Dynamics of maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw mineralization as affected by the presence of soil and the availability of nitrogen

An incubation experiment was carried out with maize (Zea mays L.) leaf straw to analyze the effects of mixing the residues with soil and N amendment on the decomposition process. In order to distinguish between soil effects and nitrogen effects for both the phyllospheric microorganisms already present on the surface of maize straw and soil microorganisms the N amendment was applied in two different placements: directly to the straw or to the soil. The experiment was performed in dynamic, automated microcosms for 22 days at 15 °C with 7 treatments: (1) untreated soil, (2) non-amended maize leaf straw without soil, (3) N amended maize leaf straw without soil, (4) soil mixed with maize leaf straw, (5) N amended soil, (6) N amended soil mixed with maize leaf straw, and (7) soil mixed with N amended maize leaf straw. 15NH415NO3 (5 at%) was added. Gas emissions (CO2, 13CO2 and N2O) were continuously recorded throughout the experiment. Microbial biomass C, biomass N, ergosterol, δ13C of soil organic C and of microbial biomass C as well as 15N in soil total N, mineral N and microbial biomass N were determined in soil samples at the end of the incubation. The CO2 evolution rate showed a lag-phase of two days in the non-amended maize leaf straw treatment without soil, which was completely eliminated when mineral N was added. The addition of N generally increased the CO2 evolution rate during the initial stages of maize leaf straw decomposition, but not the cumulative CO2 production. The presence of soil caused roughly a 50% increase in cumulative CO2 production within 22 days in the maize straw treatments due to a slower decrease of CO2 evolution after the initial activity peak. Since there are no limitations of water or N, we suggest that soil provides a microbial community ensuring an effective succession of straw decomposing microorganisms. In the treatments where maize and soil was mixed, 75% of microbial biomass C was derived from maize. We concluded that this high contribution of maize using microbiota indicates a strong influence of organisms of phyllospheric origin to the microbial community in the soil after plant residues enter the soil.