O. Kostov et O. Van Cleemput, Nitrogen transformations in copper-contaminated soils and effects of lime and compost application on soil resiliency, BIOL FERT S, 33(1), 2001, pp. 10-16
A neutral and an acidic soil were treated with different doses (0-3,000 mg
Cu kg(-1) soil as CuSO4) of copper. The percentages of inhibition of nitrif
ication in both soils varied from 5 to 97%, but for the N mineralization th
ese percentages varied from 8 to 65%. The toxic effect of Cu for basal nitr
ification and N mineralization was assessed as critical. Nitrification was
more sensitive than ammonification to copper toxicity. It appears that an e
cological dose of inhibition for nitrification and N mineralization higher
than 10% is suitable as an indicator for Cu contamination. Soil resiliency
assessed by N mineralization in the lime treatments varied from 11 to 154%
in the sandy soil and from 70 to 168% in the sandy loam soil. A combined ap
plication of lime and compost significantly increased soil resiliency. The
percentage increase varied from 904 to 1,390% in the sandy soil and from 76
7 to 2,230% in the sandy loam soil. It appears that compost was a powerful
agent for recovering the soil fertility of Cu-contaminated soils as assesse
d by N transformation. The acidic sandy soil showed a lower capacity for re
covery after Cu toxicity stress.