Chapter 11 - Dynamics of Organic Phosphorus in Soils under Natural and Agricultural Ecosystems

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the short and long-term dynamics of organic phosphorus (P) in various terrestrial ecosystems and discusses the role of organic P in the soil–plant system. The organic P compounds found in plants and microbes undergo selective stabilization, degradation, and modification in soils. The biochemical compounds present in soil show the sources of organic P and the transformation processes that are active in soil. Research centered on the efforts to chemically characterize soil organic P relies on the solubilization/extraction of organic P followed by complex analyses for nucleotides, inositols, and lipids. The chapter also discusses the experimental methods that are used for the study of organic P in soil, and the associated problems. The complex, interactive nature of the various factors and processes that influence organic P cycling in soil requires the development and refinement of appropriate simulation models, especially over the short-term.