Abstract:
Objective To explore the oxidation rate of elemental sulfur (S) in chernozem of a meadow grassland, and to examine the changes in soil inorganic S fractions.
Method Based on a field experiment of S addition (with S addition rates of 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 t hm−2, respectively) conducted in a meadow grassland in Erguna, Inner Mongolia, we determined the apparent oxidation rate and inorganic S fractions in 0-10 cm soil layer after 1 year of elemental S additions.
Result Total S content was 627.5 mg kg−1, with 2.4% inorganic S and 97.6% organic S in the treatment without elemental S addition. Soil total S content increased by 646.5-5182.5 mg kg−1, and the total inorganic S increased by 169.4-887.9 g kg−1 in the S added treatments as compared with the control. The unoxidized elemental S in the surface soil were 473.9-4264.0 g kg−1 in the S addition treatments, with an apparent oxidation rate from 173.5-271.3 g kg−1 a−1, respectively. In the total increased inorganic S, the CaCl2 extractable S (soluble S), Ca(H2PO4)2 extractable S (adsorbed S), and HCl extractable S (insoluble S) accounted for 85.0%-91.9%, 7.8%-17.1%, 0.8%-1.6%, respectively in the surface soil of the S added treatments. Soil inorganic S fractions correlated negatively with soil pH but positively with soil electric conductivity (EC).
Conclusion The added elemental S were mainly oxidized into plant available S, while the insoluble S only accounted for a small proportion.