Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Soil nitrogen status'

Although the physiological nitrogen demand of the soil microbial biomass is a major determinant of N mineralization in forest soils, the exact nature of the relationship is unclear. This study investigated the relationships between a respiration-based indicator of microbial physiological N demand (NIR) and N availability in forest soils. NIR was found to correlate significantly with net mineralized N in the field and annual foliar litterfall N fluxes. In a laboratory incubation, NIR was shown to be sensitive to changes in soil available C and N pools. These results demonstrated that microbial physiological N demand is determined by relative availabilities of labile C and N, and that it is significantly related to N cycling in forest soils. Results from a seasonal study of a forested watershed suggest that nutrient availability determined tree production and soil C availability, which in turn determined microbial physiological N demand and nitrogen dynamics in the forest.

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Os fatores que regulam a dinâmica do Carbono (C) e Nitrogênio (N) do solo na rizosfera são ainda pouco compreendidos. A mineralização de C na rizosfera pode ser fortemente influenciada pelo estado nutricional da planta, a concentração de CO2 na atmosfera e a temperatura do ambiente, entre outros. Em este estudo, avaliamos o status nutricional de N em plantas de Eucalyptus spp. e sua influência na dinâmica do C e do N n a rizosfera. Realizamos um experimento usando um rhizobox dividido em dois compartimentos. No compartimento de cima plantas foram cultivadas e areia lavada e supridas com uma solução nutritiva contendo todos o nutrientes e a mesma solução porém sem N . No compartimento inferior o contato das raízes com o solo foi limitado usando uma membrana de nylon com abertura de 5 μm. Observamos uma maior razão raiz:parte aérea e maiores concentrações de CO2 no solo das plantas com deficiência de N. As raízes das plantas deficientes em N, apresentaram maiores concentrações em relação as plantas não deficientes em N, de citrato e tallose, e menores concentrações de sucrose e aminoácidos. A análise de C e N da fração de matéria orgânica ligada aos minerais , junto com os dados obtidos pela termoquimolise indicam um aumento na mineralização de C e uma modificação na dinâmica do N. Devido a impossibilidade de contato físico direto com o solo, pela presença da membrana de nylon, a única forma de modificar o solo seria então pela exsudação de compostos pelas raízes. O contrastante conteúdo de aminoácidos e açúcares na raiz, junto com os dados do extrato da solução do solo e de mineralização de C, indica que a composição destes exsudatos diferiu em razão da deficiência de N. Enquanto as plantas deficientes em N exsudaram mais ácidos orgânicos, as plantas com ótimo status nutricional foram capazes de exsudar compostos energeticamente ricos. Os dados de δ13C da matéria orgânica ligada aos minerais indica que as plantas deficientes em N afetaram um maior volume de solo que as plantas supridas de N. Tudo isto mostra que, diferentes mecanismos de efeito priming foram dominantes, dependendo do status nutricional da planta. Em plantas deficiente de N, a mineralização de C no solo foi dominada pelo mecanismo chamado de “mineração de N”, enquanto no solo das plantas supridas de N o mecanismo dominante foi a “estequiometria microbiana”. Este trabalho demostra pela primeira vez, ao nosso saber, a atuação de diferentes mecanismos de efeito priming n a mesma planta, sobre diferente status de N . Assim ressaltando, a importância do manejo de nutrientes na dinâmica do C da rizosfera.
The factors that regulate the dynamics of soil Carbon (C) and Nitrogen (N) in the rhizosphere are still poorl y understood. The soil C mineralization in the rhizosphere ca n be heavil y influenced by plant’s nutritional status, atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature, among others. In this study, we assess the influence of Eucalyptus spp. N status on the C and N dynamics in the rhizosphere. We performed an experiment us ing two compartment rhizobox. In the upper compartment, plants were cultivated in washed sand and supplied with a solution containing all nutrients or all nutrients but N. The lower compartment limited the contact of the roots with the soil using a 5 μm mesh nylon membrane. We observed a higher root-shoot ratio for the N deficient plants and an increase in its soil CO2 concentration. The roots of the –N planted treatment had higher concentrations of citrate and tallose and lower concentration of sucrose and aminoacids, when compared to the +N planted treatment. The C and N anal ysis of the mineral associated organic matter fraction, together with the thermochemol ysis data showed an increase in C mineralization in both planted treatments and changes in N dynamics. As the roots had no physical contact with the soil due to the nylon membrane, the changes in the soil must have been consequence of root exudation. The contrasting sugar and aminoacid root content, together with the citrate concentration in soil solut ion extract and the C mineralization data, indicate that exudate composition changed due to the plants N status. The data indicates that the plants in the –N treatment exudated more organic acids than the plants of the +N treatment. Still the exudate comp osition of the plants with the +N treatment may had a higher energetic content and thus affected differentl y the soil microbial communities. The δ13C data indicate that the N deficient plants affected a higher volume of soil than the plants of the +N treatment. All this together shows different priming mechanisms were dominant due to the plants N status. As the plants were N deficient, the mineralization of soil C was driven by the “N-mining” mechanism while in the soil of the +N planted treatment the dominant mechanism was “microbial stoichiometry”. This work demonstrates, to our knowledge, by the first time using the same plants, different priming mechanisms due to the plants N status. Thus highlighting, the importance of plants nutrient management in the rhizosphere C dynamics.

Tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.) is a cool-season perennial grass used in pastures throughout the Southeastern United States. The grass can harbor a fungal endophyte (Epichloë coenophiala) thought to provide the plant with enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. However, the alkaloids produced by the common variety of the endophyte cause severe animal health issues resulting in a considerable amount of research focused on eliminating the toxic class of alkaloids while retaining the positive abiotic and biotic stress tolerance attributes of the other alkaloids. In doing so, very little attention has been paid to the direct influence the fungal-plant symbiosis has on rhizosphere processes. Therefore, my objectives were to study the influence of this relationship on plant biomass production, root exudate composition, and soil biogeochemical processes using tall fescue cultivars PDF and 97TF1 without an endophyte (E-), or infected with the common toxic endophyte (CTE+), or with two novel endophytes (AR542E+, AR584E+). I found that root exudate composition and plant biomass production were influenced by endophyte status, tall fescue cultivar, and the interaction of cultivar and endophyte. Cluster analysis showed that the interaction between endophyte and cultivar results in a unique exudate profile. These interactions had a small but perceptible impact on soil microbial community structure and function with an equally small and perceptible impact on carbon and nitrogen cycling in soils from rhizobox and field sites. These studies represent the first comprehensive analysis of root exudate chemistry from common toxic and novel endophyte infected tall fescue cultivars and can be used to help explain in part the observed changes in C and N cycling and storage in pastures throughout the Southeast U.S..

1. Ištirti skirtingo humusingumo glėjiškame rudžemyje alternatyviose intensyviajai žemdirbystės sistemose su daugiamečių žolių atolu ir tarpinių pasėlių biomase į dirvožemį įterptų biogeninių elementų kiekį ir jų poveikį sėjomainos augalų produktyvumui. 2. Įvertinti su trąšomis įterptų ir su derliumi prarastų biogeninių elementų NPK balansą ekologinės bei tausojamosios žemdirbystės sistemose ir nustatyti judriųjų fosforo ir kalio pokyčius dirvožemyje. 3. Nustatyti tausojamosios ir ekologinės žemdirbystės sistemose tarpiniuose pasėliuose augintų augalų biomasėje sukaupto azoto poveikį Nmin. dinamikai dirvožemyje. 4. Ištirti naudotų trąšų ir tarpinių pasėlių poveikį humuso ir jo sudėties pokyčiams ekologinės bei tausojamosios žemdirbystės sistemose. 5. Įvertinti ekologinės ir tausojamosios žemdirbystės sistemose naudotų agropriemonių poveikį pagrindinių dirvožemio fizikinių rodiklių stabilumui, agrofitocenozių dominantėms ir augaluose sukauptai bendrajai energijai.
1. In the cropping systems alternative to the intensive cropping system, set up on a gleyic Cambisol with a different humus status, perennial grasses and biomass of catch crops are a significant reserve of biogenic elements for the productivity of crop rotation plants. 2. In the organic and sustainable cropping systems, farmyard manure and biogenic elements incorporated with it have a greater positive effect on the NPK balance and changes in available phosphorus and potassium in the soil compared with green manure. 3. Catch crops are important from the environmental viewpoint, since by accumulating nitrogen in their biomass they reduce Nmin. concentration in the soil and become a reserve of nutrients for succeeding plants. 4. In the soil with a different humus status, alternative cropping systems have a diverse effect on humus stability and changes in its quality. 5. In the sustainable and organic cropping systems, catch crops and their biomass play an important role for soil physical parameters, agrophytocenoses dominants and total energy.

