Studies on the mechanisms of fixation and release of ammonium in paddysoils after flooding. I. Effect of iron oxides on ammonium fixation

摘要

Experiments were conducted with two typical paddy soils from China and a vermiculite to study the influence of iron oxides on the fixation and release of ammonium. Removing iron oxides, especially amorphous iron oxides, from the soils favoured the release of non-exchangeable NH4-N and stimulated the fixation of NH4-N in the presence of added (NH4)(2)SO4 Addition of artificial goethite and hematite to the original soils or to the soils free of iron oxides reduced the fixation of NH4+-ions. This effect was also observed with vermiculite. We conclude that the coating of clay minerals with iron oxides has an impact on the diffusion of NH4+-ions into and out of the interlayers of the clay minerals. The reduction and dissolution of iron oxides induced by low redox potential (E-h) after flooding of paddy soils is assumed to be an important mechanism controlling NH4+-fixation in paddy fields.