Publication date: December 2015
Source:Geoderma, Volumes 259–260
Author(s): Christine Wachendorf
Short-term potential carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization of soil organic matter and belowground plant litter was determined in the top soil layer of a sandy soil of a short-rotation coppice (SRC) and the effect of addition of lime, mineral nitrogen and poplar roots was determined. Lime addition was equivalent to 1.23 2 ) derived from lime and soil organic matter (SOM) was calculated by using stable isotope analysis of the CO2 . In addition, particulate organic matter (POM) as well as microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were analyzed after 51 Addition of lime decreased CO2 derived from organic matter in all treatments, but the level of decrease varied with N and root litter addition. Microbial biomass C and N increased with N addition in soil without root litter but decreased with root litter, nevertheless an immobilization of mineral N was especially high in soil amended with root litter. Particulate organic matter (POM) decreased by 41% of its dry weight in root litter amended soil. Liming decreased decomposition of POM in these soils, whereas no effect was observed after addition of mineral nitrogen or mineral nitrogen and lime. These results show that liming has the potential to decrease C mineralization of humified organic matter as well as plant residues and that decreased mineralization of organic matter occurred after liming, even if mineral N was added.
Source:Geoderma, Volumes 259–260
Author(s): Christine Wachendorf