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Incubation experiments on nitrogen mineralization in loess and sandy soils

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Summary

In aerobic incubation experiments, nitrogen mineralization was investigated in agricultural loess and sandy soils. Fresh, fieldmoist samples were used for incubation. Using an optimization procedure the N-mineralization was split into two nitrogen fractions: A resistant, slowly decomposable organic N-fraction (index rpm) and a fast decomposable N-fraction (index dpm).

Loess- and sandy soils showed similar mean reaction coefficients for N-mineralization. The results also indicated that the amount of mineralizable nitrogen in the resistant N-fraction depended directly on clay content.

Soil sampling at different times during crop growing period gave different mineralization amounts and courses.

Effect of added plant residues on N-mineralization, was also studied by incubation. Variation of type and quantity of added residues changed the net N-mineralization in a characteristic way: Sugar beet leaves, added in minced form, caused an increase in mineralization; while straw caused a temporary immobilization, followed by remineralization.

Incubation experiments on undisturbed soil columns showed nearly linear mineralization with time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Bodenkunde, Universität Hannover, FRG

    H. Nordmeyer & J. Richter

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  1. H. Nordmeyer
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  2. J. Richter
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This paper was presented in part at the 1983 Congress of the German Soil Science Society held at Trier.

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Nordmeyer, H., Richter, J. Incubation experiments on nitrogen mineralization in loess and sandy soils. Plant Soil 83, 433–445 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184455

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184455

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