
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wang, X. J. 
A1  - Smethurst, P. J. 
A1  - Holz, G. K. 
T1  - Nitrogen fluxes in surface soils of 1&#8211;2-year-old eucalypt plantations in Tasmania
JF  - Soil Research
JO  - Soil Res.
Y1  - 1998
VL  - 36
IS  - 1
SP  - 17
EP  - 30
KW  - nitrogen, mineralisation, nitrification, leaching, availability, mineralisable N.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/S97023 
N2  - To improve our understanding of nitrogen (N) supply in eucalypt plantations in Tasmania, N fluxes were determined in surface soils (0&#8211;10 cm) at 4 sites supporting 1&#8211;2-year-old plantations of E. nitens. Net N mineralisation, nitrification, leaching, and uptake were measured by an in situ soil-core technique. Soils were derived from basalt (3 sites) or mudstone (1 site). Average rates of net N mineralisation ranged from 18 to 91 kg N/ha&#183;year, and most mineralised N was nitrified and leached. There were significant linear relationships among net N mineralisation, nitrification, and leaching (r = 0&#183;61&#8211;0&#183;83). Annual rates of net N mineralisation varied as much within sites as between them, and rates in individual plots were significantly correlated with anaerobically mineralisable N (r = 0&#183;82) or total N (r = 0&#183;66), but were not correlated or only weakly correlated with C: N ratio, loss-on-ignition, organic C, water content, or temperature. Leaching was weakly correlated with effective rainfall (rainfall minus evaporation, r = 0&#183;39). Soil contained most mineral N during February&#8211;April (i.e. late summer&#8211;early autumn) and least during October&#8211;November (i.e. late spring). We concluded that available N at these sites was highly variable spatially and temporally, and at a plot scale was closely related to concentrations of mineralisable substrate and not to soil water or temperature. 
ER  -

