Abstract
The effects of substrate quality, temperature, and moisture on nitrogen mineralization from a tussock tundra soil were examined with laboratory soil incubations utilizing both air-dried samples and field-moist intact cores. The potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) was highly correlated to both total soil nitrogen (positively) and the carbon/nitrogen ratio (negatively). All soil horizons exhibited a net nitrogen mineralization even at a high carbon/nitrogen ratio of 92. It was concluded that field-moist intact soil cores provide a more reliable estimate than the air-dried samples of both PMN and the mineralization rate under standard laboratory conditions. There was no significant effect of moisture tension (0.0 to 0.4 bars) on net nitrogen mineralization. The average Q/sub 10/ (temperature effect) for net nitrogen mineralization was 2.5. Based on this study and others, it was concluded that temperature through its effect on nitrogen mineralization plays an important role in controlling plant productivity in these naturally nitrogen-deficient tundra ecosystems.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.