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Temporal And Spatial Variation Of Nitrogen Transformations In Nitrogen-Saturated Soils Of A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Frank S. Gilliam, Bradley M. Yurish, Mary Beth Adams Oct 2001

Temporal And Spatial Variation Of Nitrogen Transformations In Nitrogen-Saturated Soils Of A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Frank S. Gilliam, Bradley M. Yurish, Mary Beth Adams

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

We studied temporal and spatial patterns of soil nitrogen (N) dynamics from 1993 to 1995 in three watersheds of Fernow Experimental Forest, W.V.: WS7 (24-year-old, untreated); WS4 (mature, untreated); and WS3 (24-year-old, treated with (NH4)2SO since 1989 at the rate of 35 kg Nha–1year–1). Net nitrification was 141, 114, and115 kg Nha–1year–1, for WS3, WS4, and WS7, respectively, essentially 100% of net N mineralization for all watersheds. Temporal (seasonal) patterns of nitrification were significantly related to soil moisture and ambient temperaturein untreated watersheds only. Spatial patterns of soil water NO3–of WS4 suggest that microenvironmental variabilitylimits rates of N processing in …


Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Nitrogen Processing In Nitrogen-Saturated Soils, Frank S. Gilliam, Charles C. Somerville, Nikki L. Lyttle, Mary Beth Adams Jan 2001

Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Nitrogen Processing In Nitrogen-Saturated Soils, Frank S. Gilliam, Charles C. Somerville, Nikki L. Lyttle, Mary Beth Adams

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Nitrogen (N) saturation is an environmental concern for forests in the eastern U.S. Although several watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF), West Virginia exhibit symptoms of Nsaturation, many watersheds display a high degree of spatial variability in soil N processing. This study examined the effects of temperature on net N mineralization and nitrification in N-saturatedsoils from FEF, and how these effects varied between high N-processing vs. low N-processingsoils collected from two watersheds, WS3 (fertilized with [NH4]2SO4) and WS4 (untreated control). Samples of forest floor material (O2 horizon) and mineral soil (to a 5-cm depth) were taken from three subplots …