14. Nutrient Transfonnations
This is usually done by plant harvesting and measurement of plant N at two points in time. Thus,
the natural abundance method is really dependent
on how well net rate measurements approximate
gross rates.
Application of Methods to Other
Nutrient Transformations
All of the approaches described in this chapter require estimation of nutrient concentrations at the
beginning and end of an incubation period. Approaches utilizing isotopes require additional measurements of isotope abundances (enrichment or
specific activity). Therefore, to use these approaches, procedures must be available that allow
precise measurement of the nutrient pool of interest. In many cases, the greatest limitation to using
these methods is the lack of a procedure for measuring a specific nutrient pool. The researcher must
be careful in choosing a procedure because use of
different concentrations or types of extractant may
result in measurement of slightly different pools,
and thus produce different estimates of nutrient
transformation rates. With careful consideration of
the system being studied and the objectives of the
research, the approaches discussed in this chapter
can be adapted for use in measuring transformation
rates of a wide variety of nutrients.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by
grants from the National Science Foundation
(DEB-9208212 and DEB-9807097) and USDANRICGP (92-37101-7976).
References
Aber, J.D.; Melillo, J.M. Terrestrial ecosystems. San
Francisco: Saunders; 1991.
Anderson, lP.E.; Domsch, K.H. Measurement of bacterial and fungal contributions to respiration of selected
agricultural soils. Arch. Microbiol. 21:314-322; 1975.
Balderston, w.L.; Sherr, B.; Payne, W.J. Blockage by
acetylene of nitrous oxide reduction in Pseudomonas
perfectomarinus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 31 :504508; 1976.
Barraclough, D.; Smith M.J. The estimation of mineralization, immobilization and nitrification in nitrogen231
15 field experiments using computer simulation. l
Soil Sci. 38:519-530; 1987.
Barrie, A.; Davies, J.E.; Park, A.J.; Workman, C.T.
Continuous-flow stable isotope analysis for biologists.
Spectroscopy 4:44-52; 1989.
Bedard, C.; Knowles, R. Physiology, biochemistry, and
specific inhibitors of CH4, NH: , and CO oxidation by
methanotrophs and nitrifiers. Microbiol. Rev. 53:6884; 1989.
Belser, L.w.; Mays, E.L. Specific inhibition of nitrite oxidation by chlorate and its use in assessing nitrification
in soils and sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
39:505-510; 1980.
Berg, P.; Klemedtsson, L.; Rosswall, T. Inhibitory effect
of low partial pressures of acetylene on nitrification.
Soil BioI. Biochem. 14:301-303; 1982.
Berntson, G.M.; Aber, lD. Fast nitrate immobilization
in N saturated temperate forest soils. Soil BioI.
Biochem. 32:151-156; 2000.
Betlach, M.R.; Tiedje, lM.; Firestone, R.B. Assimilatory
nitrate uptake in Pseudomonas fluorescens studied using nitrogen-13. Arch. Microbiol. 129:135-140; 1981.
Binkley, D.; Bell, R.; Sollins, P. Comparison of methods
for estimating soil nitrogen transfonnations in adjacent conifer and alder-conifer forests. Can. l For. Res.
22:858-863; 1992a.
Binkley, D.; Hart, S.C. The components of nitrogen
availability assessments in forest soils. Adv. Soil Sci.
10:57-112; 1989.
Binkley, D.; Matson, P. Ion exchange resin bag method
for assessing forest soil nitrogen availability. Soil Sci.
Soc. Am. J. 47:1050-1052; 1983.
Binkley, D.; Sollins, P.; Bell, R.; Sachs, D.; Myrold, D.
Biogeochemistry of adjacent conifer and alder-conifer
stands. Ecol. 73:2022-2033; 1992b.
Bjarnason, S. Calculation of gross nitrogen immobilization and mineralization in soil. J. Soil Sci. 39:393406; 1988.
Blackburn, T.H. Method for measuring rates of NH:
turnover in anoxic marine sediments Appl. Environ.
Microbiol. 37:760-765; 1979.
Boring, L.R.; Swank, w.T.; Waide, J.B.; Henderson, G.S.
Sources, fates, and impacts of nitrogen inputs to terrestrial ecosystems: Review and synthesis. Biogeochemistry 6:119-159; 1988.
Bonnann, F.H.; Likens, G.E.; Melillo, lM. Nitrogen
budget for an aggrading northern hardwood forest ecosystem. Science 196:981-983; 1977.
Bremner, lM. Nitrogen-urea. In: Page, A.L., ed. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. 2nd ed. Madison, WI:
American Society of Agronomy; 1982:699-709.
Burge, W.D.; Broadbent, F.E. Fixation of ammonia by
organic soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 25:199-204;
1961.
