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Soil Microbial Dynamics: Short- and Long-Term Effects of Inorganic and Organic Nitrogen

Dep. of Crop and Soil Science, Johnson Hall, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164

R. P. Dick^*

Dep. of Crop and Soil Science, 3017 Agricultural and Life Sciences Building, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR 97331

*Corresponding author (dickr{at}css.orst.edu).

ABSTRACT

Soils with minimal long-term organic inputs typically have reduced biological activity, which has implications for current interests in shifting from inorganic to organic inputs and promoting efficient nutrient cycling in agroecosystems. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the long- and short-term effects of organic vs. inorganic N on microbial biomass, metabolic quotient, and key soil enzymes (protease, L-histidine NH₃-lyase, and ß-glucosidase) involved in N and C cycles. Treatments applied factorially to four corn (Zea mays L.) crops grown for 306 d were: four soils from long-term field plots (beef manure, pea vine [Pisum sativum L.], 0, or 90 kg N ha^–1, each applied biennially for 59 yr); four greenhouse organic residues (pea vine, beef manure, poultry manure, or control); and four rates of inorganic N fertilizer (0–1600 mg NH₄NO₃-N pot^–1 with 2 kg soil pot^–1). In the long-term, soil microbial biomass and enzyme activity correlated with total C inputs. Recent organic inputs, regardless of long-term management, had a large effect on soil biological response, which was controlled by residue composition (lignin content) and supported 80 to 400% greater microbial biomass C than the control. Long-term inorganic N applications decreased organic matter and biological activity, whereas short-term inorganic N applications had limited effects on soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass C, suggesting that inorganic N can maintain plant productivity during a transition to organic N sources without inhibiting the buildup of microbial biomass. The metabolic quotient gave mixed results as a soil biological indicator, being high with long-term N or recent beef manure applications and low with recent N applications.

Oregon Agric. Exp. Stn. Journal no. 9951.

Received for publication September 16, 1992.

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