Available nitrogen and nitrogen cycling in forest soils exposed to simulated acid rain

Journal Article · · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7026094

Stroo, H F; Alexander, M

The formation of NO/sub 3//sup -/ and NH/sub 4//sup +/ was measured in columns containing samples from the surface horizons of 12 forest soils both during and after exposure to simulated rain applied at three times the ambient deposition rates for 116 d. The relative responses to increased acidity were correlated with organic matter and N levels of the soils. The average inhibition for the 12 soils was linearly related to the amount of acidity added. The quantity of N mineralized was less in some soils after their exposure to simulated rain at pH 3.5 than at pH 5.6 and greater in other soils, but the average amount mineralized after exposure of the 12 soils was not significantly affected by the pH of the simulated rain during the treatment period. The mean percentage of the inorganic N produced in the 12 soils that was in the NO/sub 3//sup -/ form was lower during but not after the exposure to simulated rain at pH 3.5 than at 5.6. The amount of inorganic N added in the simulated acid rain exceeded the diminished supply arising because of the inhibition of mineralization during the exposure. The suppression of N mineralization in Crary soil (Aquic Fragiorthods) containing white pine (Pinus strobus L.) seedlings and in Mardin soil containing red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings was less than in unplanted soil. The simulated rain at pH 3.5 altered the amounts of K, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, and Mn leached from the soil.

• Research Organization: Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY
• OSTI ID: 7026094
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 50:1; ISSN SSSJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

510200* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
CALCIUM
CONIFERS
CORRELATIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FORESTS
INHIBITION
IRON
LEACHING
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
METALS
MINERALIZATION
NITRATES
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN CYCLE
NONMETALS
OAKS
ORGANIC MATTER
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PINES
PLANTS
POTASSIUM
RAIN
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIMULATION
SOILS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TREES