The use of biomass in the form of litter, prunings, or roots as sources of nutrients for crops in alley-cropping systems has proven helpful in enhancing nitrogen availability for crops (Nair et al., 1997). Important considerations in managing alley-cropping systems are the amount and rate of N released that can benefit the crop in the alleys between the hedges. Understanding the short-term mineralization patterns of organic materials is a useful tool not only to assess but also to improve the suitability of hedgerow species (Isaac et al., 2000). Numerous studies in controlled and field conditions have successfully addressed the short-term decomposition and mineralization patterns of different species in relation to the initial chemical quality of the residues in order to make practical management suggestions. However, initial chemical quality of substrates alone is sometimes not sufficient to explain shortterm mineralization patterns. This is not surprising given the multiplicity of factors influencing decomposition and mineralization, including biochemical characteristics and soil biota composition and dynamics (Heal et al., 1997).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Andren O., Lindberg T., Bostrom U., Clarholm M., Hansson A.-C., Johansson G., Lagerlof J., Paustian K., Persson J., Pettersson R., Schnurer J., Sohlenius B., and Wivstad M. (1990) Organic carbon and nitrogen flows. In: Andren O. et al. (eds) Ecology of Arable Land–Organisms, Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling. Munsksgaard, Conpenhagen, pp. 85–126.
Berg M., de Ruiter P., Didden W., Janssen M., Schouten T., and Verhoef H. (2001) Community food web, decomposition and nitrogen mineralisation in a stratified Scots pine forest soil. Oikos 94: 130–142.
Beare M.H., Parmelee R.W., Hendrix P.F., Cheng W.X., Coloman D.C., and Crossley D.A. (1992) Microbial and faunal interactions and effects on litter nitrogen and decomposition in agroecosystems. Ecological Monographs 62:569–591.
Buyer J.S., Roberts D.P., and Russek-Cohen E. (2002) Soil and plant effects on microbial community structure. Canadian Journal of Botany 48: 955–964.
Coleman D., Crossley D.A. Jr., and Hendrix P.F. (2004) Fundamentals of Soil Ecology. Elsevier, San Diego, CA, pp. 386.
Crossley D.A. and Blair J.M. (1991) A high-efficiency, low-technology Tullgren-type extractor for soil microarthropods. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 34: 187–192.
de Ruiter P.C., Moore J.C., Zwart K.B., Bouwman L.A., Hassink J., Bloem J., Devos J.A., Marinissen J.C.Y., Didden W.A.M., Lebbink G., and Brussaard L. (1993) Simulation of nitrogen mineralization in the belowground food webs of 2 winter-wheat fields. Journal of Applied Ecology 30: 95–106.
de Ruiter P.C., Bloem J., Bouwman L.A., Didden W.A.M., Hoenderboom G.H.J., Lebbink G., Marinissen J.C.Y., Devos J.A., Vreekenbuijs M.J., Zwart K.B., and Brussaard L. (1994) Simulation of dynamics in nitrogen mineralization in the belowground food webs of 2 arable farming systems. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 51: 199–208.
Forge T.A., Hogue E., Neilsen G., and Neilsen D. (2003) Effects of organic mulches on soil microfauna in the root zone of apple: implications for nutrient fluxes and functional diversity of the soil food web. Applied Soil Ecology 22: 39–54.
Heal O.W., Anderson J.M., and Swift M.J. (1997) Plant litter quality and decomposition: an historical overview. In: Cadish, G. and Giller, K.E. (eds) Driven by Nature: Plant Litter Quality and Decomposition. CAB International, Wallingford, UK, pp. 3–30.
Hunt H.W., Coleman D.C., Ingham E.R., Ingham R.E., Elliott E.T., Moore J.C., Rose S.L., Reid C.P.P., and Morley C.R. (1987) The detrital food web in a shortgrass prairie. Biology and Fertility of Soils 3: 57–68.
Isaac L., Wood C.W., and Shannon D.A. (2000) Decomposition and nitrogen release of prunings from hedgerow species assessed for alley cropping in Haiti. Agronomy Journal 92: 501–511.
Kolberg R.L., Rouppet B., Westfall D.G., and Peterson G.A. (1997) Evaluation of an in situ net soil nitrogen mineralization method in dryland agroecosystems. Soil Science Society of America Journal 61: 504–508.
Mathews C.R., Bottrell D.G., and Brown M.W. (2002) A comparison of conventional and alternative understory management practices for apple production: multi-trophic effects. Applied Soil Ecology 21: 221–231.
Mummey D.L., Stahl P.D., and Buyer J.S. (2002) Microbial biomarkers as an indicator of ecosystem recovery following surface mine reclamation. Applied Soil Ecology 21: 251–259.
Nair P.K., Buresh R.J., Mugendi D.N., and Latt C.R. (1997) Nutrient Cycling in Tropical Agroforestry Systems: Myths and Science. In: Buck, L.E., et al. (eds) Agroforestry in Sustainable Agricultural Systems. CRC, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 1–32.
Paul E.A. and Clark F.E. (1996) Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry. Academic Press, San Diego.
Paustian K. (1994) Modelling soil biology and biochemical processes for sustainable agriculture research. In: Pankhurst, C., et al. (eds) Soil Biota. Management in Sustainable Farming Systems. CSIRO, Melbourne, pp. 182–193.
Schomberg H.H. and Cabrera M.L. (2001) Modeling in situ N mineralization in conservation tillage fields: comparison of two versions of the CERES nitrogen submodel. Ecological Modelling 145: 1–15.
Schutter M.E. and Dick R.P. (2002) Microbial community profiles and activities among aggregates of winter fallow and cover-cropped soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal 66: 142–153.
Seiter S., Ingham E.R., and William R.D. (1999) Dynamics of soil fungal and bacterial biomass in a temperate climate alley cropping system. Applied Soil Ecology 12: 139–147.
Sohlenius B. and Sandor A. (1987) Vertical distribution of nematodes in arable soil under grass (Festuca pratensis) and barley (Hordeum distichum). Biology and Fertility of Soils 3: 19–25.
Vance E.D., Brookes P.C., and Jenkinson D.S. (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass-C. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 19: 703–707.
Wardle D.A. (2002) Communities and Ecosystems: Linking the Aboveground and Belowground Components. Princeton, New Jersey.
Wardle D.A., Yeates G.W., Nicholson K.S., Bonner K.I., and Watson R.N. (1999) Response of soil microbial biomass dynamics, activity and plant litter decomposition to agricultural intensification over a seven-year period. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 31: 1707–1720.
Zwart K.B., Burgers S., Bloem J., Bouwman L.A., Brussaard L., Lebbink G., Didden W.A.M., Marinissen J.C.Y., Vreekenbuijs M.J., and de Ruiter P.C. (1994) Population-dynamics in the belowground food webs in 2 different agricultural systems. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 51: 187–198.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Carrillo, Y., Jordan, C. (2008). Modeling Green Manure Additions in Alley-Cropping Systems: Linking Soil Community Dynamics and Nitrogen Mineralization. In: Jose, S., Gordon, A.M. (eds) Toward Agroforestry Design. Advances in Agroforestry, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6572-9_16
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6572-9_16
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-6571-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-6572-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)