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Soluble Carbon and Nitrogen Pools of Prairie and Cultivated Soils: Seasonal Variation

Sustainable Systems, PREE Dep., Slippery Rock Univ., Slippery Rock, PA 16057

D. R. Keeney

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, 126 NSTL, Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA 50011

*Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Recent evidence indicates that long-term cultivation of prairie soils reduces the ambient concentrations of soluble amino N and soluble sugars. It is not known whether cultivation has affected how these constituents fluctuate with season. This study was performed to determine if cultivation has affected how soluble sugars, soluble C, and soluble amino N fluctuate with season and whether this fluctuation corresponds with seasonal changes in microbial biomass and extractable N. Soils were sampled bimonthly and analyzed for 0.5 M K₂SO₄ soluble sugars (anthrone-reactive carbon [ARC]), soluble organic C, microbial biomass, and 2 M KCl extractable amino N, NH₄, and NO₃. Cultivation has clearly reduced the levels of microbial biomass C, soluble ARC, and soluble amino N in these soils. Microbial biomass C was greatest in late February after thaw. Soluble ARC generally was greater in prairie soils than in cultivated soils but did not increase in concert with microbial biomass. Soluble amino N declined when microbial biomass and N mineralization increased in February. The ratio of soluble ARC to NO₃-N indicates that there is generally insufficient C available, as soluble sugars, to allow for immobilization of ambient NO₃ in cultivated soils throughout the course of a year. The high ratio of soluble C to biomass C in cultivated soils may also be evidence of a reduction in organic matter quality as higher levels of soluble C appear to support lower levels of microbial biomass. Cultivation has reduced concentrations of soluble sugars and amino N and has affected how these constituents change with season. However, the relation of soluble sugars and amino N to microbial biomass is not clear.

Journal Paper no. J-15215 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp. Stn., Ames, IA. Project no. 0181.

Received for publication January 29, 1993.

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