Ammonia volatilization from grassland receiving nitrogen fertilizer and rotationally grazed by dairy cattle

The micrometeorological mass balance method was used to measure ammonia (NH₃) volatilization from rotationally grazed swards throughout the 1987 and 1988 growing seasons. In both years the swards were dressed with calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) split over 7 dressings. In 1987 the sward received a total of 550 kg N ha^–1, in 1988 a total of 550 or 250 kg N ha^–1. For the 550 kg N ha^–1 treatments there were 8 and 9 grazing cycles, respectively, in 1987 and 1988 and 7 for the 250 kg N ha^–1 treatment. Losses from the 550 N sward were 42.2 and 39.2 kg N ha^–1 in 1987 and 1988, respectively; this was equivalent to 8.5 and 7.7% of the N returned to the sward in the excreta of the grazing cattle. The NH₃ loss from the 250N sward was 8.1 kg N ha^–1 in 1988, which was equivalent to 3.1% of the N returned to the sward in excreta during the growing season. There was a wide variation in NH₃ volatilization between the individual grazing periods. This indicates the necessity of continued measurements throughout the growing season to obtain reliable data on NH₃ volatilization. Soil humidity is suggested to be a key factor, because emissions were high from wet soil, and low from drier soil. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation study showed that the measured NH₃ loss from the 250 and 550 N swards had a standard deviation of 13 and 5% of the mean, respectively.     

Relationships between ammonia volatilization and nitrogen fertilizer application rate,intake and excretion of herbage nitrogen by cattle on grazed swards

Grazed pastures emit ammonia (NH₃) into the atmosphere; the size of the NH₃ loss appears to be related to nitrogen (N) application rate.The micrometeorological mass balance method was used to measure NH₃ volatilization from rotationally grazed swards on three plots in the autumn of 1989 and throughout the 1990 growing season. The aim of the research was to derive a mathematical relationship between NH₃ volatilization and N application rate, which would vary between soil type and weather conditions. In both years the plots received a total of 250, 400 or 550 kg N ha^–1 as calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) split over 6 to 8 dressings. The number of grazing cycles ranged from 7 to 9 for the three N plots.In the last two grazing cycles of 1989, NH₃ losses were 3.8, 12.0 and 14.7 kg N ha^–1 for the 250N, 400N and 550N plots, which was equivalent to 5.3%, 13.9% and 14.4% of the amount of N excreted on the sward, respectively. In 1990, NH₃ losses were 9.1, 27.0 and 32.8 kg N ha^–1 for the 250N, 400N and 550N plots, which was equivalent to 3.3%, 6.9% and 6.9% of the N excreted, respectively. Differences in urine composition between the plots were relatively small. Rainfall and sward management affected the size of the NH₃ volatilization rate. Volatilization of NH₃ was related to N excretion and N application rate.A calculation procedure is given to enable the estimation of NH₃ volatilization from N application rate. Adjustments can be made for grazing efficiency, grazing selectivity, N retention in milk and liveweight gain, concentrate N intake and milking duration. Losses of NH₃ increase progressively with an increase in N application rate until herbage yield reaches a maximum at an application rate of about 500 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1.     

Effects of type and amount of applied nitrogen fertilizer on nitrous oxide fluxes from intensively managed grassland

Five field experiments and one greenhouse experiment were carried out to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizer type and the amount of applied N fertilizer on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from grassland. During cold and dry conditions in early spring, emission of N₂O from both ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ ) and nitrate (NO ₃ ^– ) containing fertilizers applied to a clay soil were relatively small, i.e. less than 0.1% of the N applied. Emission of N₂O and total denitrification losses from NO ₃ ^– containing fertilizers were large after application to a poorly drained sand soil during a wet spring. A total of 5–12% and 8–14% of the applied N was lost as N₂O and via denitrification, respectively. Emissions of N₂O and total denitrification losses from NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizers and cattle slurry were less than 2% of the N applied. Addition of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) reduced N₂O fluxes from ammonium sulphate (AS). However, the effect of DCD to reduce total N₂O emission from AS was much smaller than the effect of using NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizer instead of NO ₃ ^– fertilizer, during wet conditions. The greenhouse study showed that a high groundwater level favors production of N₂O from NO ₃ ^– fertilizers but not from NH ₄ ⁺ fertilizers. Inereasing calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) application increased the emitted N₂O on grassland from 0.6% of the fertilizer application rate for a dressing of 50 kg N ha^–1 to 3.1% for a dressing of 300 kg N ha^–1. In another experiment, N₂O emission increased proportionally with increasing N rate. The results indicate that there is scope for reducing N₂O emission from grasslands by choosing the N fertilizer type depending on the soil moisture status. Avoiding excessive N application rates may also minimize N₂O emission from intensively managed grasslands.     

