Spatial and Temporal Variability of Extractable Inorganic Nitrogen in the Topsoil of German Peatlands

Authors:
Bärbel Tiemeyer, Niko Rosskopf, Sascha Beetz, Colja Beyer, Tim Eickenscheidt, Michael Giebels, Katharina Leiber-Sauheitl, Mandy Peichl-Brak, Annette Freibauer

Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress

Venue:
Stockholm

Keywords:
management, nitrous-oxide, peatland-hydrology

Documentfile:
Tiemeyer et al 2012: Spatial and Temporal Variability of Extractable Inorganic Nitrogen in the Topsoil of German Peatlands

Summary:

Theme III. Agricultural use of peat and peatlands

SUMMARY

Extractable inorganic nitrogen (N_min) is used as indicator for the fertilisation demand, nitrogen leaching risk and nitrous oxide emissions from soils, but a comprehensive data set for peatlands and other organic soils is missing. Here, we present a part of a data set from 61 sites covering all important land use classes and organic soil types in Germany. As expected, the N_min content of fen sites is higher than that of bog sites. The groundwater table amplitude and the C:N ratio are promising scaling variables for NO_3-N, while driving factors for NH_4-N seem to be more difficult to identify.