Consider a corn field in the spring at the end of April. The field has been heavily tilled in the fall and all residues have been incorporated in the soil, and are decomposed by this time. Chemical fertilizer (an inorganic fertilizer with only nitrate nitrogen - NO3) has been applied under suitable (not too wet) conditions a few days ago and the farmer has successfully planted corn before rain occurred. Now it is raining heavily and temperatures are mild at 20 degrees C.
1) What parts of the nitrogen cycle are taking place in the field? Indicate the sources as well as removal and transformation processes.
2) What removal or transformation processes are likely to see the most activity?
3) What parts of the cycle would be involved if urea fertilizer [CO(NH2)2] was applied instead of the nitrate fertilizer? (Indicated sources, removal and transformation processes, and which processes would see the most activity)
1 answer