The vertical variation and storage of nitrogen in the depth of 0-150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied under 14 years of four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in Shenya...The vertical variation and storage of nitrogen in the depth of 0-150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied under 14 years of four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that different land uses had different profile distributions of soil total nitrogen (STN), alkali N, ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrate (NO3--N). The sequence of STN storage was woodland >maize field > fallow field > paddy field, while that of NO3--N content was maize field > paddy field > woodland > fallow field, suggesting the different root biomass and biological N cycling under various land uses. The STN storage in the depth of 0-100 cm of woodland averaged to 11.41 thm-1, being 1.65 and 1.25 times as much as that in paddy and maize fields, respec-tively, while there was no significant difference between maize and fallow fields. The comparatively higher amount of NO3--N in maize and paddy fields may be due to nitrogen fertilization and anthropogenic disturbance. Soil alkali N was significantly related with STN, and the correlation could be expressed by a linear regression model under each land use (R20.929, p<0.001). Such a correlation was slightly closer in nature (woodland and fallow field) than in agro ecosystems (paddy and maize fields). Heavy N fertilization induced an excess of crop need, and led to a comparatively higher amount of soil NO3--N in cultivated fields than in fallow field and woodland. It is suggested that agroforestry practices have the potential to make a significant contribution to both crop production and environment protection.展开更多
The vertical distribution of the dominant genera of plant nematodes at the depth of 0–150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied for four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland i...The vertical distribution of the dominant genera of plant nematodes at the depth of 0–150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied for four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chi- nese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that the numbers of some dominant genera under different land uses decreased with the increase of soil depth. Helicotylenchus was most dominant genus under each land use type. Genera of Filenchus, Psilen- chus and Tylenchus in paddy field occurred at the depth of 0–20 cm; while Paratylenchus in fallow field and woodland, as well as Praty- lenchus in maize field presented in the deeper soil layers (0–80 cm). Significant correlations between the numbers of dominant genera of plant nematodes and soil chemical properties were found in this study. The number of Helicotylenchus under different land uses was posi- tively correlated with C/N ratio, total C, total N, total P, alkai-N, and Olsen-P. The numbers of Filenchus and Paratylenchus in paddy field, Pratylenchus in maize field and Paratylenchus in fallow field were negatively correlated with soil pH, and positively correlated with total C, total N and alkai-N. This study results showed that it is essential to sample at a certain depth according to the vertical distribution informa- tion of different genera of plant nematodes in adequately assessing the population size of plant nematodes.展开更多
Many attempts have been made to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage under different land uses, especiallyfrom the conversion of forest land or grassland into cultivated field, but limited reports were found...Many attempts have been made to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage under different land uses, especiallyfrom the conversion of forest land or grassland into cultivated field, but limited reports were found on the estimation ofthis storage after cultivated field converted into woodland or grassland, especially in small scales. This study is aimed toinvestigate the dynamics of SOC concentration, its storage and carbon /nitrogen (C/N) ratio in an aquic brown soil at theShenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences under four land use patterns over 14 years. Thefour land use patterns were paddy field (PF), maize field (MF), fallow field (FF) and woodland (WL). In each pedon at 0-150cm depth, soil samples were collected from ten layers. The results showed that the profile distribution of SOC was differentunder different land uses, indicating the effect of land use on SOC. Soil organic carbon was significantly related with soiltotal N, and the correlation was slightly closer in nature ecosystems (with R2=0.990 and P<0.001 in both WL and FF, n=30)than in agroecosystems (with R2=0.976 and P<0.001 in PF, and R2=0.980 and P<0.001 in MF, n=30). The C/N ratio in theprofiles decreased generally with depth under the four land use patterns, and was comparatively higher in WL and lowerin PF. The C/N ratio of the FF was closer to that in the same soil depths of MF than to that of PF. Within 100 cm depth, theannual sequestration of SOC was 4.25, 2.87, and 4.48 t ha-1 more in WL than in PF, MF and FF, the annual SOC increasingrate being 6.15, 3.26, and 5.09 % higher, respectively. As a result, the SOC storage was significantly greater in WL than inany of the other three land use patterns, P=0.001, 0.008, and 0.008 as compared with PF, MF, and FF, respectively, whilethere was no significant difference among the other three land uses. It is suggested that woodland has the potential tomake a significant contribution to C storage and environmental quality.展开更多
