Net Mineralization Research Articles

Remotely detected aboveground plant function predicts belowground processes in two prairie diversity experiments.

Imaging spectroscopy provides the opportunity to incorporate leaf and canopy optical data into ecological studies, but the extent to which remote sensing of vegetation can enhance the study of belowground processes is not well understood. In terrestrial systems, aboveground and belowground vegetation quantity and quality are coupled, and both influence belowground microbial processes and nutrient cycling. We hypothesized that ecosystem productivity, and the chemical, structural and phylogenetic‐functional composition of plant communities would be detectable with remote sensing and could be used to predict belowground plant and soil processes in two grassland biodiversity experiments: the BioDIV experiment at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in Minnesota and the Wood River Nature Conservancy experiment in Nebraska. We tested whether aboveground vegetation chemistry and productivity, as detected from airborne sensors, predict soil properties, microbial processes and community composition. Imaging spectroscopy data were used to map aboveground biomass, green vegetation cover, functional traits and phylogenetic‐functional community composition of vegetation. We examined the relationships between the image‐derived variables and soil carbon and nitrogen concentration, microbial community composition, biomass and extracellular enzyme activity, and soil processes, including net nitrogen mineralization. In the BioDIV experiment—which has low overall diversity and productivity despite high variation in each—belowground processes were driven mainly by variation in the amount of organic matter inputs to soils. As a consequence, soil respiration, microbial biomass and enzyme activity, and fungal and bacterial composition and diversity were significantly predicted by remotely sensed vegetation cover and biomass. In contrast, at Wood River—where plant diversity and productivity were consistently higher—belowground processes were driven mainly by variation in the quality of aboveground inputs to soils. Consequently, remotely sensed functional, chemical and phylogenetic composition of vegetation predicted belowground extracellular enzyme activity, microbial biomass, and net nitrogen mineralization rates but aboveground biomass (or cover) did not. The contrasting associations between the quantity (productivity) and quality (composition) of aboveground inputs with belowground soil attributes provide a basis for using imaging spectroscopy to understand belowground processes across productivity gradients in grassland systems. However, a mechanistic understanding of how above and belowground components interact among different ecosystems remains critical to extending these results broadly.

Effects of vegetation presence on soil net N mineralization are independent of landscape position and vegetation type in an eroding watershed

Soil erosion can dramatically alter soil nitrogen (N) cycling, but it has rarely been examined under in-situ conditions due to the complicated interaction between erosion and vegetation. Comparing the effects of vegetation presence at eroding and depositional sites would provide a direct understanding of such effects. Herein, we investigated how soil N dynamics (mineral N pools and net N mineralization rates) responded to vegetation presence (plot with vs. without vegetation), landscape position (eroding vs. depositional sites) and vegetation type (grassland vs. woodland) during a two-year manipulation experiment using an in-situ incubation method in the hilly-gully region of China’s Loess Plateau. The results showed that soils on eroding site had higher concentrations of nitrate (3.820 ± 0.302 vs. 2.642 ± 0.280 mg kg-1) and mineral N (5.853 ± 0.320 vs. 4.308 ± 0.287 mg kg-1) but similar rates of net nitrification (0.057 ± 0.013 vs. 0.051 ± 0.011 mg kg-1 d-1) and mineralization (0.056 ± 0.014 vs. 0.056 ± 0.013 mg kg-1 d-1) in comparison to depositional site in all grassland plots. The concentrations of soil nitrate and mineral N and rates of net nitrification and mineralization in legume woodland were 26%, 19%, 88% and 64% higher than that in grassland in all slope plots, respectively. Although vegetation presence significantly decreased soil nitrate (−57%) and total mineral N (−27%) concentrations, it did not affect the rates of net nitrification and mineralization. The effects of vegetation presence on soil net N mineralization occurred irrespective of landscape position and vegetation type(P > 0.05), but varied with season or year, with greater effects in 2017 growing season than in the non-growing season and 2018 growing season. Redundancy analysis and hierarchical partitioning indicated that the above- and blow-ground biomass accounted for most of the variation in soil N mineralization. These results suggested that the variations in soil mineral N and net N mineralization in relation to vegetation presence in this eroding watershed were consistent across different landscape positions and vegetation types, but showed intra- and inter-annual variability.

