TY - JOUR
T1 - Soil chemistry and fertility alterations in response to N application in a semiarid Mediterranean shrubland
AU - Ochoa-Hueso, Raul
AU - Stevens, Carly J.
AU - Ortiz-Llorente, Maria J.
AU - Manrique, Esteban
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - N deposition is currently affecting nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. We studied the effects of four years of N application (0, 10, 20 and 50kgNha-1year-1+background deposition) on soil chemistry and fertility in a semiarid shrubland in central Spain. Soil pH and nutrient availability fluctuated seasonally. The inorganic-N fraction in soil was dominated by nitrate, as expected in calcareous soils. N application increased inorganic N availability in soil. There was a negative correlation between N application and soil K+ availability and pH, measured as the % change after four years. Soil N and C storage (evaluated as the % change) slightly increased after four years. Our data suggest that, in the short-term, the seasonality of nutrients overwhelm any chemical alteration related to N deposition. However, the potential implication of continuous N addition on soil chemistry in the long-term is not well understood.
AB - N deposition is currently affecting nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. We studied the effects of four years of N application (0, 10, 20 and 50kgNha-1year-1+background deposition) on soil chemistry and fertility in a semiarid shrubland in central Spain. Soil pH and nutrient availability fluctuated seasonally. The inorganic-N fraction in soil was dominated by nitrate, as expected in calcareous soils. N application increased inorganic N availability in soil. There was a negative correlation between N application and soil K+ availability and pH, measured as the % change after four years. Soil N and C storage (evaluated as the % change) slightly increased after four years. Our data suggest that, in the short-term, the seasonality of nutrients overwhelm any chemical alteration related to N deposition. However, the potential implication of continuous N addition on soil chemistry in the long-term is not well understood.
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/534818
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.02.049
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.02.049
M3 - Article
SN - 0048-9697
VL - 452-453
SP - 78
EP - 86
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
ER -