The concentration of soil Olsen-P is rapidly increasing in many parts of China, where P budget(P input minus P output) is the main factor influencing soil Olsen-P. Understanding the relationship between soil Olsen-P a...The concentration of soil Olsen-P is rapidly increasing in many parts of China, where P budget(P input minus P output) is the main factor influencing soil Olsen-P. Understanding the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget is useful in estimating soil Olsen-P content and conducting P management strategies. To address this, a long-term experiment(1991–2011) was performed on a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, China, where seven fertilization treatments were used to study the response of soil Olsen-P to P budget. The results showed that the relationship between the decrease in soil Olsen-P and P deficit could be simulated by a simple linear model. In treatments without P fertilization(CK, N, and NK), soil Olsen-P decreased by 2.4, 1.9, and 1.4 mg kg^(–1) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P deficit, respectively. Under conditions of P addition, the relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be divided into two stages. When P surplus was lower than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P fluctuated over the course of the experimental period with chemical fertilizers(NP and NPK), and increased by 5.0 and 2.0 mg kg^(–1), respectively, when treated with chemical fertilizers combined with manure(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P surplus. When P surplus was higher than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P increased by 49.0 and 37.0 mg kg^(–1) in NPKM and 1.5 NPKM treatments, respectively, for every 100 kg ha^(–1) P surplus. The relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be simulated by two-segment linear models. The cumulative P budget at the turning point was defined as the "storage threshold" of a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, and the storage thresholds under NPKM and 1.5 NPKM were 729 and 884 kg ha^(–1)P for more adsorption sites. According to the critical soil P values(CPVs) and the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget, the quantity of P fertilizers for winter wheat could be increased and that of summer maize could be decreased based on the results of treatments in chemical fertilization. Additionally, when chemical fertilizers are combined with manures(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM), it could take approximately 9–11 years for soil Olsen-P to decrease to the critical soil P values of crops grown in the absence of P fertilizer.展开更多
Soil acid and alkali buffer capacity, as a major indicator for evaluating its vulnerability and resistibility to acidification and alkalization, is an important factor affecting the sustainable agriculture, through kn...Soil acid and alkali buffer capacity, as a major indicator for evaluating its vulnerability and resistibility to acidification and alkalization, is an important factor affecting the sustainable agriculture, through knowledge on which soil acidification process can be predicted and modified. In this study, titration curve method was adopted to investigate the pH buffer capacity （pHBC） of fluvor-aquic soil, and separate titration curves were established by adding incremental amounts of either standardized hydrochloric acid （HC1） （0.12 mol L^-1） or sodium hydroxide （NaOH） （0.10 mol L^-1） to soil suspended in deionized water （soil：solution = 1：5）. Soil pH was measured after 7 d resuspension and isothermal equilibrium （T = 25℃）. Linear regressions were fitted to the linear portion of each titration curve and the slopes of these lines were derived as the soil pHBC. The results showed that significant correlations between the amounts of adding acid or alkali and each pH change were presented, and titration curve method was feasible for measurement of pHBC on typical fluvor-aquic soil in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, and the coefficients of determination were higher than the similar researches on acid soil （R^2 = 0.96）. The slope-derived pHBC of acid and alkali were 158.71 and 25.02 mmol kg^-1, respectively. According to the classification of soil buffer systems, the soil tested belongs to the calcium carbonate buffer system, carbonates contribute the most to pHBC, and the contribution of soil organic matter relatively less than it.展开更多
The improvement of soil productivity depends on a rational input of water and nutrients, optimal field management, and the increase of basic soil productivity（BSP）. In this study, BSP is defined as the productive ca...The improvement of soil productivity depends on a rational input of water and nutrients, optimal field management, and the increase of basic soil productivity（BSP）. In this study, BSP is defined as the productive capacity of a farmland soil with its own physical and chemical properties for a specific crop season under local field management. Based on 19-yr data of the long-term agronomic experiments（1989–2008） on a fluvo-aquic soil in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, the decision support system for agrotechnology transfer（DSSAT ver. 4.0） crop growth model was used to simulate yields by BSP of winter wheat（Triticum aestivium L.） and summer maize（Zea mays L.） to examine the relationship between BSP and soil organic carbon（SOC） under long-term fertilization. Five treatments were included：（1） no fertilization（control）,（2） nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers（NPK）,（3） NPK plus manure（NPKM）,（4） 1.5 times of NPKM（1.5NPKM）, and（5） NPK plus straw（NPKS）. After 19 yr of treatments, the SOC stock increased 16.7, 44.2, 69.9, and 25.2% under the NPK, NPKM, 1.5NPKM, and NPKS, respectively, compared to the initial value. Among various nutrient factors affecting contribution percentage of BSP to winter wheat and summer maize, SOC was a major affecting factor for BSP in the fluvo-aquic soil. There were significant positive correlations between SOC stock and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize（P〈0.01）, and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize increased 154 and 132 kg ha^（–1） when SOC stock increased 1 t C ha^（–1）. Thus, increased SOC accumulation is a crucial way for increasing BSP in fluvo-aquic soil. The manure or straw combined application with chemical fertilizers significantly enhanced BSP compared to the application of chemical fertilizers alone.展开更多
