Changes in 15 N abundance and amounts of biologically active soil nitrogen

Abstract

Estimation of the capacity of soils to supply N for crop growth requires estimates of the complex interactions among organic and inorganic N components as a function of soil properties. Identification and measurement of active soil N forms could help to quantify estimates of N supply to crops. Isotopic dilution during incubation of soils with added 15NH4 + compounds could identify active N components. Dilution of 15N in KCl extracts of mineral and total N, non-exchangeable NH44 +, and N in K2SO4 extracts of fumigated and non-fumigated soil was measured during 7-week incubation. Samples from four soils varying in clay content from 60 to 710 g kg–1 were used. A constant level of 15N enrichment within KCl and K2SO4 extracted components was found at the end of the incubation period. Total N, microbial biomass C and non-exchangeable NH4 + contents of the soils were positively related to the clay contents. The mineralized N was positively related to the silt plus clay contents. The active soil N (ASN) contained 28–36% mineral N, 29–44% microbial biomass N, 0.3–5% non-exchangeable NH4 + with approximately one third of the ASN unidentified. Assuming that absolute amounts of active N are related to N availability, increasing clay content was related to increased N reserve for crop production but a slower turnover.