The Content of Mineral Nitrogen in Histosols and Its Relationship with Soil Organic Matter
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ISSN 1392-3196 Zemdirbyste-Agriculture Vol. 107, No. 1 (2020) 11 ISSN 1392-3196 / e-ISSN 2335-8947 Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, vol. 107, No. 1 (2020), p. 11–16 DOI 10.13080/z-a.2020.107.002 The content of mineral nitrogen in Histosols and its relationship with soil organic matter Gediminas STAUGAITIS, Andrius ŠARKA Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Agrochemical Research Laboratory Savanorių 287, Kaunas, Lithuania E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The aim of the research was to investigate the content of mineral nitrogen (Nmin) at the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm layers of Histosols and their relationship with soil organic matter (SOM). The experiment was conducted in natural or cultivated perennial meadows of Lithuania in 2016–2018. Every year in November, 21 sites were installed and Nmin was analysed. The studies showed that the content of Nmin in Histosols were significantly higher compared to those in mineral soils, and they widely ranged in the air-dried soil samples at different depths as follows: 37.5 to -1 -1 -1 128.2 mg kg at 0–30 cm, 22.9 to 143.4 mg kg at 30–60 cm and 5.2 to 85.3 mg kg at 60–90 cm. Nmin content at the 0–30 and 30–60 cm layers were lower in Bathiterric Histosol and Bathifibric-Fibric Histosol compared to those in Pachiterric Histosol and Pachiterri-Fibric Histosol. In addition, the content of Nmin in Histosols depended on the peat layer thickness. At the 60–90 cm layer of Pachiterric Histosol and Pachiterri-Fibric Histosol, mineral soil was already present in many of the profiles, and SOM was lower, therefore, minN content was lower as well. -1 The content of Nmin (y, mg kg ) in Histosols was strongly dependent on the content of SOM in the soil (x, %). This dependence at the 0–30 cm layer is expressed by the equations: y = ̶ 0.02x2 + 2.72x ̶ 6.41 (r = 0.87*), at 30–60 cm layer – y = ̶ 0.01x2 + 2.2x + 0.31 (r = 0.87*), and at 60–90 cm layer – y = 0.78x + 7.82 (r = 0.92**). At the 0–30 cm Histosols layer, the average ratio of carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) was 18, and a very strong correlation was obtained between the ratio of C:N and Nmin content. At the 30–60 cm layer the ratio of C:N averaged 27, resulting in a weak correlation, leading to a higher impact of SOM concentration on Nmin content. At the 60–90 cm layer, in the shallow peat soils mineral horizon dominated, resulting in a high variation of the ratio of C:N from 4 to 34 and there was no correlation between the ratio of C:N and Nmin content. Key words: Histosols, mineral nitrogen, soil organic carbon. Introduction It has been documented that the content of N The content of mineral nitrogen (Nmin) in the min soil allows us to estimate the stocks of nitrogen readily in the soil depends on the content of soil organic matter available to plants, therefore, it is used to calculate the (SOM) (Zang et al., 2000; Ruehlmann, Körschens, 2009; required nitrogen fertiliser rates, estimate available Parvage et al., 2015). However, SOM differs in quality nitrogen leaching and assess how nitrates move down the and therefore affects the content of minN (Sommer et al., soil profile, etc. (Robertson, Vitousek, 2009; Shcherbak 2004; Dawson et al., 2008; Wang et al 2015; Wei et al., et al., 2014; Rezanezhad et al., 2016). Considering 2017). As mineralisation of peaty soil increases, the size of organic particles decreases, thus reducing the pores soil texture, Nmin scales of assessment in mineral soils are developed (Staugaitis et al., 2007; Arbačiauskas and increasing dry soil mass per unit volume (Castillo, Writ, 2008; Volungevičius et al., 2015; Rezanezhad et al., et al., 2014). Optimal terms of soil sampling for Nmin analyses are determined in different countries according 2016). This results in a change of soil bulk density, which to climatic conditions, the depths from which samples affects chemical, biological and hydrological properties are taken for different agricultural crops and other of peaty soil and thus the content of available nitrogen methodological requirements (Staugaitis et al., 2014; (Johnston et al., 2001; Chambers et al., 2010; Truong, Zhang et al., 2015; Arbačauskas et al., 2018). Most of Marschner, 2018). SOM mineralisation in Histosols these studies are conducted early in spring and autumn, takes place more intensively in the upper layer, and this less often in summer, as due to intense