The K+ adsorption kinetics of fluvo-aquic soil and cinnamon soil under different temperatureswere studied. The results showed: 1) The first order equations were the most suitable forfitting the adsorption under variou...The K+ adsorption kinetics of fluvo-aquic soil and cinnamon soil under different temperatureswere studied. The results showed: 1) The first order equations were the most suitable forfitting the adsorption under various temperature levels with constant K+ concentration indisplacing fluid. With temperature increasing, the fitness of Elovich equation increased,while those of power equation and parabolic diffusion equation decreased; 2)the apparentadsorption rate constant ka and the product of ka multiplied by the apparent equilibriumadsorption qincreased when temperature increased, while the apparent equilibrium adsorptionqreduced; 3)temperature influenced hardly the reaction order, the order of concentrationand adsorpton site were always 1 under various temperatures, if they were taken intoaccount simultaneously, the adsorption should be a two-order reaction process; 4)theGibbs free energy change △G of potassium adsorption were negative, ranged from -4444.56to -2450.63Jmol-1,and increased with temperature increasing, while enthalpy change △H,entropy change △S, apparent adsorption activation Ea, adsorption activation energy E1and desorption activation energy E2 were temperature-independent; 5)the adsorption wasspontaneous process with heat releasing and entropy dropping, fluvo-aquic soil releasedmore heat than cinnamon soil.展开更多
A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DC...A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC2 (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH4+-N content.Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH4+-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.展开更多
文摘The vertical variation and storage of nitrogen in the depth of 0-150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied under 14 years of four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that different land uses had different profile distributions of soil total nitrogen (STN), alkali N, ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrate (NO3--N). The sequence of STN storage was woodland >maize field > fallow field > paddy field, while that of NO3--N content was maize field > paddy field > woodland > fallow field, suggesting the different root biomass and biological N cycling under various land uses. The STN storage in the depth of 0-100 cm of woodland averaged to 11.41 thm-1, being 1.65 and 1.25 times as much as that in paddy and maize fields, respec-tively, while there was no significant difference between maize and fallow fields. The comparatively higher amount of NO3--N in maize and paddy fields may be due to nitrogen fertilization and anthropogenic disturbance. Soil alkali N was significantly related with STN, and the correlation could be expressed by a linear regression model under each land use (R20.929, p<0.001). Such a correlation was slightly closer in nature (woodland and fallow field) than in agro ecosystems (paddy and maize fields). Heavy N fertilization induced an excess of crop need, and led to a comparatively higher amount of soil NO3--N in cultivated fields than in fallow field and woodland. It is suggested that agroforestry practices have the potential to make a significant contribution to both crop production and environment protection.
文摘The vertical distribution of the dominant genera of plant nematodes at the depth of 0–150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied for four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chi- nese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that the numbers of some dominant genera under different land uses decreased with the increase of soil depth. Helicotylenchus was most dominant genus under each land use type. Genera of Filenchus, Psilen- chus and Tylenchus in paddy field occurred at the depth of 0–20 cm; while Paratylenchus in fallow field and woodland, as well as Praty- lenchus in maize field presented in the deeper soil layers (0–80 cm). Significant correlations between the numbers of dominant genera of plant nematodes and soil chemical properties were found in this study. The number of Helicotylenchus under different land uses was posi- tively correlated with C/N ratio, total C, total N, total P, alkai-N, and Olsen-P. The numbers of Filenchus and Paratylenchus in paddy field, Pratylenchus in maize field and Paratylenchus in fallow field were negatively correlated with soil pH, and positively correlated with total C, total N and alkai-N. This study results showed that it is essential to sample at a certain depth according to the vertical distribution informa- tion of different genera of plant nematodes in adequately assessing the population size of plant nematodes.
基金This work was supported by the grants of the Know-ledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-413)the fund of Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology,Chinese Academy of Sciences(SYZ0204).
