Soil pH and phosphorus availability regulate sulphur cycling in an 82-year-old fertilised grassland

• DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109436
• Publication Date: 2024-04-13T11:13:33Z
• Authors: Qiqi Wang; Sara L. Bauke; Thomas F. Döring; Jinhua Yin; Emily C. Cooledge; Davey L. Jones; David R. Chadwick; Albert Tietema; Roland Bol
• Keywords: Cycling; Soil carbon; Soil Quality

The application of lime and mineral fertiliser is known to mitigate soil acidification improve quality in improved grasslands. However, the long-term effect simultaneous amendments on carbon (C) sulphur (S) cycling still poorly understood. To examine if pH or nutrient availability are dominant factors regulating C S cycling, we evaluated biodegradation methionine (organic S), gross transformation, microbial utilisation using 35S 14C dual-labelling. Soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected from one unfertilised control five annual limed (Ca) treatments with without nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) fertilisers (Ca, CaN, CaNP, CaNPKCl, CaNPK2SO4) an 82-year-old upland grassland experiment Rengen, Germany. Long-term increased values but significantly (p < 0.05) decreased organic content. Fertilisation had no significant 35S-labelled methionine, while immobilisation 35SO42- soils was reduced compared control. This attributed either after liming. Microbial use efficiency (CUE) higher applied P (i.e., CaNP: 0.66 ± 0.02, CaNPKCl: 0.68 CaNPK2SO4: 0.65 0.01) CaN treatment (0.58 0.01). Moreover, CaNP CaNPKCl turnover, effects observed CaNPK2SO4 treatment. deficits CUE bioavailability. Although addition alleviated limitation when N added, (CaNPK2SO4) present constrained transformation rates. Overall, importance for global grasslands shown, especially under N-enrichment conditions. subsequent potential loss liming should be carefully considered management.