Phosphorus fractions and adsorption characteristics in grassland soils of varied soil phosphorus status

Characterization of phosphorus (P) in soils is important both agronomically and environmentally, although the outcome may depend on the technique applied. Consequently, we evaluated fractionation and adsorption, individually and jointly, and relevant ancillary soil attributes, to determine the dominant functional characteristics of soil P in 32 fertilized temperate grassland Inceptisols classified by eight soil series, and by two soil-P index and parent material groups. Residual P was low (30.7%) and organic P (Po) prominent, 42.0% vs. 17.5% for equivalent soils in unfertilized natural ecosystems. Labile fractions comprised 6.8% inorganic P (Pi) and 9.1% Po. The proportional increase in high vs. low index soils (Morgan P > 6.0 mg l⁻¹ vs. ≤ 6.0 mg l⁻¹) was higher for Pi, and highest for labile and moderately labile fractions. Only moderately labile Pi and Po differed significantly between soils of limestone and non-limestone origin. Oxalate extractable Fe (Fe_ox) and buffering (EBC) were higher in the latter. The equilibrium P concentration (EPC) was substantially higher in the high index group, and EBC and binding energy (k) substantially lower, with no significant difference in sorption maximum (Pmax). EBC equated with weak to strong buffering in different soil series, and conformed better than k to ancillary attributes. Pmax correlated in order Al_ox > clay > OC > Fe_ox, and more broadly reflected sorption attributes than oxalate-based sorption capacity (PSC). Principal component (PC) analysis showed consistent differentiation of P fractions, mostly labile and moderately labile, in PC 1 vs. adsorption and ancillary attributes in PC 2. However, scatterplots of PC scores showed that adsorption characteristics provided better functional differentiation than P fractions for distinguishing individual soil series, which may have implications in selection and interpretation of extractants not only for environmental but also for agronomic soil-tests.     

A derivation of the Pierre-Sluijsmans equation used in the Netherlands to estimate the acidifying effect of fertilizers applied to agricultural soils

The acidifying effect of fertilizers applied to agricultural soils can be estimated from their chemical composition and a quantification of the nitrogen cycle in the agricultural system under consideration. In The Netherlands, the acidifying effect of fertilizers is estimated from an ionic-balance equation, referred to as the Pierre-Sluijsmans equation. This equation estimates the amounts of lime required to neutralize the acidifying effect of fertilizers applied to agricultural soils. In the present paper this ionic-balance equation is derived from chemical considerations and its theoretical background is discussed. Particular attention is paid to the acidifying effect of the nitrogen component of fertilizers applied to agricultural soils.     

Changes in quantity of mineral nitrogen in three grassland soils as affected by intensity of nitrogen fertilization

Changes in quantity of soil mineral nitrogen down to a depth of 1 m in cloverfree grassland were monitored within one growing season and over successive growing seasons. Accumulation of mineral nitrogen in the soil occurred on permanent grassland with split application of nitrogen totalling more than 400 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1 and on young grassland, sown after arable crops, with applications of more than 480 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1. The relationship between the rate of nitrogen application minus nitrogen uptake, and accumulation of mineral nitrogen in the upper 50 cm of soil during each growing season is described.     