We examined the effects of periodic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer applications on the O horizon and mineral soil in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations over a 12-year period. To accomplish this, we used 9 experimental sites located across the south, which were grouped using the CRIFF Classification System. Group 1—CRIFF A, B (poorly-drained Ultisols); group 2—CRIFF C, D, G (sandy Spodosols and Entisols); and group 3—CRIFF E, F (well-drained Ultisols). Fertilization rates were 135, 202, and 269 kg N ha-1 at 4 years application frequency. This resulted in a cumulative N application rate of 540, 808, and 1076 kg ha-1. P was added at 10% of the N rate. Fertilization increased the mass, N content, and P content of the O horizon in all soil groups. Fertilization did not impact mineral soil N. No significant increases in total N trends were observed to a depth of 1 m. Likewise, total inorganic N (NH4+ + NO3-) was not affected by fertilization. These results suggest that N fertilization will have little effect on long-term soil N availability regardless of soil types. In contrast, fertilization increased extractable P in soil CRIFF groups 1, 2, and 3 by 26, 60, and 4 kg P ha-1 respectively suggesting potential for long-term soil P availability and site quality improvement. However, the low extractable P in soil group 3 implies additional fertilization with P for the next rotation for sites included into this soil group.
Master of Science

Autumn-olive (Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.) is an exotic species that was introduced in the U. S. in the 1800's and widely promoted as an ideal plant for erosion control, wildlife habitat and soil remediation. N-fixation by autumn-olive through a symbiotic relationship with actinomycete Frankia, can alter nitrogen cycling and potentially impair water quality through nitrate leaching. Furthermore, legacy effects of accumulated N following vegetative management and restoration efforts are unknown in areas invaded by autumn-olive. The first objective of this research was to determine if there was a relationship between autumn-olive cover and stream nitrate-N (NO3--N) concentration in twelve forested headwater watersheds in southern Illinois. Secondly, changes in autumn-olive cover and stream nitrogen concentrations were assessed by comparing current results to data collected 6 years prior. Nine of the study watersheds had significantly greater autumn-olive percent cover in 2012 compared to 2006 and mean stream NO3--N concentration significantly increased from 2006 to 2012 in all watersheds. Also, a significant exponential relationship was found between stream NO3--N concentration and autumn-olive percent cover. The long term effects of autumn-olive management on N cycling were also investigated by implementing three different vegetation treatments on invaded areas: cutting of autumn-olive trees (CU), cutting and stump herbicide application (CH) and a no treatment application or control (CO). Treated plots showed that soil NO3--N increased temporarily due to the disturbance. However, after the initial post treatment period of one year, soil water NO3--N concentrations on treated plots shifted, so that CH plots had significantly lower levels of NO3--N than in CO plots. Soil water NO3--N in CU plots also decreased, but it was not significantly different from CH plots. Subsequently, soil water NO3--N declined on CH plots, reaching the lowest levels in the third and fourth year after treatment. Reduction in soil water NO3--N in CH plots was not accompanied by differences among treatments in soil N mineralization rates or soil C:N ratios indicating persistent high nitrification rates contributing to mineralization under treated and control plots. These results demonstrate that encroachment of autumn-olive can transform N cycles in natural areas and affect water quality by saturating the soil with mobile forms of N that are leached out of the system. Significant rates of soil N cycling can persist for years after removal of autumn-olive due to the cycling of legacy N in soils and litter. Nevertheless, the cut and stump herbicide application treatment produced positive vegetation management results by halting N-fixation, controlling autumn-olive re-sprouting and by gradually decreasing N availability and NO3--N flushing in treated areas. Treatment of autumn-olive should have an impact on stream water quality in headwater watersheds, given the significant observed relationship between autumn-olive cover and stream nitrogen levels.

