Summary
In an investigation on the conversion of amino acids in percolated soils, it was found that during the breakdown of glutamic acid to ammonia micro-organisms developed in the soil capable of denitrifying nitrite and nitrate to gaseous nitrogen. The enrichment of a soil with these micro-organisms was studied.
Drying of the enriched soil had a deleterious effect on the activity of these micro-organisms.
The interaction between denitrification and soil nitrification processes was studied in soil subjected to various percolation treatments. When the denitrifying micro-organisms and their metabolites were present in the soil the amount of nitrogen lost by denitrification depended on the availability of nitrite and nitrate. When this was supplied externally, in glutamate—nitrite or glutamate—nitrate mixtures, considerable reduction occurred. Losses were less severe where nitrite and nitrate entered the system internall y by nitrification of the ammonia produced from the breakdown of the amino acid. In fresh soils there were indications that the amount of nitrification occurring during amino-acid breakdown was the important factor.
All the data appeared to be consistent with the hypothesis that during the conversion of amino acids in soils a delicate balance is established between nitrification and denitrification reactions by different types of soil micro-organisms.
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Wheeler, B.E.J. The conversion of amino acids in soils. Plant Soil 19, 219–232 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350247
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01350247