Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Calibrated Passive Sampling - Multi-plot Field Measurements of NH3 Emissions with a Combination of Dynamic Tube Method and Passive Samplers
Published on: March 21, 2016
The importance of ammonium mobility in nitrogen-impacted unfertilized grasslands: a critical reassessment
Ishaq Ahmad Mian1, Muhammad Riaz, Malcolm S Cresser
1Environment Department, University of York, Heslington, York, UK. iam501@york.ac.uk
Abstract:
The physico-chemical absorption characteristics of ammonium-N for 10 soils from 5 profiles in York, UK, show its high potential mobility in N deposition-impacted, unfertilized, permanent grassland soils. Substantial proportions of ammonium-N inputs were retained in the solution phase, indicating that ammonium translocation plays an important role in the N cycling in, and losses from, such soils. This conclusion was further supported by measuring the ammonium-N leaching from intact plant/soil microcosms. The ammonium-N absorption characteristics apparently varied with soil pH, depth and soil texture. It was concluded for the most acid soils especially that ammonium-N leached from litter horizons could be seriously limiting the capacity of underlying soils to retain ammonium. Contrary to common opinion, more attention therefore needs to be paid to ammonium leaching and its potential role in biogeochemical N cycling in semi-natural soil systems subject to atmospheric pollution.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
The Nitrogen Cycle
Comparative Excretory Systems
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