Agroecosystem Stability In Spring Wheat Crops With The Application Of Fertilizers And Microbial Biological Products

The formation of spring wheat biomass on sod-podzolic soil is carried out mainly due to soil nitrogen, the share of which reaches 1/3 of the total removal of the element when using mineral fertilizers. Inoculation of spring wheat seeds with biologics of rhizosphere microorganisms increases the nitrogen content of fertilizers to 7.3%, increases its immobilization by 5.9-6.7% and reduces losses by 7.4-13.9%. The stability of the agroecosystem is characterized by nitrogen flows. During the growing season of spring wheat with a hydrothermal coefficient of 1.55-1.72, the amount of mineralized nitrogen (mineralization (M)), depending on fertilizers, reaches 9.4-11.1 g/m2, while the reimobilized nitrogen (reimobilization (RI)) – 2.2-3.1 g/m2, net-mineralized (net-mineralization (N-M)) – 6.8 - 8.0 g/m2. The use of nitrogen fertilizers and biological products leads the agroecosystem to the resistance mode (the maximum permissible level of exposure) (RI : M = 27-28%, N-M : RI = 2.5-2.7).

Carbon sequestration in cementitious matrix containing pyrogenic carbon from waste biomass: A comparison of external and internal carbonation approach

Cement manufacturing and concrete constructions are associated with high carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. This can be potentially reduced by sequestering CO2 through calcium carbonate mineralization using the technique of accelerated carbonation curing (ACC). This research investigates and compares the role of biochar – as-produced (BC) and CO2-saturated (SatBC), and silica fume (SF) respectively on carbon sequestration, strength and hydration of cement composites. In case of SatBC, the CO2 is pre-adsorbed in biochar pores a priori before deployment in cement matrix. The study found that addition of BC can densify the cement matrix through accelerating hydration and improving the total hydration. This leads to reduction in carbon dioxide diffusion and carbonate mineralization initially (7-day age) than control. However, the net carbonate mineralization in biochar-cement paste is similar to control and silica fume-paste after 28 days of carbonation. Accounting for the carbonate mineralization and carbon sequestered in the biochar structure, ACC of BC-CP and internal carbonation in SatBC-CP can lead to 5–6% reduction in carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2-eq) than control. Addition of biochar yields higher carbonate mineralization from carbonation of calcium hydroxide compared to silica fume-cement (SF-CP), where more carbonate mineralization is contributed by carbonation of binder gel. This leads to 8–10% higher compressive strength and lower loss in strength (4–5% loss) in BC-CP compared to SF-CP (15% loss) at 28-day age. Application of SatBC as admixture substantially improves compressive strength compared to uncarbonated control and SF-CP at 7-day age and demonstrates similar strength as carbonated SF-CP after 28 days. The results suggest that spent biochar, previously used as industrial CO2 adsorbent, can be valorized as “green admixture” in cement-based materials. In summary, this research illustrates the potential of biochar to manufacture low carbon cementitious building materials, that can turn future cities into “carbon sinks”.

Nitrogen Release in Soils Amended with Different Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers under Contrasting Moisture Regimes: A Laboratory Incubation Study

Understanding nitrogen (N) release patterns and kinetics is a key challenge for improving N use efficiency in any agroecosystem. An incubation experiment was done to study the N release pattern and kinetics of contrasting soils amended with compost (CO), poultry manure (PM), rice husk biochar (RHB), poultry manure biochar (PMB) and cowdung (CD) combined with chemical fertilizer (integrated plant nutrient system, IPNS approach) under two moisture regimes, viz. field capacity (FC) and continuous standing water (CSW) at 25 °C for 120 days. Our results revealed that NH4+-N was the dominant under CSW conditions, whereas NO3−-N was dominant under FC conditions. Net mineral N data fitted well to the first order kinetic model. Both N release potential (N0) and rate constant (k) were greater in acidic soil than those of charland soil. The maximum N release varied between 24.90–76.29% of input depending on soil type and moisture status. N mineralization was strongly correlated with urea N application. PM and PMB mineralized in all soil and moisture conditions whereas N immobilization was observed in the case of RHB. N mineralization was strongly correlated with urea N application. Gaseous N losses were different for the organic amendments exhibiting more gaseous N losses in PM, CD and CO based IPNS whereas the lowest gaseous N loss was observed in PMB based IPNS. Biochar based IPNS increased soil pH in all conditions. Thus, the present study suggests that N release depends on soil type, soil moisture and type of organic amendment. However, CO, PM and CD based IPNS can be recommended for both acidic and charland soils in terms of N release as short duration crops will suffer from N deficiency if biochar based IPNS is used in the field.