Very high applications of nitrogen fertilizer on grassland and residual effects in the following season

At very high nitrogen applications (480 and more kg N ha^–1 yr^–1) in field trials on all-grass swards the amount of N applied exceeded the amount of N harvested. In the humid temperate climate of the Netherlands in the subsequent spring approximately 25, 40, and 50% of this excess nitrogen was recovered as accumulated mineral nitrogen in the 0–100 cm layer of sandy, clay and heavy clay soil, respectively. The effect of this excess nitrogen on growth during the subsequent season was measured through the increase in DM and N yield over a reference treatment. In this season all treatments received a uniform application (40 kg N ha^–1 cut^–1). Residual effects were absent on sandy soil but distinct on the clay soils. On the clay soils each accumulated kg soil mineral nitrogen produced 15 kg DM. Assuming a relatively small contribution of residual nitrogen carried over in stubble, roots and organic matter, the accumulated soil mineral nitrogen would seem to be as effective as applied fertilizer nitrogen.     

胶东半岛果园土壤酸化状况及调控技术

生产苹果的效益高,果农投入肥料过量,且偏重氮肥,导致果园土壤酸化。介绍酸化土壤的改良及调控技术;酸土改良剂的配方原理。使用酸土改良剂改良酸化的果园,既中和了土壤酸度,又改善了果树的生育性状,提高了果品品质。     

Vegetable cultivation under greenhouse conditions leads to rapid accumulation of nutrients,acidification and salinity of soils and groundwater contamination in South-Eastern China

Vegetable cultivation during winter season is economically profitable, but the impact of the intensive production on soil and water quality remains to be studied. The objectives of this study were to investigate the seasonal dynamics of soil nutrients, acidification and salt accumulation in vegetable fields in South-Eastern China. Various vegetables were grown either under open-field conditions or under two different alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions with three replications. Soil samples were collected periodically and analyzed for pH, plant available nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), electrical conductivity (EC), and urease activity. Water samples from wells located in or near the plots were collected and analyzed for nitrate. Soil nitrate, available phosphate and salt concentrations declined in summer under open-field conditions and significantly increased from December to May under greenhouse conditions. Exchangeable K also decreased in summer season, but did not increase in the spring. Under alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions, nutrient accumulation, soil salinity and acidification were significantly higher for soil used for vegetable cultivation for 2 years (2-y-plot) than that for only half year (0.5-y-plot). The accumulation of nitrate significantly correlated with soil EC and soil acidification. Thirty-two percent of groundwater samples from the 2-y-plot showed a nitrate concentration higher than 50 mg NO₃ l⁻¹. Conversely, no groundwater sample of 0.5-y-plot showed such high nitrate concentration. It can be concluded that the nitrate accumulation in soil used for vegetable cultivation under alternating open-field and greenhouse conditions not only causes soil salinization and soil acidification but also presents a high pollution potential for groundwater.     

Process-based modelling of nitrous oxide emissions from different nitrogen sources in mown grassland

The process-based Pasture Simulation Model (PaSim 2.5) has been extended to simulate N₂O production and emission from grassland caused by nitrogen inputs from different sources. The model was used to assess the influence of management on N₂O emissions, such as the effect of shifts in the amount and timing of fertilizer application. Model performance has been tested against season-long field measurements at two different field sites. Simulation results agreed favourably with measured N₂O emission and soil air concentrations, except during an extremely wet period at one site when grass growth was very poor. The results of short-term and long-term simulation runs demonstrated the potential of the model to estimate N₂O emission factors under various conditions. During the first growing season, simulated emissions from organic fertilizers were lower than from synthetic fertilizers because more of the nitrogen was used to build up soil organic matter. The relative difference between the fertilizer types became larger with increasing application rate. The difference between fertilizer types was smaller at steady-state when higher soil organic matter content from repeated application of organic fertilizer over time led to enhanced mineralization and N₂O emissions. The dependence of simulated N₂O emissions on N input was close to linear at low, but non-linear at high fertilization rates. Emission factors calculated from the linear part of the curve suggested that the factors used in the current IPCC method underestimate the long-term effects of changes in fertilizer management. Furthermore the simulations show that N₂O emissions caused by nitrogen inputs from the decomposition of harvest losses and from biological fixation in grassland can be considerable and should not be neglected in national emission inventories. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Manure and fertilizer contributions to soil mineral nitrogen and the yield of forage maize

