E. Barrios et al., NITROGEN MINERALIZATION IN DENSITY FRACTIONS OF SOIL ORGANIC-MATTER FROM MAIZE AND LEGUME CROPPING SYSTEMS, Soil biology & biochemistry, 28(10-11), 1996, pp. 1459-1465
Biologically-mediated nutrient availability in the soil is largely dep
endent on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and mineralization p
rocesses. The light fractions of SOM obtained by floatation of the san
d-size fraction in a silica suspension (LL, 150-3000 mu m and <1.13 g
cm(-3)) and floatation of whole soil in sodium iodide (NAL, <1.7 g cm(
-3)) were previously found to be strongly affected by maize and legume
cropping systems. The objective of this study was to assess the anaer
obic and aerobic N mineralization rates of LL, NAL and whole soil afte
r the eighth cropping season (4 y) in seven maize and legume cropping
systems. Significantly greater (P < 0.05) N mineralization in whole so
il, LL and NAL resulted from the seasonal additions of Gliricidia sepi
um prunings to continuous maize than from continuous maize with remova
l of crop residues and from a gliricidia stand with prunings removed.
Aerobic and anaerobic N mineralization in whole soil from the seven cr
opping systems correlated (P < 0.05) with aerobic N mineralization in
LL and NAL, which in turn correlated with the N concentration and amou
nt of N in the respective fraction. Amount of LL-N but not LL-C or dry
weight of LL correlated with anaerobic and aerobic N mineralization o
f whole soil. Dry weight, amount of N and amount of C in NAL were not
correlated with whole soil mineralization. These results suggest that
amount of N in light fraction SOM merits further examination as a sens
itive measure of biologically-mediated N availability. Copyright (C) 1
996 Elsevier Science Ltd