Mid-Term Effects of Forest Thinning on N Mineralization in a Semi-Arid Aleppo Pine Forest

In order to assess the sustainability of silvicultural treatments in semiarid forests, it is necessary to know how they affect the nutrient dynamics in the forest. The objective of this paper is to study the effects of silvicultural treatments on the net N mineralization and the available mineral N content in the soil after 13 years following forest clearings. The treatments were carried out following a randomized block design, with four treatments and two blocks. The distance between the two blocks was less than 3 km; they were located in Chelva (CH) and Tuéjar (TU) in Valencia, Spain. Within each block, four experimental clearing treatments were carried out in 1998: T0 control; and T60, T75 and T100 where 60%, 75% and 100 of basal area was eliminated, respectively. Nitrogen dynamics were measured using the resin tube technique, with disturbed samples due to the high stoniness of the plots. Thirteen years after the experimental clearings, T100, T75 and T60 treatments showed a twofold increase in the net mineralization and nitrification rates with respect to T0 in both blocks (TU and CH). Within the plots, the highest mineralization was found in sites with no plant cover followed by those covered by undergrowth. These results can be explained in terms of the different litterfall qualities, which in turn are the result of the proportion of material originating from Pinus halepensis Mill. vs. more decomposable undergrowth residues.

Nitrogen Mineralization, Soil Microbial Biomass and Extracellular Enzyme Activities Regulated by Long-Term N Fertilizer Inputs: A Comparison Study from Upland and Paddy Soils in a Red Soil Region of China

A long-term experiment (38 years) was conducted to elucidate the effects of long-term N addition on the net N mineralization in both paddy and upland soils, based on their initial soil N status, with and in connection with soil microbial biomass and N cycling extracellular enzyme activities. Two treatments without N addition CK (No fertilizer) and K (inorganic potassium fertilizer) and two treatments with N addition (inorganic nitrogen fertilizer) and NK (inorganic nitrogen and potassium fertilizer) were placed in incubation for 90 days. Results showed that the total N and soil organic carbon (SOC) contents were higher in the treatments with N application compared to the treatments without N in both paddy and upland soils. The SOC content of paddy soil was increased relative to upland soil by 56.2%, 45.7%, 61.1% and 62.2% without N (CK, K) and with N (N and NK) treatments, respectively. Site-wise, total N concentration in paddy soil was higher by 0.06, 0.10, 0.57 and 0.60 times under the CK, K, N and NK treatments, respectively, compared with upland soil. In paddy soil, soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN) was higher by 39.6%, 2.77%, 29.5% and 31.4%, and microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) was higher by 11.8%, 11.9%, 10.1% and 12.3%, respectively, in CK, K, N and NK treatment, compared with upland soil. Overall, compared to upland soil, the activities of leucine-aminopeptidase (LAP) were increased by 31%, 18%, 20% and 11%, and those of N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were increased by 70%, 21%, 13% and 18% by CK, K, N and NK treatments, respectively, in paddy soil. A significantly linear increase was found in the NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentrations during the 90 days of the incubation period in both soils. NK treatment showed the highest N mineralization potential (No) along with mineralization rate constant, k (NMR) at the end of the incubation. SMBC, SMBN, enzyme activities, NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentrations and the No showed a highly significant (p ≤ 0.05) positive correlation. We concluded that long-term N addition accelerated the net mineralization by increasing soil microbial activities under both soils.

Effect of crop rotation and cropping history on net nitrogen mineralization dynamics of a clay loam soil

Estimating soil nitrogen (N) mineralization is critical to balance fertilizer N requirements and their environmental impacts. In this study, net N mineralization was examined in soils under different crop rotations with each phase of the rotation present every year with biologically based incubations in 2011 and 2015. Net N mineralization was significantly different among treatments when the current crop was soybean, and the effect was dependent upon the previous crop and the cropping sequence. In particular, net increases in inorganic N were greater when the previous crop was winter wheat with or without red clover than if it were corn, and greater for the first year of soybean compared with the second year for rotations with two consecutive years of soybean in the 2011 incubation. However, cropping history did not influence net soil N mineralization when the current crop was corn, winter wheat, or winter wheat with red clover. In 2015, the presence of red clover in the rotation increased net N mineralization in all phases of the rotation. These results suggest both current and previous crops should be considered when estimating the N supplying capacity (net mineralization) of the soil. Net mineralizable N was found to be significantly correlated with total amino sugars (P < 0.001), glucosamine (P < 0.001), and galactosamine (P = 0.003), which suggests that amino sugars could be used as an indicator of the N supplying capacity of soil.

Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen Input via Net Nitrogen Mineralization under Antibiotics and Warming from the Water Level Fluctuation Zone of a Three Gorges Tributary

The water level fluctuation (WLF) zone is one of the dominant sources of total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (TDN) export via net nitrogen (N) mineralization in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). However, antibiotics pollution may impact the process of TND exports from WLF zone in the TGR, especially under drying-rewetting processes and climate warming, and thus increasing the risk of eutrophication in the tributaries of the TGR. The effects of the antibiotics Griseofulvin (GIN) and Fosfomycin (FIN) with 0, 0.2 and 0.4 g kg−1 net N mineralization rate (NMR) from WLF-zone soil in the Pengxi river, a typical tributary of the Yangtze River, under 25 and 35 °C were estimated in 30-day flooding and drying incubations. The results showed that GIN concentrations, temperatures and their interaction significantly affect net-nitrification rates (NNR) and NMR under drying and did not significantly affect NNR under flooding. FIN concentrations and temperatures solely influenced the NNR under flooding. The amounts of TDN exports via NMR without antibiotics from the WLF zone of Pengxi River are 6883.8 (flooding, 25 °C), 9987.3 (flooding, 35 °C), 9781.6 (drying, 25 °C), and 27,866.5 (drying, 35 °C) t year−1, which is 21.0, 29.8, 30.4 and 84.8 times of the permissible Class A discharge in China according to (GB18918-2002). Thus, the NMR of WLF zone should be controlled whether there is antibiotics pollution or not, especially during the dry period for alleviating water eutrophication. This study will be helpful for the assessment of nitrogen budgets in the WLF zone to eutrophication in the Three Gorges Reservoir.

Dynamics of Microbial Biomass, Nitrogen Mineralization and Crop Uptake in Response to Placement of Maize Residue Returned to Chinese Mollisols over the Maize Growing Season

Returning residue to soils is not only an effective nutrient management method, but also can reduce the air pollution caused by residue burning, which has become an important factor in global warming. However, it is not clear whether returning residue to the soil can affect the nitrogen mineralization and the nitrogen cycle process, and the environmental impact caused by the nitrogen loss in gaseous forms. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of residue placement on the nitrogen turnover process, including microbial biomass N (MBN) and C (MBC), inorganic N, crop N uptake, and the contribution of residue-derived N to maize at different maize growth stages. Three treatments were assessed: no residue addition (T0), residue addition to the soil surface (T1), and residue incorporation into the 0–10 cm soil layer (T2). Soil samples were taken at the 0–5 and 5–10 cm layers for all residue treatments. Residue retention (T1 and T2) significantly affected the MBC and MBN contents and decreased MBC/MBN ratio at different maize growth stages. MBC/MBN markedly increased at the R1 stage compared to other growth stages. The differences in total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) were attributed to the balance in net N immobilization and net mineralization in the different maize growth stages. In addition, T2 significantly increased the residue-derived N source for maize by 11.3% compared to T0 in the R3 growth stage. Overall, relative to T1, T2 is a better agriculture management measure to promote N transformation and supply, and enhance residue-derived N release and uptake in maize.

Assessing Nitrogen Availability in Biobased Fertilizers: Effect of Vegetation on Mineralization Patterns

Biobased nitrogen (N) fertilizers derived from animal manure can substitute synthetic mineral N fertilizer and contribute to more sustainable agriculture. Practitioners need to obtain a reliable estimation of the biobased fertilizers’ N value. This study compared the estimates for pig slurry (PS) and liquid fraction of digestate (LFD) using laboratory incubation and plant-growing experiments. A no-N treatment was used as control and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) as synthetic mineral fertilizer. After 100 days of incubation, the addition of PS and LFD resulted in a net N mineralization rate of 10.6 ± 0.3% and 20.6 ± 0.4% of the total applied N, respectively. The addition of CAN showed no significant net mineralization or immobilization (net N release 96 ± 6%). In the pot experiment under vegetation, all fertilized treatments caused N immobilization with a negative net N mineralization rate of −51 ± 11%, −9 ± 4%, and −27 ± 10% of the total applied N in CAN, PS, and LFD treatments, respectively. Compared to the pot experiment, the laboratory incubation without vegetation may have overestimated the N value of biobased fertilizers. Vegetation resulted in a lower estimation of available N from fertilizers, probably due to intensified competition with soil microbes or increased N loss via denitrification.

