Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Compost type effects on nitrogen leaching from Inceptisol, Ultisol, and Andisol in a column experiment

  • SOILS, SEC 2 • GLOBAL CHANGE, ENVIRON RISK ASSESS, SUSTAINABLE LAND USE • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To more efficiently utilize composts as N sources while minimizing the environmental impact, it is necessary to understand the effects of compost type on N mobility in compost-amended soil with different characteristics. The objectives of this study are to investigate the effects of livestock manure composts on N leaching from soils and to identify the principal physicochemical variables of the composts that affect N leaching.

Materials and methods

A combination leaching-incubation experiment using seven livestock manure composts and three soils (Inceptisol, Ultisol, and Andisol) with different characteristics was conducted for 19 weeks. Leachates were collected periodically and analyzed for various forms of N (NH +4 , NO −3 , organic N, and total N). The effects of compost type on N leaching were assessed by analysis of variance and correlation between N leaching amounts and compost variables (pH, total C, total N, C/N, and various forms of extractable N).

Results and discussion

Initial flush of N leaching at the first leaching event conducted after 1-week incubation was observed probably due to mineralization of readily decomposable N pool; the amount of N leached at 1-week incubation accounted for more than 50% of cumulative amount of N leached through 19-week incubation. Among the various compost variables tested, only total N concentration of compost was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with total N and mineral N (NH +4  + NO −3 ) leached across all three soils, indicating that total N concentration of composts is the common factor affecting N leaching from the compost-amended soils. Comparing amongst the three soils, the cumulative amount of total N leached increased in the order of Andisol (34.5 to 103.4 mg N) > Ultisol (33.9 to 64.7 mg N) > Inceptisol (12.8 to 31.7 mg N) being affected by soil N availability.

Conclusions

The significant effects of compost and soil types suggested that not only soils but also composts characteristics needs to be considered when establishing the compost application guidelines. Particularly when compost characteristics are considered, total N rather than the mineral N concentration of composts can be used to predict the N leaching potential in composts-amended soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • APHA-AWWA-WEF (1998) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th edn. United Book Press Inc, Maryland

    Google Scholar 

  • Beauchamp EG, Reynolds WD, Brasche-Villeneuve D, Kirby K (1986) Nitrogen mineralization kinetics with different soil pretreatments and cropping histories. Soil Sci Soc Am J 50:1478–1483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyle M, Paul EA (1989) Carbon and nitrogen mineralization kinetics in soil previously amended with sewage sludge. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53:99–103

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bundy LG, Meisinger JJ (1994) Nitrogen availability indices. In: Weaver RW, Angle S, Bottomley P, Bezdicek D, Smith S, Tabatabai A, Wollum A (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 2: microbiological and biochemical properties. SSSA, Madison, pp 951–984

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgos P, Madejon E, Cabrera F (2006) Nitrogen mineralization and nitrate leaching of a sandy soil amended with different organic wastes. Waste Manage Res 24:175–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Busby RR, Torbert HA, Gebhart DL (2007) Carbon and nitrogen mineralization of non-composted and composted municipal solid waste in sandy soils. Soil Biol Biochem 30:1277–1283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi WJ, Chang SX (2005) Nitrogen dynamics in co-composted drilling wastes: effects of compost quality and 15 N fertilization. Soil Biol Biochem 37:2297–2305

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi WJ, Jin SA, Lee SM, Ro HM, Yoo SH (2001) Corn uptake and microbial immobilization of 15 N-labeled urea-N in soil as affected by composted pig manure. Plant Soil 235:1–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi WJ, Chang SX, Hao X (2005) White spruce response to co-composted hydrocarbon-contaminated drilling waste: effects of compost age and nitrogen fertilization. J Environ Qual 34:1319–1327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choi WJ, Han GH, Lee SM, Lee GT, Yoon KS, Choi SM, Ro HM (2007) Impact of land-use types on nitrate concentration and δ15 N in unconfined groundwater in rural areas of Korea. Agr Ecosyst Environ 120:259–268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooperband L, Bollero G, Coale F (2002) Effect of poultry litter and composts on soil nitrogen and phosphorus availability and corn production. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 62:185–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cordovil CMdS, Cabral F, Coutinho J (2007) Potential mineralization of nitrogen from organic wastes to ryegrass and wheat crops. Bioresour Technol 98:3265–3268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diaz LF, Savage GM (2007) Factors that affect the process. In: Diaz LF, de Bertoldi M, Bidlingmaier W, Stentiford E (eds) Compost science and technology. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 49–66

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Eghball B (2000) Nitrogen mineralization from field-applied beef cattle feedlot manure or compost. Soil Sci Soc Am J 64:2024–2030

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Entry JA, Sojka RE (2007) Matrix based fertilizers reduce nitrogen and phosphorus leaching in greenhouse column studies. Water Air Soil Poll 180:283–292

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fierer N, Schimel JP (2002) Effects of drying-rewetting frequency on soil carbon and nitrogen transformations. Soil Biol Biochem 34:777–787

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flavel TC, Murphy DV (2006) Carbon and nitrogen mineralization rates after application of organic amendments to soil. J Environ Qual 35:183–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gagnon B, Simard RR (1999) Nitrogen and phosphorus release from on-farm and industrial composts. Can J Soil Sci 79:481–489

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee GW, Bauder JW (1986) Particle-size analysis. In: Campbell GS, Nielsen DR, Jackson RD, Klute A, Mortland MM (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 1: physical and mineralogical methods. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 383–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerke HH, Mrning M, Stöppler-Zimmer H (1999) Modeling long-term compost application effects on nitrate leaching. Plant Soil 213:75–92

