Volatilization and foliar recapture of ammonia following spring and fall application of nitrogen-15 urea to a Douglas-fir ecosystem

Conference · · Soil Science Society of America Journal; (USA)

OSTI ID:5302152

Nason, G E; Pluth, D J; McGill, W B ^[1]

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1. Oregon State Univ. Corvallis (USA)

Seasonal effects on the volatilization and vegetal recapture of NH{sub 3} following application of pelleted {sup 15}N urea to 200 kh N ha{sup {minus}1} to a 40- yr-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) ecosystem were investigated. Volatilization totalled 14 and 0.7% of applied N in spring and fall, respectively, and the difference appeared to be related to precipitation patterns following fertilization. Volatilization was generally enhanced by small spring rainfalls while depressed by larger fall rains. The isotopic abundance of evolved NH{sub 3} fluctuated from > 90 to < 10% of that of the fertilizer source. These fluctuations reflected the role of precipitation in the regulation of special heterogeneity of urea and urease in soil. Under spring conditions NH{sub 3} was recaptured by potted Douglas-fir seedlings. Seedlings at 10 cm above the forest floor captured 16 times as much NH{sub 3} as seedlings positioned at the 150-cm elevation. Labelled N was distributed among seedling tissues in the order: current foliage > 1-year-old foliage > roots which is consistent with anabolic incorporation and translocation. This mechanism may have a significant role in plant nutrition when conditions favorable to NH{sub 3} volatilization follow urea fertilization.

• OSTI ID: 5302152
• Report Number(s): CONF-881108-; CODEN: SSSJD
• Journal Information: Soil Science Society of America Journal; (USA), Vol. 52:3; Conference: 52. annual meeting of the Soil Science Society, Anaheim, CA (USA), 27 Nov - 2 Dec 1988; ISSN 0361-5995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMMONIA
FOLIAR UPTAKE
FIRS
PLANT GROWTH
UREA
METABOLISM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FERTILIZERS
NITROGEN 15
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VOLATILITY
AMIDES
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CONIFERS
GROWTH
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TREES
UPTAKE
VARIATIONS
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
540211 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- Radiometric Techniques- (1990-)