ASPECTS OF DECOMPOSITION OF CELLULOSE IN CANADIAN SOILS: II. NITRATE NITROGEN LEVELS AND CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION

Abstract

The effect of addition of cellulose film on the level of nitrate in a mull humus soil was studied over a period of 16 weeks. During the early stages of decomposition, nitrate was taken up from the soil, leaving it deficient in nitrate for up to 7 weeks. In later stages of decomposition, some of this nitrate was released again. Carbon dioxide was produced from the cellulose film over the whole experimental period. The results were broadly correlated with previous observations on the succession of microorganisms and fauna on cellulose film. The role of the fauna in nitrogen mineralization is discussed.