The rates of mineralization of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), p-nitrophenol, aniline, and isopropyl N-phenylcarbamate (IPC) at one or more concentrations ranging from 100 pg/ml to 1.0 microgram/ml were proportional to chemical concentrations in samples of three lakes. The rates at 100 pg of NTA, 2,4-D, p-nitrophenol, and aniline per ml in samples of one or ...

Cover crops are a major focus of conservation agriculture efforts because they can provide soil cover and increase nutrient availability after their mineralization in cropping systems. To evaluate the effect of residue type and placement on rate of decomposition and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization, residues from two food crops, maize (Zea mays L.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris ...

To determine seasonal variability in mineralization dynamics of mussel biodeposits, we applied a multiple-element approach measuring mineralization rates of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and silicate (Si) during three periods (March, August and November). The results of this study showed that mineralization rates vary between seasons and between elements and that mineralization dynam...

The effect of repeated application of plant residues on mineralization of different organic carbon (OC) pools in a pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) amended soil was determined using an incubation study conducted over 7.1 years. At five occasions during this period, sugarcane residues (C4) were mixed with the soil (C4) with or without PyOM (C3) amendments. Organic C mineralized during the incubat...

Tropical forests have high rates of soil carbon cycling, but little information is available on how roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and free-living microorganisms interact and influence organic matter mineralization in these ecosystems. We used mesh ingrowth cores and isotopic tracers in phospholipid fatty acid biomarkers to investigate the effects of roots and AMF mycelia on (1) mic...

Plant litter decomposition is a critical step in the formation of soil organic matter, the mineralization of organic nutrients, and the carbon balance in terrestrial ecosystems. Biotic decomposition in mesic ecosystems is generally negatively correlated with the concentration of lignin, a group of complex aromatic polymers present in plant cell walls that is recalcitrant to enzymatic degradatio...

This work proposes an efficient combined treatment for the decontamination of a pesticide-containing wastewater resulting from phytopharmaceutical plastic containers washing, presenting a moderate organic load (COD=1662-1960 mg O₂ L⁻¹; DOC=513-696 mg C L⁻¹), with a high biodegradable organic carbon fraction (81%; BOD₅=1350-1600 mg O₂ L⁻¹) and a remaining recalcitrant organic carbon mainly due t...

Wardle et al. (Brevia, 2 May 2008, p. 629) reported that fire-derived charcoal can promote loss of forest humus and belowground carbon (C). However, C loss from charcoal-humus mixtures can be explained not only by accelerated loss of humus but also by loss of charcoal. It is also unclear whether such loss is related to mineralization to carbon dioxide or to physical export.