文摘Many attempts have been made to estimate the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage under different land uses, especiallyfrom the conversion of forest land or grassland into cultivated field, but limited reports were found on the estimation ofthis storage after cultivated field converted into woodland or grassland, especially in small scales. This study is aimed toinvestigate the dynamics of SOC concentration, its storage and carbon /nitrogen (C/N) ratio in an aquic brown soil at theShenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences under four land use patterns over 14 years. Thefour land use patterns were paddy field (PF), maize field (MF), fallow field (FF) and woodland (WL). In each pedon at 0-150cm depth, soil samples were collected from ten layers. The results showed that the profile distribution of SOC was differentunder different land uses, indicating the effect of land use on SOC. Soil organic carbon was significantly related with soiltotal N, and the correlation was slightly closer in nature ecosystems (with R2=0.990 and P<0.001 in both WL and FF, n=30)than in agroecosystems (with R2=0.976 and P<0.001 in PF, and R2=0.980 and P<0.001 in MF, n=30). The C/N ratio in theprofiles decreased generally with depth under the four land use patterns, and was comparatively higher in WL and lowerin PF. The C/N ratio of the FF was closer to that in the same soil depths of MF than to that of PF. Within 100 cm depth, theannual sequestration of SOC was 4.25, 2.87, and 4.48 t ha-1 more in WL than in PF, MF and FF, the annual SOC increasingrate being 6.15, 3.26, and 5.09 % higher, respectively. As a result, the SOC storage was significantly greater in WL than inany of the other three land use patterns, P=0.001, 0.008, and 0.008 as compared with PF, MF, and FF, respectively, whilethere was no significant difference among the other three land uses. It is suggested that woodland has the potential tomake a significant contribution to C storage and environmental quality.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41471249)the Special Scientific Research Fund of Agricultural Public Welfare Profession of China (201503120)
文摘The concentration of soil Olsen-P is rapidly increasing in many parts of China, where P budget(P input minus P output) is the main factor influencing soil Olsen-P. Understanding the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget is useful in estimating soil Olsen-P content and conducting P management strategies. To address this, a long-term experiment(1991–2011) was performed on a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, China, where seven fertilization treatments were used to study the response of soil Olsen-P to P budget. The results showed that the relationship between the decrease in soil Olsen-P and P deficit could be simulated by a simple linear model. In treatments without P fertilization(CK, N, and NK), soil Olsen-P decreased by 2.4, 1.9, and 1.4 mg kg^(–1) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P deficit, respectively. Under conditions of P addition, the relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be divided into two stages. When P surplus was lower than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P fluctuated over the course of the experimental period with chemical fertilizers(NP and NPK), and increased by 5.0 and 2.0 mg kg^(–1), respectively, when treated with chemical fertilizers combined with manure(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM) for every 100 kg ha^(–1) of P surplus. When P surplus was higher than the range of 729–884 kg ha^(–1), soil Olsen-P increased by 49.0 and 37.0 mg kg^(–1) in NPKM and 1.5 NPKM treatments, respectively, for every 100 kg ha^(–1) P surplus. The relationship between the increase in soil Olsen-P and P surplus could be simulated by two-segment linear models. The cumulative P budget at the turning point was defined as the "storage threshold" of a fluvo-aquic soil in Beijing, and the storage thresholds under NPKM and 1.5 NPKM were 729 and 884 kg ha^(–1)P for more adsorption sites. According to the critical soil P values(CPVs) and the relationship between soil Olsen-P and P budget, the quantity of P fertilizers for winter wheat could be increased and that of summer maize could be decreased based on the results of treatments in chemical fertilization. Additionally, when chemical fertilizers are combined with manures(NPKM and 1.5 NPKM), it could take approximately 9–11 years for soil Olsen-P to decrease to the critical soil P values of crops grown in the absence of P fertilizer.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Project of China (2005CB121103)
