Nitrogen fertilizer application is crucial in maintaining soil fertility and crop productivity in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) plantations. However, the effects of N addition on soil’s chemical and biological properties, particularly tropical peat are still unclear. This study investigated the impact of N fertilizer addition on peat properties, greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, soil bacterial and fungal diversity in an oil palm plantation on tropical peat. A long-term field experiment (from 2012 to 2013 and 2016 to 2017) was conducted to compare the application of 124.3 kg N ha −1 y −1 of ammonium sulfate (the treatment) to no N application (the control). Baseline data were collected from a primary peat swamp. Overall, N fertilizer input slightly decreased soil pH, total carbon (C), total N, pyrophosphate solubility index (PSI) but increased nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+) concentration, methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes. The result suggested a reduction in soil bacterial diversity but an increase in soil fungal diversity. Forest soil showed naturally low NO3− concentration but a NH4+ concentration comparable to that in the oil palm plantation. These findings provide evidence of changes in soil chemical and biological properties from long-term ammonium sulfate application on tropical peat.
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- Authors: Lau, S.Y.L., Midot, F., Dom, S.P., Lo, M.L., Chin, M.-Y., Jee, M.S., Yap, M.L., Chaddy, A., Melling, L.
- Author Affiliation: Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute
- Subjects: nitrogen fertilizers, oil palms, plantations, microbial communities, peat soils, peatlands, tropics, fungal diversity
- Publication type: Journal Article
- Source: Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
- Year: 2022
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2021.2022650