic reserves and biomass of tropical forest soils. Soil Biol. Biochem. 8, 519-525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baize D 1995 Le référentiel pédologique. INRA Editions, Versailles, France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradbury N J, Whitmore A P, Hart P B S and Jenkinson D S 1993 Modelling the fate of nitrogen in crop and soil in the year following application of 15N-labelled fertilizer to winter wheat. J. Agric. Sci. Camb. 121, 363-379.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer E and Van Kessel C 1992 Seasonal microbial dynamics after addition of lentil and wheat residues. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 56, 1141-1146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brisson N, Mary B, Ripoche D, Jeuffroy M H, Ruget F, Gate P, Devienne F, Antonioletti R, Durr C, Nicoullaud B, Richard G, Beaudoin N, Recous S, Tayot X, Plenet D, Cellier P, Machet J M, Meynard J M and Delecolle R 1998 STICS: A generic model for the simulation of crops and their water and nitrogen balance. I. Theory and parameterisation applied to wheat and corn. Agronomie 18, 311-346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaussod R, Nicolardot B and Catroux G 1986 Mesure en routine de la biomasse microbienne des sols par la méthode de fumigation au chloroforme. Sci. Sol, 2, 201-211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesson A 1997 Plant degradation by ruminants: Parallels with litter decomposition in soils. In Driven by Nature: Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition. Eds. G Cadisch and KE Giller. pp 47–66. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chotte J L, Ladd J N and Amato M 1998 Sites of microbial assimilation and turnover of soluble and particulate 14C-labelled substrates decomposing in a clay soil. Soil Biol. Biochem. 30, 205-218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Constantinides M and Fownes J H 1994 Nitrogen mineralization from leaves and litter of tropical plants: Relationship to nitrogen, lignin and soluble polyphenol concentrations. Soil Biol. Biochem. 26, 49-55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbeels M, Hofman G and Van Cleemput O 1999 Simulation of net N immobilisation and mineralisation in substrate-amended soils by the NCSOIL computer model. Biol. Fertil. Soils 28, 422-430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford D L, Floyd S and Pometto A L 1977 Degradation of natural and kraft lignins by the microflora of soil and water. Can. J. Microbiol. 23, 434-440.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Neve S and Hofman G 1996 Modelling N mineralization of vegetable crop residues during laboratory incubation. Soil Biol. Biochem. 28, 1451-1457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dendooven L and Vlassak K 1994 Mineralization of sugar beet and bean residues in laboratory incubations, comparison of measured and simulated results. In Nitrogen Mineralization in Agricultural Soil. Eds. J J Neeteson and J Hassink. pp 269-274. AB-DLO, Haren, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankenberger Jr WT and Abdelmagid HM 1985 Kinetics parameters of nitrogen mineralization rates of leguminous incorporated into soil. Plant Soil 87, 257-271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Handayanto E, Cadish G and Giller K E 1994 Nitrogen release from prunings of legume edgerow trees in relation to quality of the prunings and incubation method. Plant Soil 160, 237-248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heal O W, Anderson J M and Swift M J 1997 Plant litter quality and decomposition. In Driven by Nature, Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition. Eds. G Cadish and KE Giller. pp 47–66. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heck A F 1929 A study of the nature of the nitrogenous compounds in fungous tissue and their decomposition in the soil. Soil Sci. 27, 1-47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henriksen T M and Breland T A 1999 Evaluation of criteria for describing crop residue degradability in a model of carbon and nitrogen turnover in soil. Soil Biol. Biochem. 31, 1135-1149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iritani W M and Arnold C Y 1960 Nitrogen release of vegetable crop residues during incubation as related to their chemical composition. Soil Sci. 89, 74-82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkinson D S, Hart P B S, Rayner J H and Parry L C 1987 Modelling the turnover of organic matter in long-term experiment at Rothamsted. Intecol Bull. 15, 1-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen E S 1994 Mineralization-immobilization of nitrogen in soil amended with low C:N ratio plant residues with different particle sizes. Soil Biol. Biochem. 26, 519-521.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen L S, Mueller T, Magid J and Nielsen N E 1997 Temporal variation of C and N mineralization, microbial biomass and extractable organic pools in soil after oilseed rape straw incorporation in the field. Soil Biol. Biochem. 29, 1043-1055.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joergensen R G, Meyer B and Mueller T 1994 Time-course of the soil microbial biomass under wheat: A 1 year field study. Soil Biol. Biochem. 26, 987-994.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamphake L J, Hannah S A and Cohen J M 1967 Automated analysis for nitrate by hydrazine reduction. Wat. Res. 1, 205-216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kihlberg R 1972 The microbe as a source of food. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 26, 427-466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krom M D 1980 Spectrophotometric determination of ammonia: a study of a modified Berthelot reaction using salicylate and dichlorocyanurate. The Analyst 105, 305-316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Magid J, Mueller T, Jensen L S and Nielsen N E 1997 Modelling the measurable: Interpretation of field-scale CO2 and mineralization, soil microbial biomass and light fractions as indicators of oilseed rape, maize and barley straw decomposition. In Driven by nature: Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition. Eds. G Cadisch and KE Giller. pp 349-362. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marumoto T, Anderson J P E and Domsch K H 1982 Decomposition of 14C and 15N-labelled microbial cells in soils. Soil Biol. Biochem. 14, 461-467.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mary B, Beaudoin N, Justes E and Machet J M 1999 Calculation of nitrogen mineralization and leaching in fallow soils using a simple dynamic model. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 50, 1-18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mellilo J M, Aber J D and Muratore J F 1982 Nitrogen and lignin control of hardwood leaf litter decomposition dynamics. Ecology 63, 621-626.

