Nitrogen Transformations Following Tropical Forest Felling and Burning on a Volcanic Soil
Matson PA, Vitousek PM, Ewel JJ, Mazzarino MJ, Roberston GP. 1987. Nitrogen Transformations Following Tropical Forest Felling and Burning on a Volcanic Soil. Ecology. 68(3):491-502
We measured nitrogen transformations and loss following forest clearing in a relatively fertile tropical forest site. Nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and amounts of ammonium and nitrate increased substantially in surface soils during the 6 mo following burning, then returned to background levels. The nitrogen content of microbial biomass declined to half its original value 6 mo after clearing and remained low in the cleared sites. Plant uptake of nitrogen was substantial on cleared plots (50 g/m^2), but it accounted for only 18% of ^1^5N label added to field plots. Microbial immobilization of ^1^5N was small relative to that in a cleared temperate site, and measurements of denitrification potentials suggested that relatively little mineralized nitrogen was lost to the atmosphere. Substantial amounts of nitrogen (40-70 g/m^2) were retained as exchangeable bound nitrate deep in the soils of a cleared plot on which revegetation was prevented; this process accounted for 12% of the ^1^5N label added to field plots.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Matson, Pamela; Vitousek, Peter; Ewel, John; Mazzarino, Maria; Roberston, G
- Units
- HALE , HAVO , KALA
- Keywords
- FIRE, Nitrogen Transformation, Soils, tropical forest, volcanic soil