Crabgrass is a warm-season annual species that has the potential to provide high-quality summer forage for ruminants in the transition zone between subtropical and temperate regions of the United States. Growing annual lespedeza in association with crabgrass may be beneficial due to nitrogen transfer from the legume to the grass. The objectives of the research reported in this thesis were to (1) determine the effects of pH on establishment and growth of crabgrass; and (2) evaluate the effects of lespedeza seeding rate and N fertilization treatment on the yield, botanical composition, and nutritive value of crabgrass-lespedeza mixtures. A greenhouse study was conducted using three soil pH levels of 4.8, 5.5, and 6.3. Crabgrass germination and root and shoot yields were not affected by soil pH values. A field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of six lespedeza seeding rates (0-28 kg ha-1) and two N fertilization treatments (140 kg total N ha-1 or zero N) on crabgrass-annual lespedeza mixtures. In most cases, increasing lespedeza seeding rate increased lespedeza in the sward. However, lespedeza rate had limited effect on yield and nutritive value of the mixture. Nitrogen fertilization increased crabgrass in the sward and total yield by as much as 46%. Responses of nutritive value parameters to N fertilization were variable and appeared linked to weather factors. In vitro true digestibilities ranged from 750 to 875 g kg-1, and were largely unaffected by N fertilization and seeding rate The results of these studies indicate that crabgrass could provide moderate amounts of highly digestible forage while growing on acidic soils commonly found in the southeastern United States. Annual lespedeza may be grown in association with crabgrass, but limited improvement in yield and nutritive value were found for this practice.
Master of Science

Le statut organique d'un sol ferrugineux tropical peu lessivé de texture sableuse de la zone Centre-Nord du Sénégal a été étudié sur deux dispositifs de longue durée. Le labour, l'apport de fumier et diverses successions culturales ont induit une différenciation dans la productivité du sol. On a tenté d'expliquer les mécanismes d'évolution de la matière organique du sol et du cycle interne de l'azote et d'en tirer les conséquences agronomiques; notamment, on a suivi à l'aide du 15N le devenir in situ d'un fertilisant azote. Le coefficient réel d'utilisation de l'azote engrais par une culture de mil est particulièrement faible (10 à 17%); par contre l'immobilisation de cet azote engrais dans le sol à la récolte atteint selon les traitements 44 à 80% de l'apport. Ce fait est à rapprocher de l'importante augmentation de la biomasse microbienne observée en fin de période pluvieuse. Le fractionnement des composés organiques azotés par hydrolyse acide a montré que les pratiques culturales telles que le labour; la rotation arachide-mil et surtout l'apport de fumier augmentent de façon significative la teneur en azote alpha-amine du sol; cet azote contribue fortement au pool d'azote mobilisable par les cultures. Ces phénomènes soulignent la capacité du sol à mettre en réserve l'azote avant la saison sèche mais aussi la difficulté à gérer la fertilité azotée de ces terres: il est indispensable d'optimiser la biodisponibilité de cet azote reminéralisé pour minimiser les pertes d'azote nitrique par lixiviation afin d'éviter un accroissement de l'acidification

The influence of tree species on forest soils has been the subject of study for at least a century. Of particular interest have been western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) – two of the most common tree species in coastal and southern British Columbia, but each with a different nutrient amplitude. It has generally been found that acid, mycogeneous Mor humus forms develop in hemlock stands, while less acid and more zoogenous Mormoder, Moder, or even Mull humus forms develop in redcedar stands. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of hemlock and redcedar, growing separately and together, on forest floor nutrient properties. The questions addressed were: (1) does each stand type have unique forest floor nutrient properties? and (2) can any forest floor nutrient property discriminate between stand types?

