M. Carnol et al., THE EFFECTS OF AMMONIUM-SULFATE DEPOSITION AND ROOT SINKS ON SOIL SOLUTION CHEMISTRY IN CONIFEROUS FOREST SOILS, Biogeochemistry, 38(3), 1997, pp. 255-280
The effects of enhanced (NH4)(2)SO4 deposition on soil solution cation
and anion concentrations and annual ionic fluxes were followed using
a standardised experimental protocol in six European coniferous forest
s with contrasting soil types, pollution inputs and climate. Native so
il cores containing a ceramic suction cup were installed in the field,
roofed and watered every two weeks with local throughfall or local th
roughfall with added (NH4)(2)SO4 at 75 kg NH4+-N ha(-1) a(-1). Living
root systems were established in half of the lysimeters. Untreated thr
oughfall NH4+-N deposition at the sites ranged from 3.7 to 29 kg ha(-1
) a(-1). Soil leachates were collected at two weekly intervals over 12
months and analysed for volume, and concentrations of major anions an
d cations. Increases in soil solution NO3- concentrations in response
to N additions were observed after 4-9 months at three sites, whilst o
ne sandy soil with high C:N ratio failed to nitrify under any of the t
reatments. Changes in NO3- concentrations in soil solution controlled
soil solution cation concentrations in the five nitrifying soils, with
Al3+ being the dominant cation in the more acid soils with low base s
aturation. The acidification responses of the soils to the (NH4)(2)SO4
additions were primarily related to the ability of the soils to nitri
fy the added NH4+. pH and soil texture seemed important in controlling
NH4+ leaching in response to the treatments, with two less acidic, cl
ay/clay loam sites showing almost total retention of added NH4+, whils
t nearly 75% of the added N was leached as NH4+ at the acid sandy soil
s. The presence of living roots significantly reduced soil solution NO
3- and associated cation concentrations at two of the six sites. The v
ery different responses of the six soils to increased (NH4)(2)SO4 depo
sition emphasise that the establishment of N critical loads for forest
soils need to allow for differences in N storage. capacity and nitrif
ication potential.