Nitrogen and phosphorus availability have stronger effects on gross and net nitrogen mineralisation than wheat rhizodeposition

Soil nitrogen (N) availability is determined by microbial gross N mineralisation (GNM) and immobilisation, where net N mineralisation (NNM) represents their balance. Plants provide a substantial amount of their photosynthesized C belowground into the soil as rhizodeposition, which can stimulate microbial activity affecting GNM and NNM, but this activity also depends on soil N and phosphorus (P) availability. We examined how N (25 and 100 kg N ha−1 or 44 and 177 mg N pot−1) and P (10 and 40 kg P ha−1, or 18 and 71 mg P pot−1) fertilisation affected microbial N mineralisation in soil planted with two wheat genotypes (Suntop and 249) varying in root biomass and rhizodeposition. We used a continuous 13CO2 labelling method to track plant C rhizodeposition and a 15N pool dilution technique to investigate GNM. We further assessed NNM by comparing N pools in plant and soil at the start and end of the experiment. We observed increased GNM with increased P fertilisation, likely because of P-induced N limitation stimulating microbial mining for N, particularly at the low level of N fertilisation. N fertilisation did not affect GNM but the higher level of N fertilisation reduced NNM, likely because of increased microbial immobilisation of fertiliser N. Our results suggest that GNM was more sensitive to soil N and P availability than to rhizodeposition between wheat genotypes, although at high N fertilisation, rhizodeposition contributed to reduced NNM, likely because rhizodeposition enhanced microbial N immobilisation. We conclude that the relative availability of N and P in soil should be considered for managing GNM and NNM in soil.

Increases in substrate availability and decreases in soil pH drive the positive effects of nitrogen addition on soil net nitrogen mineralization in a temperate meadow steppe

Nitrogen (N) deposition is projected to increase over the coming decades, with consequences on soil N transformation. Soil N mineralization is an important process regulating soil N availability. However, it is unclear how the responses of soil N mineralization to increasing N deposition are controlled by biotic and abiotic factors. Here, we examined the effects of increasing N addition rates on soil net N mineralization, net nitrification, and N-cycling functional gene abundance in a temperate meadow steppe after six years treatments. We found that N addition significantly increased the rates of soil net N mineralization and nitrification. Nitrogen addition rates were positively correlated with the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria amoA gene, but negatively correlated with that of other N-related functional genes. The N-induced enhancement of net N transformations were predominantly driven by the enhanced quantity and quality of soil substrates, but not by N-related functional genes. Decreased soil pH also contributed to the enhancement of net N transformations. Our findings highlight the importance of soil substrate availability and soil pH in driving grassland soil N transformation processes under the scenario of increasing N deposition.

Physicochemical and Nutrient Release Characteristics of a Thermochemical Organic Fertilizer Produced from Degradable Solid Waste and Its Effect on Productivity of Banana

ABSTRACT Physicochemical characterization and a 300-day soil incubation was conducted to study the effect of a thermochemical organic fertilizer (TOF) produced from biowaste through rapid thermochemical processing technology on soil properties and nutrient release pattern at the Kerala Agricultural University, India. A field experiment to study the effect of TOF on the growth and yield of banana (Nendran) was conducted. The physicochemical properties of TOF were conforming to prescribed quality standards. The TOF imparted moderation of acidity, lower soluble salts and a steady and constant release pattern of organic carbon on incubation. Mineralized nitrogen dynamics was superior in TOF combined with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria, characterized by a 120-day cycle of net nitrogen mineralization on 10 days and a net immobilization on 20 days. Highest P mineralization was recorded at 150 days with a phase of total immobilization from 180 to 240 days. Mineralization and immobilization up to 60 days, marked by a steady release of potassium followed by a progressive mineralization up to 240 days was evident. The TOF based treatments proved to be superior in plant height, number of leaves, pseudostem girth, bunch yield and dry matter production in banana as compared to farmyard manure – based treatments.

