Inorganic nitrogen determined by laboratory and field extractions of two forest soils
- Utah State Univ., Logan, UT (United States)
To assess the effect of a delay in soil processing on inorganic N levels in N-rich soils, field and laboratory extractions were compared at two forested sites with high N mineralization and nitrification potential. At eight sampling dates in 1989 and 1990, five mineral soil cores per site were taken between 0- and 10-cm depth and transported on ice to the laboratory for KCI extraction and NH{sub 4}-N and NO{sub 3}-N analysis. At three sampling dates in 1990, soil extractions were performed in the field immediately following sampling, and inorganic N concentrations were compared between extractions. Nitrate-N increased four- to sevenfold (net release of 2-7 mg NO{sub 3}-N/kg dry soil) due to the transport and relatively short delay (<24 h) in the processing of the soil samples, either coinciding with increased net N mineralization or due to transformation of NH{sub 4}-N into NO{sub 3}-N. This study indicates that if possible, soil samples should be extracted in the field, especially at N-rich sites. The concerns raised by this study may not necessarily apply to N-pour soils characterized by slow N transformation rates. 16 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 46461
- Journal Information:
- Soil Science Society of America Journal, Vol. 59, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Mar-Apr 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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