Mineralization of nitrogen compounds in soils of south-taiga ecosystems

Abstract

The productivity of the nitrogen mineralization in the A0 (0–2 cm), A1 (2–3 cm), and A2 (3–13 cm) horizons of a soddy-podzolic soil was measured in a wood-sorrel-whortleberry birch forest (7Birch3Asp, 80 years, the second stand quality class, tree canopy density 0.7, Yaroslavl oblast) using the sample incubation method; the measurements were performed from May till October in eight replicates for each horizon. In 2007, 5.85 ± 0.73 g N/m2 were mineralized in the soil. In the litter, 2.01 ± 0.23 g N/m2 were mineralized, whereas 0.35 ± 0.03 and 3.49 ± 0.72 g N/m2 were mineralized in the A1 and A2 horizons, respectively. In 2008, 3.34 ± 0.25 g N/m2 were mineralized in the A0 and A1 horizons, of which 2.44 ± 0.23 g N/m2 were in the former. Ammonification prevailed in all the horizons. The contribution of nitrification was assessed as 1.6 and 0.3% of the process’s productivity in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The Corg and Norg pools decreased in the litter by 407 g C/m2 and 13.7g N/m2 (or 33%) from May to October. Of this carbon amount, 67% is spent for humification and the organic mass preservation and 33% was transformed to carbonic acid. The nitrogen expenses for the synthesis of humus acids are equal to 70 and 30%; it is spent equally for the mineralization of the element and its immobilization by microorganisms. In the A0 and A1 horizons, the seasonal trends of the ammonification correlated with the carbon dioxide emission from these horizons in the year of 2008 with r = 0.75 atp = 0.09 and r = 0.82 atp = 0.04 for both horizons, respectively.