Fifteen field trials were conducted to evaluate soil mineral N measurement as a means for quantifying the total N supply to forage maize and so to form the basis for fertilizer recommendations on a crop-specific basis. In every trial, 4 rates of cattle manure N (nominally 0, 80, 160, 240 kg N per ha) and 4 rates of ammonium nitrate (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N per ha) were factorially combined. Soil mineral N measurements were made before manure application, at the time of maize drilling, 7-10 weeks after drilling and after harvest. Measurements on control treatments which received no manure or ammonium nitrate showed extensive net mineralisation of soil N (mean 140 kg N per ha) in the 7-10 weeks after drilling followed by a decrease due to crop uptake, and probably net immobilisation, of approximately the same amount by harvest. This net mineralisation was probably the reason why only one trial showed a significant dry-matter yield response to ammonium nitrate. Results indicated that , to be useful for N recommendations, soil mineral N measurements should be taken 7-10 weeks after drilling. Only if the amount of mineral N at this time is less than expected crop N offtake should fertilizer N be applied. A mean of around 64% of the N applied in ammonium nitrate could be accounted for in soil mineral N after harvest of the maize, although this was reduced to 24% in the single trial where a dry-matter response to ammonium nitrate was recorded.     

The effect of agriculture on methane oxidation in soil

Aerobic soils are an important sink for methane (CH₄) contributing up to 15% of annual global CH₄ destruction. However, the sink strength is significantly affected by land management, nitrogen (N) fertilizers and acidity. We tested these effects on samples taken from the Broadbalk Continuous Wheat, Park Grass permanent grassland and Broadbalk and Geescroft Wilderness experiments at Rothamsted. The rates of uptake from the atmosphere of both enhanced (10 ppmv) and ambient (2 ppmv) concentrations of CH₄ were measured in laboratory incubations of soil cores under controlled conditions. The most rapid rates of uptake were measured in soil from deciduous woodland at pH 7 (measured in water); acidic (pH 4) woodland soil showed no net CH₄ oxidation. While disturbance of the cores used in the experiments did not affect the rate of CH₄ uptake, extended (150 years) cultivation of land for arable crops reduced uptake rate by 85% compared to that in the soil under calcareous woodland. The long-term application of ammonium- (NH₄) based fertilizer, but not nitrate- (NO₃) based fertilizer, completely inhibited CH₄ uptake, but the application for the same period of farmyard manure that contained more N than the fertilizer had no inhibitory effect. Although the effects of agricultural practice on the oxidation of CH₄ in soil are significant, the differences in oxidation rates between land use types are even greater. The likely effects of forest clearance, agricultural intensification and anthropogenic emissions of CH₄ over the last 2500 years have been estimated for the United Kingdom. The calculations indicate that 54% of the current CH₄ uptake by UK soils is the result of increased CH₄ mixing ratio. They also indicate that land use change has decreased the potential sink strength by 62% or 37 kt CH₄ g^-1. In countries with much larger land areas than the UK, such as China, aerobic soil is likely to be a more significant factor in calculating net fluxes of CH₄. It is important that the impacts of different agricultural managements and land use systems are understood and quantified so that the best possible estimate of CH₄ sinks is calculated for comparison with sources. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recovery of mineral N fertilizer in herbage and soil organic matter in grasslands of the Massif Central,France

Nitrogen fluxes in intensive grassland have been studied in lysimeters (3 m², 0.80 m deep) with¹⁵N labelled fertilizers (360 kg N/ha). The harvested fertilizer uptake efficiency was around 52% of which 45% was exported and 7% stored. Leaching losses were very low, despite considerable drainage. The immobilization of mineral N during the first year was very important (40–50%) and the remineralization was slight. The N recovered in soil after two years was 40% of N-fertilizer applied of which 19% is contained in free organic matter and 21% in organo-mineral fraction (< 50µ). The immobilization of N is greater in the surface top of soil: 68% in the first 5cm. Beneath a growing crop the in-depth migration of the N takes place exclusively through root growth. The global N balance and cycle in soil were discussed.