Microbial functions and soil nitrogen mineralisation processes in the soil of a cool temperate forest in northern Japan

There is little knowledge about microbial functional community structures and the relationships between microbial communities and nitrogen transformation processes. Here, we investigated the relationships between soil microbial communities and nitrogen mineralisation potentials in a cool temperate forest throughout the growing season. Microbial communities were assessed by quantification of the total bacterial, archaeal, and fungal gene abundances and the bacterial and archaeal amoA gene abundances, functional predictions of bacteria and fungi, and analysis of the bacterial-fungal co-occurrence network. In mid-summer, ectomycorrhizal fungal abundance was significantly higher, whereas the total bacterial abundance was significantly lower. Bacterial and archaeal amoA gene abundances were also significantly higher in mid-summer. However, regardless of the seasonal fluctuation of microbial gene abundances, the net nitrification and nitrogen mineralisation potential did not show clear seasonality. In the network analysis, the microbial community was divided into 13 modules, which were subgroups assumed to have similar niches. Furthermore, two modules that mainly consisted of microbial species of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were significantly and positively correlated with the net nitrification and mineralisation potentials. Our results indicated that microbial subgroups sharing similar niches, instead of total microbial abundances and functional gene abundances, could be important factors affecting the net nitrogen mineralisation potential.

Effects of precipitation change and nitrogen addition on soil net N mineralization in a saline-alkaline grassland of Northern Shanxi Province, China.

To explore the responses of soil net nitrogen (N) mineralization rate to precipitation varia-tion and nitrogen deposition in salinized grassland, we set precipitation manipulation and nitrogen addition experiments in the typical agro-pastoral ecotone saline-alkaline grassland of Northern Shanxi Province, China. The in situ soil net N mineralization rate was determined by top-cover buried PVC cylinder from May to September in 2019. The results showed that there were seasonal dynamics in soil net N mineralization rate. Soil net N mineralization rate was not affected by increase/decrease precipitation (±50%), nitrogen addition (10 g·m-2·a-1) or the combination of nitrogen addition and increase 50% precipitation treatments. The combination of nitrogen addition and 50% reduction of precipitation significantly improved soil net nitrification rate and net N mine-ralization rate by 10.8 and 8.6 times, respectively. Soil net nitrogen mineralization rate was positively related to soil water content, and negatively related to soil pH. The effects of nitrogen addition on soil nitrogen mineralization rate were dependent on precipitation conditions. Soil water content and pH were important factors regulating soil net nitrogen mineralization rate in the saline-alkaline grassland of Northern Shanxi Province. Therefore, to roundly assess the response model of soil N mine-ralization process to global change, it is necessary to consider the interaction of precipitation changes and nitrogen addition, and the soil physical and chemical properties of salinized grassland.

Macromineral and trace element requirements for Santa Ines sheep

Minerals play an important role in animal metabolism. Knowledge of mineral requirements allows well-formulated diets to be provided, which is the main factor that affects performance. To determine the macromineral and trace element requirements for growth and maintenance, thirty-eight 2-month-old Santa Ines lambs with initial body weight (BW) of 13.0 ± 1.49 kg were distributed in a factorial design with feeding levels (ad libitum, 30% and 60% feed restriction) and sex classes [castrated (CM) and intact males (IM)]. The net mineral requirements for gain were higher (P < 0.05) with increasing BW and average daily gain, except for Ca and Na, which remained constant as the empty BW (EBW) increased. The macromineral net requirement for maintenance (g/kg EBW0.75) and the true retention coefficient (k; %) were 0.0784 and 65.2 for Ca, 0.0926 and 80.0 for P, and 0.0379 and 59.0 for K, respectively. The k of Mg was higher (P < 0.05) for IM (11.3 for IM and 7.9 for CM). Sex did not affect (P > 0.05) the maintenance requirement of the trace elements Co, Cu, Zn and Cr which were 0.0015, 0.037, 0.698, and 0.0055 (mg/kg EBW0.75), respectively. Our study indicated that the Santa Ines net mineral requirements are different from the main nutritional requirements established by committees for sheep, which may result in unbalanced diets.