Over the past century, woody plants and shrubs have increased in abundance at the expense of grasslands in many semiarid regions. The availability and concentrations of nutrients influence the relative success of plants, but the effects of fire frequency on soil nutrients is unknown for semiarid grasslands. On the gunnery ranges of Fort Huachuca in southeastern Arizona, study sites were established to examine the effects of fire frequency on soil biogeochemistry, plant biochemistry, and δ¹³C values in soil organic matter (SOM). The sites were on homogeneous granitic alluvium where wildfire frequency history is known from 1973 to present and no cattle grazing has occurred in recent decades. Subplots represent fire frequencies of no burns, 3 fires per decade, and 5 fires per decade. The "no burn" plot has abundant C₃ Prosopis veleruina (mesquite) trees, whereas the burned plots are open C₄-dominated grasslands with scattered mesquite trees. Prosopis trees have altered SOM pools by the concentration of plant nutrients and the addition of isotopically light shrub litter. Frequent fires have altered the basic geochemistry and nutrient availabilities of the soil, and the changes appear to be significant enough to affect plant growth. Soil pH increases with burning frequency, and TOC, total nitrogen, and plant -available phosphorus show significant increases on the infrequently burned plot. Burning is advantageous for preservation or restoration of grasslands, as total living grass biomass is greater on the two burned plots. Root biomass is significantly lower on the "frequently burned" plot. Concentrations of the key nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus are reduced in plants on the burned sites compared to plants on the unburned site. Fires help re-distribute nutrients but evidence of nutrient concentrations and δ¹³C values are retained in SOM for many decades. Estimates of bulk carbon turnover rates range from 112 to 504 years. Evidence for modern C₃ shrub expansion is found in the shift of SOM δ¹³C values from values characteristic of C₄ grasses to C₃ shrubs in surface soil layers. δ¹³C(SOM) values indicate that the Holocene and Late Pleistocene were dominated by C₄ grasslands, and the pre-Late Pleistocene vegetation was a C₄-grass savanna with abundant C₃ plants.