    Google Scholar 

  • Molina J A E, Nicolardot B, Houot S, Chaussod R and Cheng H H 1994 Biologically active soil organics: a case of double identity. In Defining Soil Quality for a Sustainable Environment. Eds. JW Doran, D C Coleman, DF Bezdicek and BA Harris. pp 169-177. SSSA special publication35. SSSA, Madison, WI, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mueller T, Jensen L S, Nielsen N E and Magid J 1998 Turnover of carbon and nitrogen in a sandy loam soil following incorporation of chopped maize plants, barley straw and blue grass in the field. Soil Biol. Biochem. 30, 561-571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller M M, Sundman V, Soininvaara O and Meriläinen A 1988 Effect of chemical composition on the release of nitrogen from agricultural plant materials decomposing in soil under field conditions. Biol Fertil Soils 6, 78-83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neel C 1996 Modélisation couplée du transfert et des transformations de l'azote: paramétrisation et évaluation d'un modèle en sol nu, Thèse de Doctorat de l'Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI.254 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicolardot B, Guiraud G, Chaussod R and Catroux G 1986 Minéralisation dans le sol de matériaux microbiens marqués au carbone 14 et à l'azote 15: Quantification de l'azote de la biomasse microbienne. Soil Biol. Biochem. 18, 263-273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oglesby K A and Fownes J N 1992 Effects of chemical composition on nitrogen mineralization from green manures of seven tropical leguminous trees. Plant Soil 143, 127-132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm C A and Sanchez P A 1991 Nitrogen release from the leaves of some tropical legumes as affected by their lignin and polyphenolic contents. Soil Biol. Biochem. 23, 83-88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parton W J, Schimel D S, Cole C V and Ojima DS 1987 Analysis of factors controlling soil organic matter levels in great plain grasslands. Soil. Sci. Soc. Am. J. 51, 1173-1179.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parton WJ, Stewart JWB and Cole C V 1988 Dynamics of C, N, P and S in grassland soils: a model. Biogeochemistry 5, 109-131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne W J 1970 Energy yields and growth of heterotrophs. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 24, 17-52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne W J and Wiebe W J 1978 Growth yield and efficiency in chemosynthetic micro-organisms. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 32, 155-183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Persson J and Kirchmann H 1994 Carbon and nitrogen in arable soils as affected by supply of N fertilizers and organic manures. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 51, 249-255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinck L A and Allison F E 1944 The synthesis of lignin-like complexes by fungi. Soil Sci. 57, 155-161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Probert, M E, Dimes J P, Keating B A, Dalal R C and Strong W M 1998 APSIM's water and nitrogen modules and simulation of the dynamics of water and nitrogen in fallow systems. Agric. Syst. 56, 1-28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Recous S 1995 Réponse des matières organiques des sols aux changements atmosphériques globaux. II - Effet de la température sur la minéralisation d'un résidu végétal (maïs) et de la matière organique des sols. In "Ecosystèmes et changements globaux". Les dossiers de l'Environnement de l'INRA, 8, 81-85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Recous S, Robin D, Darwis D and Mary B 1995 Soil inorganic availability: Effect on maize residue decomposition. Soil Biol. Biochem. 27, 1529-1538.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigo A, Recous S, Neel C and Mary B 1997 Modelling temperature and moisture effects on C-N transformations in soils: comparison of nine models. Ecol. Model. 102, 325-339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinsabaugh R L and Moorhead D L 1997 Synthesis of litter quality and enzymic approaches to decomposition modelling. In Driven by Nature, Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition. Eds. G Cadish and KE Giller. pp 363-375. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith J, Smith P and Addiscott T 1996 Quantitative methods to evaluate and compare soil organic matter models. In Evaluation of Soil Organic Matter Models. Eds. D S Powlson, J Smith and P Smith. pp 181-199. