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Kinetic Analysis of Net Nitrogen Mineralization in Soil¹

ABSTRACT

Studies were conducted to determine the most suitable mathematical equation and the most appropriate method for calculating the values of the parameters of the equation describing the net N mineralization in soil. The cumulative net N mineralized in two treatments of a ¹⁵N labeled soil and five unlabeled Saskatchewan soils showed curvilinear trends that could be fitted to either hyperbolic or first order equations. The kinetic parameters of the hyperbolic equation, ¹⁵N^H₀ (potentially mineralizable N) and T_c (time required for 1/2 N^H₀ to mineralize) determined by nonlinear least squares (NLLS) yielded the best fit to the data for the labeled soil and had the lowest RMS error. Linear regression (1/N vs 1/t) yielded ¹⁵N^H₀ and T_c values which were markedly different than those obtained with the N vs. N/t and t/N vs. t transformations or those obtained with the NLLS method when all the data were considered. The double reciprocal plot gave undue weight to the initial data points. The ¹⁵N^H₀ estimated by NLLS method accounted for 62 and 72% of the total organic ¹⁵N remaining in the two treatments of Weirdale loam soil. The N^H₀ for Saskatchewan soils ranged from 51 to 429 µg N g^–1 soil, while the T_c ranged from 7.3 to 45.8 weeks. The ¹⁵N^F₀ values obtained with the first order equation using NLLS method accounted for 39 to 44% of the total organic ¹⁵N remaining in soil. The N^F₀ values for Saskatchewan soils ranged from 35 to 255 µg N g^–1 soil while the values of net mineralization rate constant, k, ranged from 0.036 to 0.164 weeks^–1. Both equations accurately predicted the amount of net N mineralized over 14 weeks incubation. However, the estimates of potentially mineralizable N and mineralizable N half-life were dependent upon the model used.

¹ Joint contribution from Univ. of Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Inst. of Pedology Paper # R358) and Univ. of Alberta (Alberta Inst. of Pedology publication #T-84-1).

² Assistant Professor, Univ. of Alberta, Dep. of Soil Science, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3; Professor, Univ. of California, Dep. of Plant and Soil Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A.; Research Scientist, I.N.R.A. Laon, France; respectively.

Received for publication January 28, 1983. Accepted for publication February 3, 1984.

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