Nitrogen transformations following tropical forest felling and burning on a volcanic soil

Journal Article · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Ecology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2307/1938454· OSTI ID:6083603

Matson, P A; Vitousek, P M; Ewel, J J; Mazzarino, M J; Robertson, G P

The authors measured nitrogen transformations and loss following forest clearing in a relatively fertile tropical forest site. Nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and amounts of ammonium and nitrate increased substantially in surface soils during the 6 mo following burning, then returned to background levels. The nitrogen content of microbial biomass declined to half its original value 6 mo after clearing and remained low in the cleared sites. Plant uptake of nitrogen was substantial on cleared plots (50 g/m/sup 2/), but it accounted for only 18% of /sup 15/N label added to field plots. Microbial immobilization of /sup 15/N was small relative to that in a cleared temperature site, and measurements of dinitrification potentials suggested that relatively little mineralized nitrogen was lost to the atmosphere. Substantial amounts of nitrogen (40-70 g/m/sup 2/) were retained as exchangeably bound nitrate deep in the soils of a cleared plot on which revegetation was prevented; this process accounted for 12% of the /sup 15/N label added to field plots.

• Research Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
• OSTI ID: 6083603
• Journal Information: Ecology; (United States), Journal Name: Ecology; (United States) Vol. 68:3; ISSN ECOLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510101* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DEFORESTATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MINERAL CYCLING
MINERALIZATION
NITRIFICATION
NITROGEN
NITROGEN 15
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
PLANTS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
UPTAKE