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. 1980 Aug;40(2):235–239. doi: 10.1128/aem.40.2.235-239.1980

Denitrification in Low pH Spodosols and Peats Determined with the Acetylene Inhibition Method

Michael M Müller 1, Veronica Sundman 1, J Skujinš 1,
PMCID: PMC291558  PMID: 16345603

Abstract

Potential denitrification rates were determined for predominantly acid (pH ≥ 3.6) horizons of forestal, miry, and agricultural soils from 22 locations in southern Finland. The acetylene inhibition method was used with nitrate-amended water-logged soils incubated in an N2 atmosphere containing 2.5 or 5% C2H2. Complete inhibition of the reduction of N2O to N2 was observed in 99.3% of the samples. The denitrification rates varied from 0.12 to 53.8 μg of N·cm-3·day-1. Correlation between denitrification rate and soil pH was highly significant: r = 0.84 on a volume basis, and r = 0.44 on a weight basis. Vegetation type and amount of soil organic matter had a minor or no effect, respectively. In spodosolized soils the rates were significantly higher for B horizons than for A horizons. These results show that denitrification can occur in acid soils.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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