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Mots clés bilan de l'azote, lixiviation, minéralisation, immobilisation, matière organique, prairieRésumé La dynamique de l'azote sous une prairie temporaire a été étudiée en cases lysimétriques (3 m², 0,80cm profondeur) en utilisant de l'engrais marqué à¹⁵N (360 kg N/ha). Le coefficient d'utilisation par les parties aériennes a été d'environ 52% dont 45% exporté et 7% mis en réserve. Les pertes par lixiviation ont été minimes malgré un drainage important. L'organisation de Nmineral pendant la première année a été importante (40-50%) et la reminéralisation ultétieure très faible. Après deux ans, 40% de N apporté comme engrais a été retrouvé dans le sol dont 19% dans la matière organique libre et 21% dans les fractions organo-minerales (< 50µ). L'immobilisation de l'azote est supérieure dans les couches superficielles du sol: 68% à la profondeur 0–5 cm. Sous une culture en croissance la migration en profondeur a lieu exclusivement par la croissance racinaire. Le bilan de N et la cycle de l'azote dans le sol ont été établis.

     

沸石氮肥在水中和土壤中的释放动力学

通过沸石与硝酸铵熔融盐反应制得沸石氮肥,研究在水冲洗和土壤模拟耕层下铵态氮和硝态氮的释放情况。结果表明,在水冲洗条件下硝酸根和铵根的释放质量浓度呈一阶指数方程降低;在土壤模拟耕层下,硝酸根氮和铵根氮释放分别满足控释肥料养分释放模型,即SUG IHARA模型和SUG IHARA改进模型,表现出一定的控释特征。     

Effect of management history and temperature on the mineralization of methylene urea in soil

A soil incubation and a greenhouse study on processing tomato were used to test the effects of soil temperature and the size and activity of the soil microbial biomass (SMB) on the degradation (mineralization) rate of a slow-release N fertilizer, methylene urea (MU), a condensation product of urea and formaldehyde. The mineralization rates of three MUs: Short (S), Medium (M), and Long (L) with different water solubilities were measured at two temperatures in a soil with low (fallow, F) and high (cover crop, CC) microbial activity. In the greenhouse study, the fate of fertilizer N was followed using ¹⁵N-urea and ¹⁵N-MU. The fertilizer N efficiency calculated for urea using the ¹⁵N mass balance approach was 93 and 85% compared with 65 and 67% for MU-S in F and CC soils, respectively. During six months of incubation, 52 and 63% of MU-S N was mineralized at 20 and 30 °C, respectively. The accumulated N data suggested that the degradation of all three MU types followed first-order reaction kinetics. The reaction rates were similar for all three MUs and increased with increasing temperature. However, fitting discrete, non-accumulated data revealed that MU mineralization is more complex and cannot be modeled with simple exponential decay equations. The size and activity of SMB did not affect the mineralization rate of MU-N under laboratory or greenhouse conditions. Interestingly, Activity Index (AI), defined as the slowly available pool of MU-N, was not a reliable indicator for the mineralization rate and plant availability of MU-N.     

Frequency distributions and spatially dependent variability of ammonium and nitrate concentrations in soil under grazed and ungrazed grassland

The frequency distributions of soil NO ₃ ^- and NH ₄ ⁺ concentrations under grazed and ungrazed grassland were found to be lognormal, irrespective of time of year or soil depth. The variance and skewness of the sample values increased with stocking density and use of N fertilizer. An analysis of the spatial dependence of the variability using the semivariogram showed a high nugget variance, even when three sample values from each sampling point were averaged. Most of the variance was therefore short-range (occurring within a distance of 0.4 m), suggesting that the sample volume for soil mineral N measurement should be as large as is practicably possible. As an estimate of the average mineral N content, the geometric mean of the sample values consistently underestimated the true arithmetic mean of the population from which the same was drawn. The conventional estimate of the arithmetic mean for lognormally distributed samples values was satisfactory when the sample number was > 50 and the (log) variance < 0.75 (µg N cm^–3). However, for data with larger variances, high coefficients of skewness and fewer observations, Sichel's estimator was a more efficient measure of the true population mean.     