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sørensen L H 1983 The influence of stress treatments on the microbial biomass and the rate of decomposition of humified organic matter in soils containing different amounts of clay. Plant Soil 75, 107-119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparling G P, Cheschire M V, Mundie C M and Murayama S 1981 The transformation of 14C-labelled glucose in sterilized soil inoculated with selected micro-organisms. Rev. Ecol. Biol. Sol 18, 447-457.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinbrenner K and Matschke J 1971 Ein betrag zur Huminstoffsynthese durch einige Bodenpilze. Zentrabl. Bakteriol. Infektionkr. Hyg. 126, 585-603.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift M J, Heal OW and Anderson J M 1979 Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystem. Studies in Soil Ecology 5, Blackwell Scientific publications, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tian G, Kan B T and Brussaard L 1992 Effects of chemical composition on N, Ca and Mg release during incubation of leaves from selected agroforestry and fallow plant species. Biogeochemistry 16, 103-119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tian G, Brussaard L and Kan B T 1995 An index for assessing the quality of plant residues and evaluating their effects on soil and crop in the (sub-)humid tropics. Appl. Soil Ecol. 2, 25-32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trinsoutrot I, Recous S, Bentz B, Linères M, Chèneby D and Nicolardot B 2000 Biochemical quality of crop residues and C and N mineralization under non-limiting N conditions. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 64, 918–926.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Soest P J 1963 Use of detergent in the analysis of fibrous feeds. I. Preparation of fiber residues of low nitrogen content. J. A.O.A.C. 46, 825-835.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Veen J A, Ladd J N and Frissel M J 1984 Modelling C and N turnover through the microbial biomass in soil. Plant Soil 76, 257-274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vanlauwe B, Nwoke O C, Sanginga N and Merckx R 1996 Impact of residue quality on the C and N mineralization of leaf and root residues of three agroforestry species. Plant Soil 183, 221-231.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verberne E L J, Hassink J, De Willigen P, Groot J J R and Van Veen J A 1990 Modelling organic matter dynamics in different soils. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 38, 221-238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vigil M F and Kissel D E 1991 Equations for estimating the amount of nitrogen mineralized from crop residues. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55, 757-761.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waksman S A 1924 Influence of micro-organisms upon the carbonnitrogen ratio in the soil. J. Agric. Sci. 14, 555-562.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore A P and Groot J J R 1994 The mineralization of N from finely or coarsely chopped crop residues: Measurement and modelling. In Nitrogen Mineralization in Agricultural Soil. Eds. JJ Neeteson and J Hassink. pp 245-253. AB-DLO, Haren, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitmore A P and Matus F J 1996 The decomposition of wheat and clover residues in soil: Measurements and Modelling. In Progress in Nitrogen Cycling studies. Eds. O Van Cleemput, G Hofman and A Vermoesen. pp 465-469. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, Unité d'Agronomie, 2 esplanade R. Garros, BP 224, 51686, Reims Cedex 2, France

    B. Nicolardot

  2. INRA, Unité d'Agronomie, rue Fernand Christ, 02007, Laon Cedex, France

    S. Recous & B. Mary

Authors
  1. B. Nicolardot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Recous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Mary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nicolardot, B., Recous, S. & Mary, B. Simulation of C and N mineralisation during crop residue decomposition: A simple dynamic model based on the C:N ratio of the residues. Plant and Soil 228, 83–103 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004813801728

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004813801728

  • C mineralisation
  • crop residues
  • decomposition
  • modelling
  • N mineralisation