Maize is the dominant crop in northwestern Germany and is mostly cultivated on sandy soils. Additionally, due to intensive livestock husbandry and biogas production, large amounts of liquid manures are produced. The current farm practice leads to high N and P surpluses at field level accompanied by environmental pollution, like nitrate leaching, eutrophication of non-agricultural ecosystems, and N2O emissions. The accruing liquid manures are often used for maize fertilization. Thereby, slurries are mainly broadcast applied using trailing hose applicators followed by incorporation into the topsoil. In addition, a mineral N P starter fertilizer (MSF) is band-applied below the seed-corn at planting to overcome the limited nutrient availability during the early growth stages. Using a slurry injection technique below the maize row before planting might serve a substitute for MSF. Addition of a nitrification inhibitor (NI) into the slurry before injection seems to be an option to further decrease N losses. The objectives of this thesis were to compare the current and novel fertilizing strategies with a special focus on soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) dynamics and plant P, zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) status. For both issues the effect of adding a NI into the slurry was investigated. To characterize the SMN dynamics after slurry injection an appropriate soil sampling strategy had to be developed. Therefore, three consecutive field trials were conducted. The first testing of the new soil sampling approach was implemented in an existing experiment where the slurry was injected at a depth of 12 cm (upper rim) below the soil surface. The soil profile (75 cm wide) centered below the maize row was sampled using a grid-like approach to a depth of 90 cm. Around the injection zone, soil monoliths (SM) were sampled using a purpose-built soil shovel. Below the SMs and in the interrow space (15 and 30 cm distance to the row) a standardized auger procedure was used. The second experiment aimed to improve the sampling strategy with focus on sample homogenization quality and necessary sample sizes per pooled sample. In the third experiment this improved sampling strategy was validated. Results from the first testing of the sampling procedure showed that the strategy is suitable, although some problems occurred. Especially the high spread in values among the replications caused high coefficients of variation (CV; mostly 40 – 60%). The improvement trial revealed that for the SM, which contains the slurry band, an intensive homogenization is required. In addition, suitable sample sizes (twelve auger samples and six soil monolith samples per pooled sample) have to be collected to obtain reliable SMN values. Following this enhanced sampling strategy in the final validation trial, the spread in values was considerably reduced and resulted in CV values of mostly < 20%. The method can be adapted to other fertilizer placement strategies and further row crops. To compare both fertilizing strategies with respect to the spatial and temporal SMN dynamics as well as to the plant nutrient status two field trials were conducted using pig slurry on sandy soils in 2014 and 2015. Four treatments were tested: unfertilized control, broadcast application + MSF, injection, and injection + NI. Soil samples were taken using the new sampling strategy at several dates during the growing season. Plant samples were simultaneously collected to evaluate the plant P, Zn, and Mn status at different growth stages. In 2014, all fertilized N was displaced from the top soil layer of the broadcast treatment until the 6-leaf stage due to heavy rainfall, while N displacement was significantly smaller after slurry injection. The lateral movement of injected slurry N was negligible. In 2015, almost no displacement of fertilized N out of the top soil layer occurred independently of treatments, due to distinctly lower rainfall. The release of slurry N was delayed following broadcast application and large SMN concentrations were detected in the injection zones until the 10-leaf stage. The addition of a NI resulted in significantly increased NH4-N shares in the injection zone throughout the early growth stages (+ 46% in 2014 and + 12% in 2015 at 6-leaf stage). Thus, in 2014 SMN displacement was delayed, and in 2015 increased SMN concentrations were found around the slurry band, most probably due to lower N losses via denitrification. Furthermore, NI addition significantly increased the nutrient uptake by maize during early growth in both years. With P deficiency due to cold weather conditions in 2015, broadcast application showed higher P uptake until the 6-leaf stage (36 – 58%), while it was lower at the 8- (32%) and 10- (19%) leaf stages compared to slurry injection (+ NI). Zn availability was enhanced during early growth after slurry injection (+ NI) and Zn as well as Mn uptake were higher at harvest. Furthermore, dry matter yields were higher (2014) or equal (2015) compared to broadcast application. The P balances were decreased by 10 – 14 kg P ha-1, while Zn and Mn balances were excessive independent of treatments. The field trials showed that after slurry injection, especially when combined with a NI, the applied nitrogen is located in a soil zone with better spatial availability for plant roots compared to broadcast application. Furthermore, the MSF can be substituted without affecting early growth of maize. In conclusion, slurry injection leads to equal (or even higher) yields and enables farmers in northwestern Germany to reduce the P and N surpluses. This would support several goals concerning sustainable land use: Lower pollution of ground and surface waters, reduced emission of NH3, more efficient use of the limited rock P reserves, and less need of transporting organic manures out of regions with intensive animal husbandry and/or biogas production. However, slurry injection enhances the risk of N2O emissions, which contributes to climate change. Thus, for a final evaluation of the environmental impact a life cycle assessment would be worthwhile.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science Johannesburg, 2012.
Amplified loads of sulfate and nitrate have caused increased stress on soil systems in many areas of the world, as both are dominant components of acid rain. This is a critical environmental stress due to the damage caused to soil, water quality and ecosystem functioning. Issues concerning the rising emissions of these elements from local industries have begun to attract increasing attention in South Africa, as the rates of deposition in the Mpumalanga Highveld region alone is comparable to those experienced in First World countries. This study sought to investigate the use of natural stable isotopes of sulfur and nitrogen to identify the process transformations that these species undergo in environmental cycles. Total δ34S, δ15N and δ13C isotope signature of soils in the Mpumalanga region were combined with total elemental concentrations to determine the effect of deposition on the soil system. Soil samples from two soil depths (0 – 10 cm and 20 – 40 cm) were taken along a distance gradient from an identified pollution source, the Majuba power station. Long-term air quality data from the study area were also obtained from Eskom’s air quality monitoring stations, as well as sulfur and nitrogen deposition data from selected literature. Elemental concentrations decreased with soil depth as expected, while sites located approximately 25 km downwind of the power station were seen to contain higher concentrations of both soil sulfur and nitrogen. The mean per site soil sulfur concentration across all depths ranged from 0.009 % to 0.048 %, while the mean per site nitrogen concentration across all depths ranged from 0.056 % to 0.346 %. The mean soil carbon concentration in the top-soils ranged from 0.97 % to 7.93 %, and decreased in the sub-soils to 0.490 % to 3.270 %.The mean δ34S value for the top-soils was found to be 8.28 ‰ and increased to 10.78 ‰ in the sub-soils. Soil δ15N also increased with soil depth from 6.55 ‰ to 8.28 ‰. Soil δ13C values were seen to increase from -12.83 ‰ in the top-soils to -11.90 ‰ in the sub-soils. Lighter δ34S values at the surface may be due to anthropogenic deposition. The positive δ34S shift was attributed to a two-source mixing model (atmospheric deposition and bedrock) and isotopic fractionation processes that occur within the soil profile. The δ15N values of the top-soil were higher than what is expected if all nitrogen was derived from atmospheric nitrogen gas fixation. The increase in δ15N with depth suggested that isotope fractionation occurred during nitrogen export due to the faster reaction rate of 14N compared to 15N. The soil δ13C values indicated a typical C4 grassland system. New carbon at the top-soil depths was enriched in 13C due to the slower decay of 13C-depleted lignin; whereas in the sub-soils microbial recycling of carbon dominates and explained the higher 13C content of the older carbon. The conceptual framework presented for this project involves simultaneous processes of deposition and export in the soil system. This was particularly true for sulfur, where sites with lower isotope values had lower soil sulfur concentrations and vice versa. This indicates that high levels of deposition correspond to high net export. The sulfur and nitrogen isotopic signatures could not be used to as a direct means of source identification; however, the effectiveness of isotopes in elucidating transfer of these nutrients in the soil system was illustrated.