This is usually done by plant harvesting and measurement of plant N at two points in time. Thus,
the natural abundance method is really dependent
on how well net rate measurements approximate
gross rates.
Application of Methods to Other
Nutrient Transformations
All of the approaches described in this chapter require estimation of nutrient concentrations at the
beginning and end of an incubation period. Approaches utilizing isotopes require additional measurements of isotope abundances (enrichment or
specific activity). Therefore, to use these approaches, procedures must be available that allow
precise measurement of the nutrient pool of interest. In many cases, the greatest limitation to using
these methods is the lack of a procedure for measuring a specific nutrient pool. The researcher must
be careful in choosing a procedure because use of
different concentrations or types of extractant may
result in measurement of slightly different pools,
and thus produce different estimates of nutrient
transformation rates. With careful consideration of
the system being studied and the objectives of the
research, the approaches discussed in this chapter
can be adapted for use in measuring transformation
rates of a wide variety of nutrients.
Acknowledgments This work was supported by
grants from the National Science Foundation
(DEB-9208212 and DEB-9807097) and USDANRICGP (92-37101-7976).
References
Aber, J.D.; Melillo, J.M. Terrestrial ecosystems. San
Francisco: Saunders; 1991.
Anderson, lP.E.; Domsch, K.H. Measurement of bacterial and fungal contributions to respiration of selected
agricultural soils. Arch. Microbiol. 21:314-322; 1975.
Balderston, w.L.; Sherr, B.; Payne, W.J. Blockage by
acetylene of nitrous oxide reduction in Pseudomonas
perfectomarinus. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 31 :504508; 1976.
Barraclough, D.; Smith M.J. The estimation of mineralization, immobilization and nitrification in nitrogen231
15 field experiments using computer simulation. l
Soil Sci. 38:519-530; 1987.
Barrie, A.; Davies, J.E.; Park, A.J.; Workman, C.T.
Continuous-flow stable isotope analysis for biologists.
Spectroscopy 4:44-52; 1989.
Bedard, C.; Knowles, R. Physiology, biochemistry, and
specific inhibitors of CH4, NH: , and CO oxidation by
methanotrophs and nitrifiers. Microbiol. Rev. 53:6884; 1989.
Belser, L.w.; Mays, E.L. Specific inhibition of nitrite oxidation by chlorate and its use in assessing nitrification
in soils and sediments. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.
39:505-510; 1980.
Berg, P.; Klemedtsson, L.; Rosswall, T. Inhibitory effect
of low partial pressures of acetylene on nitrification.
Soil BioI. Biochem. 14:301-303; 1982.
Berntson, G.M.; Aber, lD. Fast nitrate immobilization
in N saturated temperate forest soils. Soil BioI.
Biochem. 32:151-156; 2000.
Betlach, M.R.; Tiedje, lM.; Firestone, R.B. Assimilatory
nitrate uptake in Pseudomonas fluorescens studied using nitrogen-13. Arch. Microbiol. 129:135-140; 1981.
Binkley, D.; Bell, R.; Sollins, P. Comparison of methods
for estimating soil nitrogen transfonnations in adjacent conifer and alder-conifer forests. Can. l For. Res.
22:858-863; 1992a.
Binkley, D.; Hart, S.C. The components of nitrogen
availability assessments in forest soils. Adv. Soil Sci.
10:57-112; 1989.
Binkley, D.; Matson, P. Ion exchange resin bag method
for assessing forest soil nitrogen availability. Soil Sci.
Soc. Am. J. 47:1050-1052; 1983.
Binkley, D.; Sollins, P.; Bell, R.; Sachs, D.; Myrold, D.
Biogeochemistry of adjacent conifer and alder-conifer
stands. Ecol. 73:2022-2033; 1992b.
Bjarnason, S. Calculation of gross nitrogen immobilization and mineralization in soil. J. Soil Sci. 39:393406; 1988.
Blackburn, T.H. Method for measuring rates of NH:
turnover in anoxic marine sediments Appl. Environ.
Microbiol. 37:760-765; 1979.
Boring, L.R.; Swank, w.T.; Waide, J.B.; Henderson, G.S.
Sources, fates, and impacts of nitrogen inputs to terrestrial ecosystems: Review and synthesis. Biogeochemistry 6:119-159; 1988.
Bonnann, F.H.; Likens, G.E.; Melillo, lM. Nitrogen
budget for an aggrading northern hardwood forest ecosystem. Science 196:981-983; 1977.
Bremner, lM. Nitrogen-urea. In: Page, A.L., ed. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. 2nd ed. Madison, WI:
American Society of Agronomy; 1982:699-709.
Burge, W.D.; Broadbent, F.E. Fixation of ammonia by
organic soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 25:199-204;
1961.