Plant inputs mediate the linkage between soil carbon and net nitrogen mineralization

Plant residue inputs play a crucial role in regulating soil carbon (C) stock and nitrogen (N) availability in cropland. However, little is known regarding how plant inputs mediate the relationships between soil C and net N mineralization, causing additional uncertainty in predicting ecosystem C and N dynamics. This study investigated the influences of long-term deprivation of plant inputs, short-term addition of maize straw and experimental warming on soil C and net N mineralization and their relationships. We conducted an 815-day laboratory incubation experiment under 10 and 20 °C using soils from a long-term bare fallow plot (without plant inputs for 23 years) and its adjacent old field plot (with continuous plant inputs). Our results showed that long-term deprivation of plant inputs decreased soil net N mineralization (per unit total N or TN) by 56% on average, but had minor effect on soil C mineralization (per unit soil organic C). Soil C and net N mineralization rates were positively correlated in the old field soil under 20 °C. However, soil C and net N mineralization rates were not correlated in the bare fallow soil, mainly due to the low level of net N mineralization. Moreover, soil C and net N mineralization rates were significantly increased by the addition of maize straw in both land-use types. When net N mineralization was <162 (or 159) μg N g−1 TN d−1, soil C and net N mineralization rates were negatively correlated due to an increase of microbial N demand during plant litter mineralization. When net N mineralization was >162 (or 159) μg N g−1 TN d−1, soil C and net N mineralization rates were positively correlated owing to a greater microbial mining of N from soil organic matter (SOM). Further, elevated temperature increased soil C and net N mineralization rates, and changed the relationships between soil C and net N mineralization. Taken together, this study provides evidence that plant inputs mediate the relationships between soil C and net N mineralization, and is thus critical in controlling ecosystem C and N cycling.

Effects of experimental warming on soil nitrogen transformation in alpine scrubland of eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

We investigated the effects of warming on soil nitrogen cycling process in alpine scrub ecosystem, with an in-situ simulated warming experiment at Sibiraea angustata alpine scrubland on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. We examined the responses of soil nitrogen transformation rate to warming in three critical periods (the early, late, and non-growing seasons). The results showed that warming increased soil temperature by 1.2 ℃, but decreased soil moisture by 2.5%. The soil net nitrogen mineralization rates (i.e., ammonification and nitrification) in the growing season were significantly higher than those in the non-growing season. The rates of soil net nitrogen fixation in the non-growing season were significantly higher than that in the growing season. Soil nitrification was the major process of soil nitrogen transformation in the early growing season, while soil ammonification was the major one in the late growing season and non-growing season. The effects of experimental warming on soil nitrogen transformation differed among those three periods. Experimental warming significantly increased soil net ammonification, nitrification, nitrogen mine-ralization and fixation in the early growing season, and enhanced soil net nitrification and nitrogen mineralization in the non-growing season. However, warming significantly decreased soil net nitrification, nitrogen mineralization and fixation in the late growing season and soil net ammonification in the non-growing season. Moreover, warming did not affect soil net nitrogen fixation rates in the non-growing season and soil net nitrification rates in the late growing season. Future climate warming would significantly change soil nitrogen transformation by accelerating soil nitrogen cycling in the alpine scrub ecosystem on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Impact of manure and biochar additions on annual crop growth, nutrient uptake, and fate of 15N-labelled fertilizer in two contrasting temperate prairie soils after four years

Liquid hog manure (LHM) and solid cattle manure (SCM) co-applied with biochar could beneficially influence soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics. A split-plot design was used at two sites (Brown and Black) in Saskatchewan to assess LHM and SCM (100 kg N·ha−1) applied alone or in combination with biochars (8 Mg carbon·ha−1) produced using slow or fast pyrolysis. Crop growth and nutrient uptake, along with fertilizer 15N recovery, were followed over four years in a cereal–oilseed rotation. Crop growth on the Brown soil was more responsive to the treatments than the Black soil, reflecting lower fertility of the Brown soil. The manure and biochar, applied alone or in combination, had little impact on available soil P. Manure and biochar effects on crop growth and nutrient uptake were attributed to temporal effects on soil N immobilization–mineralization influencing plant-available soil N. A negative impact of the fast pyrolysis biochar on growth and plant uptake was observed and attributable to its greater labile-carbon content, which likely promoted soil N immobilization. Synergism observed between SCM and the slow pyrolysis biochar may reflect enhanced net SCM-N mineralization and increased water-holding capacity. The majority (55%–80%) of plant 15N recovery occurred during the first year, with 86% of fertilizer 15N conserved within the soil–plant system after four years. Greater (40%) plant 15N recovery without biochar addition, coupled with increased (38%) soil 15N recovery with added biochar, suggests biochar-related immobilization and (or) sorption in the biochar-amended soils.