Yield decline following continuous cropping cycles in Central Queensland has been attributed to the declining soil nitrogen status. In this study an assessment of the level of nitrogen fixation was made to assist in the selection of potential ley pasture legumes for use in rotational systems to achieve sustainable cropping yields.

Twenty one winter and summer growing legumes were evaluated for nitrogen fixation in glasshouse trials in two seasons. Nitrogen fixation was determined using the hydrogen evolution technique (an instantaneous measure of fixation rate) in an artificial media trial and the 15N natural abundance technique (an integral measure of fixation) in a soil based trial.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2006.
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 27-41).

碩士
國立臺灣大學
農業化學研究所
102
Sustainability of forest ecosystems relies on good soil qualities. The diversities of vegetation in forest stands may arise differences in soil properties and affect nutrient cycling. This study aimed to investigate the soil properties, aggregates stability, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fractions in soils collected from natural broad-leaf stand (Nat-F), Japanese cedar plantation (Cedar-F) and Moso bamboo plantation (Bamb-F) in Xitou, Taiwan. The results showed that soil pH value increased in the order of Nat-F, Cedar-F and Bamb-F; organic matter content was the lowest in Bamb-F soil and no significant difference in electrical conductivity among three forest stands. Concentrations of Mehlich Ⅲ extractable P and potassium (K) decreased in the order of Nat-F, Cedar-F and Bamb-F while manganese (Mn) was the highest in Bamb-F. There was no significant difference in concentrations of Mehlich Ⅲ extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) among three forest stands. The topsoil (0-10 cm) showed the lowest pH value and the highest electrical conductivities in all studied sites. The organic matter contents and Mehlich Ⅲ extractable P, K, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn also showed the highest concentrations in 0-10 cm layers. Aggregate stability in Cedar-F and Bamb-F soil profiles was greater than in Nat-F, but there was no differences in aggregate stability in varied depths of the same forest stand. The concentrations of all N fractions studied were the highest in Nat-F and the lowest in Bamb-F soil with the exception of inorganic N and hydrolyzable ammonium N fractions. The concentrations of different fractions of N decreased with increase in depth and were the highest in 0-5 cm soil layer. The Nat-F soil had the highest concentrations of total P, NaHCO3-P and NaOH-P while there was no significant difference in H2O-P, HCl-P and residue-P in three forest stands. In conclusion, there were differences in soils of Nat-F, Cedar-F and bamboo-F in chosen properties, aggregate stability, different fractions of N and P.