title: Impact of degradation on nitrogen transformation in a forest ecosystem of India.
abstract: A study was performed selecting one protected forest and an adjacent degraded forest ecosystem to quantify the impact of forest degradation on soil inorganic nitrogen, fine root production, nitrification, N-mineralization and microbial biomass N. There were marked seasonal variations of all the parameters in the upper 0-10 and lower 10-20 cm depths. The seasonal trend of net nitrification and net N-mineralization was reverse of that for inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass N. Net nitrification, net N-mineralization and fine root biomass values were highest in both forests during rainy season. On contrary, inorganic nitrogen and microbial biomass N were highest during summer season.There was a marked impact of forest degradation on inorganic nitrogen, fine root production nitrification, N-mineralization and microbial biomass observed. Soil properties also varied with soil depth. Fine root biomass, nitrification, N-mineralization and microbial biomass N decreased significantly in higher soil depth. Degradation causes decline in mean seasonal fine root biomass in upper layer and in lower depth by 37% and 27%, respectively. The mean seasonal net nitrification and N-mineralization in upper depth decreased by 42% and 37%, respectively and in lower depth by 42.21% and 39% respectively. Similarly microbial biomass N also decreased by 31.16% in upper layer 33.19% in lower layer.
authors.affiliation: Central Mining Research Institute, Barwa Road, Dhanbad, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Raj Shekhar
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Nimisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D017753:Ecosystem; D007194:India; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012621:Seasons; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D012987:Soil; D000641:Ammonia; D009584:Nitrogen