EFFECT OF AIR DRYING OF SOIL ON NITRIFICATION AND MINERALIZATION

Abstract

A laboratory incubation experiment at 15 °C was carried out on nitrification and mineralization in fresh and air-dried soils at Glasgow University, Glasgow, United Kingdom. The air-dried soils showed a clear lag period before nitrification started. The nitrification rates were significantly slower (P<5%) in airdried soils samples than fresh soils. The mineralization rates were significantly greater (P<5%) in air-dried soils than fresh soils.