Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape
Urban landscapes are not homogeneous, and small-scale variations in plant community or management inputs can give rise to a large range of environmental conditions. In this paper, we investigated the small-scale variability of soil nitrogen (N) properties in a single urban landscape that has distinc...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Nitrogen |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/1/9 |
| _version_ | 1797444017124802560 |
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| author | Juma Bukomba Mary G. Lusk |
| author_facet | Juma Bukomba Mary G. Lusk |
| author_sort | Juma Bukomba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban landscapes are not homogeneous, and small-scale variations in plant community or management inputs can give rise to a large range of environmental conditions. In this paper, we investigated the small-scale variability of soil nitrogen (N) properties in a single urban landscape that has distinctly different patches or types of cover. We specifically measured soil net N mineralization, nitrification, and exchangeable forms of inorganic N for patches with traditional turfgrass versus patches with common turfgrass alternatives such as ornamental grasses, groundcovers, and mulches. All soil N properties were variable among landscape patches, showing that soil N processing can vary on scales of a few meters. Notably, both mineralization and nitrification were the highest in a patch covered with perennial peanut, but exchangeable nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) was low for the same soil, indicating that soils under perennial peanut may be producing high levels of inorganic N but that the produced N does not stay in the soil, possibly leaching to underlying groundwater. We recommend future studies on the mechanisms that drive the variable N properties seen under distinct urban landscape patches, with special emphasis on potential patterns in N losses for mixed-vegetation landscapes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:06:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-338f075a9831431b9c34e6ba0d32bcb7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-3129 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:06:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nitrogen |
| spelling | doaj.art-338f075a9831431b9c34e6ba0d32bcb72023-11-30T21:48:00ZengMDPI AGNitrogen2504-31292022-03-013111812710.3390/nitrogen3010009Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban LandscapeJuma Bukomba0Mary G. Lusk1Agricultural Sciences Program, Formally at EARTH University, Limon 70101, Costa RicaSoil and Water Sciences Department, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL 33598, USAUrban landscapes are not homogeneous, and small-scale variations in plant community or management inputs can give rise to a large range of environmental conditions. In this paper, we investigated the small-scale variability of soil nitrogen (N) properties in a single urban landscape that has distinctly different patches or types of cover. We specifically measured soil net N mineralization, nitrification, and exchangeable forms of inorganic N for patches with traditional turfgrass versus patches with common turfgrass alternatives such as ornamental grasses, groundcovers, and mulches. All soil N properties were variable among landscape patches, showing that soil N processing can vary on scales of a few meters. Notably, both mineralization and nitrification were the highest in a patch covered with perennial peanut, but exchangeable nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>) was low for the same soil, indicating that soils under perennial peanut may be producing high levels of inorganic N but that the produced N does not stay in the soil, possibly leaching to underlying groundwater. We recommend future studies on the mechanisms that drive the variable N properties seen under distinct urban landscape patches, with special emphasis on potential patterns in N losses for mixed-vegetation landscapes.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/1/9nitrogen mineralizationnitrificationturfgrassresidential landscapeslandscape patchesurban soils |
| spellingShingle | Juma Bukomba Mary G. Lusk Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape Nitrogen nitrogen mineralization nitrification turfgrass residential landscapes landscape patches urban soils |
| title | Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape |
| title_full | Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape |
| title_fullStr | Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape |
| title_short | Spatial Variability in Inorganic Soil Nitrogen Production in a Mixed-Vegetation Urban Landscape |
| title_sort | spatial variability in inorganic soil nitrogen production in a mixed vegetation urban landscape |
| topic | nitrogen mineralization nitrification turfgrass residential landscapes landscape patches urban soils |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/1/9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jumabukomba spatialvariabilityininorganicsoilnitrogenproductioninamixedvegetationurbanlandscape AT maryglusk spatialvariabilityininorganicsoilnitrogenproductioninamixedvegetationurbanlandscape |