Development of nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for arable crops in the Netherlands in relation to nitrate leaching

In the Netherlands, current nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for arable crops are based on the amount of soil mineral nitrogen in early spring. The larger the amount of soil mineral nitrogen, the lower the recommended application rate of fertilizer nitrogen. A more refined method is to draw up a balance sheet in which the nitrogen requirement of the crop is given on the one side and the contributions of fertilizer nitrogen, soil mineral nitrogen, and the amount of nitrogen mineralized during the growing period on the other. The most refined method of nitrogen fertilizer recommendation is the use of a simulation model that predicts the daily crop nitrogen requirement and nitrogen supply to the crop from various pools during the growing period. A simulation model thus adds the time element to nitrogen fertilizer recommendations. Moreover, in contrast with the other two methods, a simulation model allows identification of environmental side-effects of nitrogen fertilizer application.The current Dutch nitrogen fertilizer recommendations aim at predicting the economically optimum application rate of fertilizer nitrogen. From the environmental point of view it is interesting to know how much soil mineral nitrogen has accumulated in the soil at harvest, because this nitrogen is a potential loss to the environment through nitrate leaching during the subsequent winter period. If the economically optimum application rate of fertilizer nitrogen is applied to arable crops, it is unlikely that soil mineral nitrogen accumulates, except in the case of potatoes. Model calculations have shown that accumulation of soil mineral nitrogen after potatoes can be prevented when the recommended nitrogen application rate is reduced by 25%. In that case tuber yield is reduced by only 2%.     

低伤害缓速深部酸化工艺在濮城油田的应用

濮城油田沙二下油藏属于多油层非均质油藏。在长期的注水开发过程中,注水井油层近井地带均受到堵塞、结垢、污染等伤害,严重制约油田的高效开发。针对此问题,我们运用降压增注技术,通过在井网注采关系完善区。选择在生产过程中由于污染、结垢、堵塞造成注水量下降或注水压力上升的水井,整体实施,收到良好效果。该工艺不仅能达到较好的降压、增注的目的,而且有效期长,是改善非均质油层注水开发技术的主要措施之一,具有广泛的应用前景。     

河南省氮肥工业现状及"十一五"发展建议

综述了河南省氮肥工业"十五"期间在产品产量和产业结构、科技进步等方面的发展情况,指出"十五"发展应继续在调整结构上下功夫,实现氮肥工业的规模化发展.     

Soil organic carbon,total nitrogen and grain yields under long-term fertilizations in the upland red soil of southern China

A long-term experiment with various fertilizations was carried out during 1990–2006 in a double cropping system rotated with wheat (Triticum Aestivium L.) and corn (Zea mays L.) in the red soil of southern China. The experiment consisted of eight treatments: non-fertilization (CK), nitrogen–phosphorus fertilization (NP), phosphorus–potassium fertilization (PK), nitrogen–phosphorus–potassium fertilization (NPK), pig manure (M), pig manure and NPK fertilization (NPKM), high rates of NPKM (hNPKM), and straw returned with inorganic fertilizers (NPKS). Applications of manure (i.e., M, NPKM and hNPKM) significantly increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen contents. Applications of inorganic fertilizers without manure showed small influences on SOC, but resulted in declines of soil total nitrogen over the long-term experiment. Grain yields were more than doubled under fertilizations for both wheat and corn, with the highest under the NPKM and hNPKM treatments and the lowest under non-fertilization. Long-term cropping practices without fertilization or with unbalanced fertilizations (e.g., NP and PK) caused low grain yields. The balanced fertilization of NPK increased grain yields. However, such practice was not able to maintain high grain yields during the last few years of experiment. Our analyses indicate that both wheat and corn grain yields are significantly correlated with SOC, total and available nitrogen and phosphorus. However, the relationships are stronger with total nitrogen (r = 0.5–0.6) than with available nitrogen (r = 0.26–0.3), indicating the importance of maintaining soil total nitrogen in agricultural practice.