Article
Inorganic Nitrogen Determined by Laboratory and Field Extractions of Two Forest Soils
Soil Science Society of America
(1995)
Abstract
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 KCl extraction and NH4-N and NO3-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 NO3-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 NH4-N into NO3-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-poor soils characterized by slow N transformation rates.
Disciplines
Publication Date
1995
DOI
doi:10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900020040x
Citation Information
Helga Van Miegroet. "Inorganic Nitrogen Determined by Laboratory and Field Extractions of Two Forest Soils" Soil Science Society of America Vol. 59 Iss. 2 (1995) p. 549 - 553 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/helga_vanmiegroet/174/