mineralisation of process is influenced by many factors, including the plant residues and organic matter in the soil, the content degree of peat fragmentation, soil moisture, temperature, plants grown, stocks of plant residues left (Burri et al., of Nmin significantly increases (Aurangojeb et al., 2017; Friesen, Cattani, 2017; Tripolskaja et al., 2017). This 2018; Vasilevich et al., 2018). increase mainly occurs in the upper 0–30 cm soil layer Nmin is significantly higher in soils with (Deng et al., 2016; Wasiu et al., 2018). high SOM, such as Gleysols and especially Histosols Please use the following format when citing the article: Staugaitis G., Šarka A. 2020. The content of mineral nitrogen in Histosols and its relationship with soil organic matter. Zemdirbyste- Agriculture, 107 (1): 11–16. DOI 10.13080/z-a.2020.107.002 12 The content of mineral nitrogen in Histosols and its relationship with soil organic matter (Vasilevich et al., 2018). Due to this reason, Nmin Soil samples collected for mineral nitrogen assessment scales used for mineral soils are not suitable (Nmin) analyses were stored in thermal boxes at 0–+3°C for these soils (Steffens et al., 2014; Norberg et al., 2016), during transportation. The moisture of soil samples and there is not enough research to develop them. There was determined according to gravimetric method (ISO 11465:1993. Soil quality - Determination of dry matter is also a lack of research on Nmin variations in Histosols with different thickness of peat layers. Therefore, the aim and water content on a mass basis) by drying the soil of this research was to investigate the content of N in at 105°C to a constant weight. Mineral nitrogen (N- min NO and N-NH ) in dried soil samples was determined Histosols, and to assess how the content of Nmin varies 3 4 at different depths and depends on the content of SOM. after extraction with 1 M KCl (1:5 ratio) according to ISO 14256-2005 (Determination of nitrate, nitrite and ammonium in field-moist soils by extraction with Materials and methods potassium chloride solution). Nitrate and ammonium The experiment was conducted in Varėna, nitrogen content was determined using the FIAstar 5000 Analyser (Foss Analytical A/S, Denmark). Soil Ukmergė and Raseiniai municipalities in southern and organic matter (SOM) was measured by elementary central Lithuania in 2016–2018. Twenty one sites with 2 analysis according to ISO 10694:1995 (Determination an area of 100 m (10 × 10 m) were installed in natural of organic and total carbon after dry combustion), or cultivated perennial meadows, where grass was cut and the bulk density – according to EN 13040:2008 or grazed. The selected sites were marked with a GPS (Sample preparation for chemical and physical tests, device and soil samples were taken from the same determination of dry matter concentration). Undisturbed locations for analysis. At each site, a composite soil core samples for determination of soil bulk density and sample was taken from 5–6 spots using a soil probe. Soil total porosity were collected using stainless steel rings samples were taken in the autumn (20–30 of November) (100 cm3 volumes) in four replications. Bulk density from the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm soil layers. The and total porosity were calculated from undisturbed soil code (according to WRB, 2014), coordinates of the soil samples. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content was experimental site, soil profile and its bulk density are determined by the Tyurin method modified by Nikitin presented in Table 1. Histosol horizon by type is divided (1999) with a spectrophotometric measure procedure into: low peat soils 0–30 cm (O-Hs-H3 or Hs-H3), 30–60 at the wavelength of 590 nm and glucose as a standard. cm (H2) and 60–90 cm (2Ckr-2Cr or 2Cr), and deep peat Soil total nitrogen (N) was determined by the Kjeldhal soils 0–30 cm (O-Hs-H or Hs-H ), 30–60 cm (H ) and method with a photometric measure procedure at the 3 3 2 wavelength of 655 nm. 60–90 cm (H2). Table 1. Coordinates, soil profiles and bulk density of the research sites Soil code Soil Bulk density Mg m-3 Site No. Coordinates according to FAO profile 0–30 cm 30–60 cm 60–90 cm 1. ARg-p-w-eu 52°81ʹ88 N, 60°10ʹ19 E Ah-Bg-Cg 1.35 ± 0.05 1.4 ± 0.03 1.5 ± 0.02 2. ARg-p-w-eu 37°13ʹ74 N, 61°14ʹ42 E Ah-Bg-Cg 1.44 ± 0.03 1.4 ± 0.05 1.5 ± 0.03 3. Glu-ha 52°87ʹ89 N, 61°11ʹ97 E Ah-Bg-Cg 1.28 ± 0.03 1.3 ± 0.02 1.4 ± 0.02 4. HSf-s-ph 41°06ʹ82 N, 61°41ʹ22 E O-Hs-H3-H2-Cr 0.85 ± 0.07 0.8 ± 0.07 1.5 ± 0.07 5. HSs-ph 52°86ʹ19 N, 60°10ʹ51 E O-Hs-H3-H2-2Cr 0.91 ± 0.11 1.0 ± 0.11 1.3 ± 0.11 6.