NITRATE UTILIZATION BY SPECIES FROM ACIDIC AND CALCAREOUS SOILS

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Abstract
SUMMARY: Nitrate utilization by calcicole and calcifuge species has been measured using a field assay for nitrate reductase. Certain calcifuge species, notably members of the Ericaceae, showed no detectable enzyme activity in the field and very low values in the laboratory even after nitrate feeding. It is concluded that these species have a restricted ability to utilize nitrate. Other calcifuge species and all the species from calcareous soils had detectable nitrate reductase activities in the field and responded to nitrate addition by large increases in enzyme activities. Some of these species were used to compare nitrate utilization in a number of acidic and calcareous soils. Nitrate was utilized in all the soils, but utilization was minimal in ombrogenous peat. A comparison of closely adjacent acidic and calcareous soils showed that nitrate is an important source of inorganic combined nitrogen in at least some acidic soils.