文摘Soil acid and alkali buffer capacity, as a major indicator for evaluating its vulnerability and resistibility to acidification and alkalization, is an important factor affecting the sustainable agriculture, through knowledge on which soil acidification process can be predicted and modified. In this study, titration curve method was adopted to investigate the pH buffer capacity （pHBC） of fluvor-aquic soil, and separate titration curves were established by adding incremental amounts of either standardized hydrochloric acid （HC1） （0.12 mol L^-1） or sodium hydroxide （NaOH） （0.10 mol L^-1） to soil suspended in deionized water （soil：solution = 1：5）. Soil pH was measured after 7 d resuspension and isothermal equilibrium （T = 25℃）. Linear regressions were fitted to the linear portion of each titration curve and the slopes of these lines were derived as the soil pHBC. The results showed that significant correlations between the amounts of adding acid or alkali and each pH change were presented, and titration curve method was feasible for measurement of pHBC on typical fluvor-aquic soil in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, and the coefficients of determination were higher than the similar researches on acid soil （R^2 = 0.96）. The slope-derived pHBC of acid and alkali were 158.71 and 25.02 mmol kg^-1, respectively. According to the classification of soil buffer systems, the soil tested belongs to the calcium carbonate buffer system, carbonates contribute the most to pHBC, and the contribution of soil organic matter relatively less than it.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,2011CB100501)the Key Technologies R&D Program of China during the 12th Five-Year Plan period(2015BAD22B03)+1 种基金the National High-Tech R&D Program of China(2013AA102901)the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest,China(201203077)
文摘The improvement of soil productivity depends on a rational input of water and nutrients, optimal field management, and the increase of basic soil productivity（BSP）. In this study, BSP is defined as the productive capacity of a farmland soil with its own physical and chemical properties for a specific crop season under local field management. Based on 19-yr data of the long-term agronomic experiments（1989–2008） on a fluvo-aquic soil in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, the decision support system for agrotechnology transfer（DSSAT ver. 4.0） crop growth model was used to simulate yields by BSP of winter wheat（Triticum aestivium L.） and summer maize（Zea mays L.） to examine the relationship between BSP and soil organic carbon（SOC） under long-term fertilization. Five treatments were included：（1） no fertilization（control）,（2） nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers（NPK）,（3） NPK plus manure（NPKM）,（4） 1.5 times of NPKM（1.5NPKM）, and（5） NPK plus straw（NPKS）. After 19 yr of treatments, the SOC stock increased 16.7, 44.2, 69.9, and 25.2% under the NPK, NPKM, 1.5NPKM, and NPKS, respectively, compared to the initial value. Among various nutrient factors affecting contribution percentage of BSP to winter wheat and summer maize, SOC was a major affecting factor for BSP in the fluvo-aquic soil. There were significant positive correlations between SOC stock and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize（P〈0.01）, and yields by BSP of winter wheat and summer maize increased 154 and 132 kg ha^（–1） when SOC stock increased 1 t C ha^（–1）. Thus, increased SOC accumulation is a crucial way for increasing BSP in fluvo-aquic soil. The manure or straw combined application with chemical fertilizers significantly enhanced BSP compared to the application of chemical fertilizers alone.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(49391600)the Society Commonweal Fund(2001DIA20024).
文摘The K+ adsorption kinetics of fluvo-aquic soil and cinnamon soil under different temperatureswere studied. The results showed: 1) The first order equations were the most suitable forfitting the adsorption under various temperature levels with constant K+ concentration indisplacing fluid. With temperature increasing, the fitness of Elovich equation increased,while those of power equation and parabolic diffusion equation decreased; 2)the apparentadsorption rate constant ka and the product of ka multiplied by the apparent equilibriumadsorption qincreased when temperature increased, while the apparent equilibrium adsorptionqreduced; 3)temperature influenced hardly the reaction order, the order of concentrationand adsorpton site were always 1 under various temperatures, if they were taken intoaccount simultaneously, the adsorption should be a two-order reaction process; 4)theGibbs free energy change △G of potassium adsorption were negative, ranged from -4444.56to -2450.63Jmol-1,and increased with temperature increasing, while enthalpy change △H,entropy change △S, apparent adsorption activation Ea, adsorption activation energy E1and desorption activation energy E2 were temperature-independent; 5)the adsorption wasspontaneous process with heat releasing and entropy dropping, fluvo-aquic soil releasedmore heat than cinnamon soil.
文摘A field experiment was carried out at the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology (CAS) in order to study the effects of slow-release urea fertilizers high polymer-coated urea (SRU1), SRU1 mixed with dicyandiamide DCD (SRU2), and SRU1 mixed with calcium carbide CaC2 (SRU3) on urease activity, microbial biomass C and N, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil during the maize growth period. The results demonstrated that the application of slow-release urea fertilizers inhibits soil urease activity and increases the soil NH4+-N content.Soil available N increment could promote its immobilization by microorganisms. Determination of soil microbial biomass N indicated that a combined application of coated urea and nitrification inhibitors increased the soil active N pool. The population of predators/omnivores indicated that treatment with SRU2 could provide enough soil NH4+-N to promote maize growth and increased the food resource for the soil fauna compared with the other treatments.
