Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in agricultural soil after application of cattle manure and eastern redcedar wood chips.

Uncontrolled proliferation of eastern redcedar tree (Juniperus virginiana) in the Midwest United States requires new alternatives for utilization of waste wood, such as mulching, that promotes efficient tree management by landowners. Similarly, efficient use of manure from animal feeding operations in cropping systems can reduce negative environmental impacts and increase cropland productivity. The objectives of this study were to quantify the nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) decomposition rates, availability, and effects on soil chemical properties of eastern redcedar wood chips (WC), cattle manure (CM), and the combination of cattle manure and wood chips (MW).

Differences in soil biological activity by terrain types at the sub-field scale in central Iowa US.

Soil microbial communities are structured by biogeochemical processes that occur at many different spatial scales, which makes soil sampling difficult. Because soil microbial communities are important in nutrient cycling and soil fertility, it is important to understand how microbial communities function within the heterogeneous soil landscape. In this study, a self-organizing map was used to determine whether landscape data can be used to characterize the distribution of microbial biomass and activity in order to provide an improved understanding of soil microbial community function.