Effect of N Fertilization on Grain Yield of Winter Wheat and Apparent N Losses

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilizer application to winter wheat is a common problem on the North China Plain. To determine the optimum fertilizer N rate for winter wheat production while minimizing N losses, field experiments were conducted for two growing seasons at eight sites, in Huimin County, Shandong Province, from 2001 to 2003. The optimum N rate for maximum grain yield was inversely related to the initial soil mineral N content (Nmin) in the top 90 cm of the soil profile before sowing. There was no yield response to the applied N at the three sites with high initial soil mineral N levels (average 212 kg N ha-1). The average optimum N rate was 96 kg N ha-1 for the five sites with low initial soil Nmin (average 155 kg N ha-1) before sowing. Residual nitrate N in the top 90 cm of the soil profile after harvest increased with increasing fertilizer N application rate. The apparent N losses during the wheat-growing season also increased with increasing N application rate. The average apparent N losses with the optimum N rates were less than 15 kg N ha-1, whereas the farmers' conventional N application rate resulted in losses of more than 100 kg N ha-1. Therefore, optimizing N use for winter wheat considerably reduced N losses to the environment without compromising crop yields.

Responses of nutrient biogeochemistry and nitrogen cycle to seasonal upwelling in coastal waters of the eastern Hainan Island

The coastal upwelling has profound influence on the surrounding ecosystem by supplying the nutrient-replete water to the euphotic zone.Nutrient biogeochemistry was investigated in coastal waters of the eastern Hainan Island in summer 2015 and autumn 2016.From perspectives of nutrient dynamics and physical transport,the nutrient fluxes entered the upper 50 m water depth(between the mixed layer and the euphotic zone)arisen from the upwelling were estimated to be 2.5-5.4 mmol/(m^(2)·d),0.15-0.28 mmol/(m^(2)·d),and 2.2-7.2 mmol/(m^(2)·d)for dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN),phosphate(DIP),and dissolved silicate(DSi),respectively,which were around 6-to 12-fold those in the background area.The upwelled nutrients supported an additional plankton growth of(14.70±8.95)mg/m^(2)for chlorophyll a(Chl a).The distributions of nitrateδ^(15)N andδ^(18)O above the 300 m water depth(top of the North Pacific Intermediate Water)were different among the upwelling area,background area in summer,and the stations in autumn,and the difference of environmental and biogeochemical conditions between seasons should be the reason.The higher DIN/DIP concentration ratio,nitrate concentration anomaly,and lower nitrate isotope anomaly(Δ(15,18))in the upper ocean in summer than in autumn indicated the stronger nitrogen fixation and atmospheric deposition,and the following fixed nitrogen regeneration in summer.The higher values of Chl a and nitrateδ^(15)N andδ^(18)O within the euphotic zone in autumn than the background area in summer suggested the stronger nitrate assimilation in autumn.The differences in relatively strength of the assimilation,nitrogen fixation and atmospheric deposition,and the following remineralization and nitrification between the two seasons made the higherδ^(18)O:δ^(15)N and larger difference of enzymatic isotope fractionation factors^(15)εand^(18)εfor nitrate assimilation in summer than in autumn above the North Pacific Tropical Water.