Journal
JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
Volume 16, Issue 5, Pages 414-423Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1007/s10310-011-0272-7
Keywords
Evergreen broad-leaved forest; Microbial respiration; Nitrification; Soil incubation; Volcanic ash soil
Categories
Funding
- JSPS [19380078, 20780120]
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [19380078, 22248016, 23780166, 20780120] Funding Source: KAKEN
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Soil N mineralization is affected by microbial biomass and respiration, which are limited by available C and N. To examine the relationship between C and N for soil microbial dynamics and N dynamics, we conducted long-term laboratory incubation (150 days) after C and N amendment and measured changes in C and N mineralization, microbial biomass C, and dissolved C and N throughout the incubation period. The study soil was volcanic immature soil from the southern part of Japan, which contains lower C and N compared with other Japanese forest soils. Despite this, the area is covered by well-developed natural and plantation forests. Carbon amendment resulted in an increase in both microbial biomass and respiration, and net N mineralization decreased, probably due to increasing microbial immobilization. In contrast, N amendment resulted in a decrease in microbial respiration and an increase in net N mineralization, possibly due to decreased immobilization by microbes. Amendment of both C and N simultaneously did not affect microbial biomass and respiration, although net N mineralization was slightly increased. The results suggested that inhibitory effect on microbial respiration by N amendment should be reduced if carbon availability is higher. Thus, soil available C may limit microbial biomass and respiration in this volcanic immature soil. Even in immature soil where C and N substrate is low, soil C, such as plant root exudates and materials from above- and belowground dead organisms, might help to maintain microbial activity and N mineralization in this study site.
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