Abstract
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.
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Jiao, X., Liang, W., Chen, L. et al. Effects of slow-release urea fertilizers on urease activity, microbial biomass, and nematode communities in an aquic brown soil. Sci. China Ser. C.-Life Sci. 48 (Suppl 1), 26–32 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889798
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02889798