Rapeseed cake （RC）, the residue of rapeseed oil extraction, is effective for improving tea （Camellia sinensis） quality, especially taste and aroma, but it has limited ability to ameliorate strongly acidic soil. In order to improve the liming potential of RC, alkaline slag （AS）, the by-product of recovery of sodium carbonate, was incorporated. Combined effects of different levels of RC and AS on ameliorating acidic soil from a tea garden were investigated. Laboratory incubations showed that combined use of AS and RC was an effective method to reduce soil exchangeable acidity and A1 saturation and increase base saturation, but not necessarily for soil pH adjustment. The release of alkalinity from the combined amendments and the mineralization of organic nitrogen increased soil pH initially, but then soil pH decreased due to nitrifications. Various degrees of nitrification were correlated with the interaction of different Ca levels, pH and N contents. When RC was applied at low levels, high Ca levels from AS repressed soil nitrification, resulting in smaller pH fluctuations. In contrast, high AS stimulated soil nitrification, when RC was applied at high levels, and resulted in a large pH decrease. Based on the optimum pH for tea production and quality, high ratios of AS to RC were indicated for soil acidity amelioration, and 8.0 g kg-1 and less than 2.5 g kg-1 were indicated for AS and RC, respectively. Further, field studies are needed to investigate the variables of combined amendments.
WANG LeiYANG Xing-LunK. RACHELWANG YuTONG De-LiYE MaoJIANG Xin
The mechanisms for the effects of ammonium-based fertilizers on soil acidification in subtropical regions are not well understood. Two Ultisols collected from cropland and a tea garden in Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces in subtropical southern China, respectively, were used to study the effects of urea and （NH4）aSO4 on the nitrification and acidification of soils with incubation experiments. Nitrification occurred at very low pH with no N fertilizer added and led to lowering of the soil pH by 0.53 and 0.30 units for the soils from Jiangxi and Anhui, respectively. Addition of urea accelerated nitrification and soil acidification in both Ultisols; while nitrification was inhibited by the addition of （NH4）2SO4, and greater input of （NH4）2SO4 led to greater inhibition of nitrification. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） played an important role in nitrification in cropland soil under acidic conditions. Addition of urea increased the soil pH at the early stages of incubation due to hydrolysis and stimulated the increase in the AOB population, and thus accelerated nitrification and soil acidification. At the end of incubation, the pH of Ultisol from Jiangxi had decreased by 1.25, 1.54 and 1.84 units compared to maximum values for the treatments with 150, 300 and 400 mg/kg of urea-N added, respectively; the corresponding figures were 0.95, 1.25 and 1.69 for the Ultisol from Anhui. However, addition of （NH4）：SO4 inhibited the increase in the AOB population and thus inhibited nitrification and soil acidification. Soil pH for the treatments with 300 and 400 mg/kg of （NHn）2SOa-N remained almost constant during the incubation. AOB played an important role in nitrification of the cropland soil under acidic conditions. Addition of urea stimulated the increase in the AOB population and thus accelerated nitrification and soil acidification; while addition of （NH4）2SO4 inhibited the increase in the AOB population and thus inhibited nitrification.
The liming potential of some crop residues and their biochars on an acid Ultisol was investigated using incubation experiments. Rice hulls showed greater liming potential than rice hull biochar, while soybean and pea straws had less liming potential than their biochars. Due to their higher alkalinity, biochars from legume materials increased soil pH much compared to biochars from non-legume materials. The alkalinity of biochars was a key factor affecting their liming potential, and the greater alkalinity of biochars led to greater reductions in soil acidity. The incorporation of biochars decreased soil exchangeable acidity and increased soil exchangeable base cations and base saturation, thus improving soil fertility.
Aims Leaf traits of trees exposed to elevated[CO_(2)]in association with other environmental factors are poorly understood in tropical and subtropical regions.Our goal was to investigate the impacts of elevated[CO_(2)]and N fertilization on leaf traits in southern China.Methods Four tree species,Schima superba Gardn.et Champ.(S.superba),Ormosia pinnata(Lour.)Merr(O.pinnata),Castanopsis hystrix AC.DC.(C.hystrix)and Acmena acuminatissima(Blume)Merr.et Perry(A.acuminatissima)were studied in a factorial combination of atmospheric[CO_(2)](ambient at~390μmol mol^( -1)and elevated[CO_(2)]at~700μmol mol ^(-1))and N fertilization(ambient and ambient+100 kg N ha ^(-1)year^( -1))in open-top chambers in southern China for 5 years.Leaf mass per unit leaf area(LMA),leaf nutrient concentration and photosynthesis(A_(sat))were measured.Important Findings Results indicated that leaf traits and photosynthesis were affected differently by elevated[CO_(2)]and N fertilization among species.Elevated[CO_(2)]decreased LMA in all species,while N fertilization did not affect LMA.Leaf mass-based N concentration(N_(M))was significantly greater in O.pinnata and C.hystrix grown in elevated[CO_(2)]but was lower in S.superba.Leaf mass-based P concentration(P_(M))was significantly greater in C.hystrix and A.acuminatissima exposed to elevated[CO_(2)]but was lower in S.superba.N fertilization significantly increased P_(M) in O.pinnata but decreased P_(M) in S.superba.Photosynthetic stimulation in O.pinnata,C.hystrix and A.acuminatissima was sustained after 5 years of CO_(2)fumigation.N fertilization did not modify the effects of elevated[CO_(2)]on photosynthesis.Leaf traits(N_(M),N_(A),P_(M),P_(A))and light-saturated photosynthesis were decreased from the upper to lower canopy.Canopy position did not alter the responses of leaf traits and photosynthesis to elevated[CO_(2)].Results suggest that photosynthetic stimulation by elevated[CO_(2)]in native species in subtropical regions may be sustained in the long term.
