[Effect of temperature, rainfall and soil properties on farmland soil nitrification]

Climate conditions, soil properties and management practices control soil nitrification process which affects nitrogen cycling and balance in agro-ecosystems. The interaction of temperature, rainfall, soil type and fertilization on the soil nitrification process was studied by a soil transplantation experiment installed in 3 experiment stations of Chinese Ecological Research Network, i.e., Hailun, Fenqiu and Yingtan Agroecological Experiment Station, which represents middle temperature, warm temperature and middle subtropical zone, respectively. Three types of cropland soils were selected, i.e., neutral black soil (Phaeozem), alkaline Chao soil (Cambisol) and acidic red soil (Acrisol). Then one-meter depth soil profiles for each soil were transplanted in 3 stations to build the field experiment. The two-year experimental results (2006-2007) showed soil nitrification intensity (SNI) changed with the temperature and rainfall during the maize tasseling stage. From Hailun to Yingtan, with an increase of monthly average temperature from 22.3 degrees C to 26.8 degrees C and the monthly rainfall from 100.8 mm to 199.6 mm, SNI decreased by 64.2%-67.2% for black soil, 52.1%-52.5% for Chao soil, and 41.7%-75.2% for red soil, respectively. There were significant negative correlations between SNI and temperature and rainfall, with a correlation coefficient of r = -0.354 (p < 0.01) and r = -0.290 (p < 0.01), respectively. The total number of soil nitrobacteria and the intensity of soil nitrification was affected by soil types, which increased in a sequence of Chao soil > black soil > red soil. Among soil properties, pH affected SNI significantly, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.551 (p < 0.01). In generally, climate condition (temperature and rainfall), soil type and fertilization present an integrated impact on soil nitrification process, and there were significant interactions of climate x soil type, climate x fertilization, soil type x fertilization, and climate x soil type x fertilization.