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hadas A, Portnoy R (1994) Nitrogen and carbon mineralization rates of composted manure incubated in soil. J Environ Qual 23:1184–1189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han KH, Choi WJ, Han GH, Yun SI, Yoo SH, Ro HM (2004) Urea-nitrogen transformation and compost-nitrogen mineralization in three different soils as affected by the interaction between both nitrogen inputs. Biol Fert Soils 39:193–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He ZL, Alva AK, Yan P, Li YC, Calvert DV, Stoffella PJ, Banks DJ (2000) Nitrogen mineralization and transformation from composts and biosolids during field incubation in a sandy soil. Soil Sci 165:161–169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helgason BL, Larney FJ, Janzen HH, Olson BM (2007) Nitrogen dynamics in soil amended with composted cattle manure. Can J Soil Sci 87:43–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Herai Y, Kouno K, Hashimoto M, Nagaoka T (2006) Relationships between microbial biomass nitrogen, nitrate leaching and nitrogen uptake by corn in a compost and chemical fertilizer-amended regosol. Soil Sci Plant Nutr 52:186–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YJ, Choi WJ, Lim SS, Kwak JH, Chang SX, Kim HY, Yoon KS, Ro HM (2008) Changes in nitrogen isotopic compositions during composting of cattle feedlot manure: effects of bedding material type. Bioresour Technol 99:5452–5458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mamo M, Rosen CJ, Halbach TR (1999) Nitrogen availability and leaching front soil amended with municipal solid waste compost. J Environ Qual 28:1074–1082

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matus F, Garrido E, Sepúlveda N, Cárcamo I, Panichini M, Zagal E (2008) Relationship between extractable Al and organic C in volcanic soils of Chile. Geoderma 148:180–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JJ, Beasley BW, Chanasyk DS, Larney FJ, Olson BM (2008) Short-term nitrogen leaching potential of fresh and composted beef cattle manure applied to disturbed soil cores. Compost Sci Util 16:12–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulvaney RL (1996) Nitrogen—inorganic forms. In: Sparks DL, Page AL, Helmke PA, Loeppert RH, Soltanpour PN, Tabatabai MA, Johnston CT, Sumner ME (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 3: chemical methods. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 1123–1184

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson DW, Sommers LE (1996) Total carbon, organic carbon, and organic matter. In: Sparks DL, Page AL, Helmke PA, Loeppert RH, Soltanpour PN, Tabatabai MA, Johnston CT, Sumner ME (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 3: chemical methods. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 961–1010

    Google Scholar 

  • Nendel C, Reuter S, Kubiak R, Neider R (2004) Nitrogen mineralization from mature bio-waste compost in vineyard soils. 1. Long-term laboratory incubation experiments. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 167:397–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rezende LA, Assis LC, Naha E (2004) Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization in two soils amended with distillery yeast. Bioresour Technol 94:159–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richter J, Nuske A, Habenicht W, Bauer J (1982) Optimized N-mineralization parameters of loes soils from incubation experiments. Plant Soil 68:379–388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheel T, Dörfler C, Kalbitz K (2007) Precipitation of dissolved organic matter by Al stabilizes C in acidic forest soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 71:64–74

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith SR, Woods V, Evans TD (1998) Nitrate dynamics in biosolids-treated soils. I. Influence of biosolids type and soil type. Bioresour Technol 66:139–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner ME, Miller WP (1996) Cation exchange capacity and exchange coefficients. In: Sparks DL, Page AL, Helmke PA, Loeppert RH, Soltanpour PN, Tabatabai MA, Johnston CT, Sumner ME (eds) Methods of soil analysis, part 3: chemical methods. ASA and SSSA, Madison, pp 1201–1229

    Google Scholar 

  • Tittarelli F, Petruzzelli G, Pezzarossa B, Civilini M, Benedetti A, Sequi P (2007) Quality and agronomic use of compost. In: Diaz LF, de Bertoldi M, Bidlingmaier W, Stentiford E (eds) Compost science and technology. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 49–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang WJ, Smith CJ, Chen D (2004) Predicting soil nitrogen mineralization dynamics with a modified double exponential model. Soil Sci Soc Am J 68:1256–1265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yin F, Fu B, Mao R (2007) Effects of nitrogen fertilizer application rates on nitrate nitrogen distribution in saline soil in the Hai River Basin, China. J Soils Sediments 7:136–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao C, Hu C, Haung W, Sun X, Tan Q, Di H (2010) A lysimeter study of nitrate leaching and optimum nitrogen application rates for intensively irrigated vegetable production systems in Central China. J Soils Sediments 10:9–17

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Technology Development Program for Agriculture and Forestry of the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Republic of Korea. Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chonnam National University provided assistance with the sample analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rural and Bio-Systems Engineering, Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, South Korea

    Sang-Sun Lim, Jin-Hyeob Kwak, Sun-Il Lee, Dong-Suk Lee, Hyun-Jung Park & Woo-Jung Choi

  2. Lethbridge Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 30000, Lethbridge, AB, T1J4B1, Canada

    Xiying Hao

  3. Environment-Friendly Agriculture Research Center, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, South Korea

    Woo-Jung Choi

Authors
  1. Sang-Sun Lim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jin-Hyeob Kwak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sun-Il Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dong-Suk Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hyun-Jung Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiying Hao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Woo-Jung Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Woo-Jung Choi.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Chengrong Chen

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOC 282 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lim, SS., Kwak, JH., Lee, SI. et al. Compost type effects on nitrogen leaching from Inceptisol, Ultisol, and Andisol in a column experiment. J Soils Sediments 10, 1517–1526 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0263-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-010-0263-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation