%0 Journal Article
%T Mass Loss and C and N Release from Decomposing Fresh and Composted Residues as Affected by Cold Climate Conditions
%A Moniruzzaman Khan Eusufzai
%A Sanjit K. Deb
%A Takeki Maeda
%A Katsumi Fujii
%J Environment and Natural Resources Research
%@ 1927-0496
%D 2013
%R 10.5539/enrr.v3n2p116
%X Information on the decomposition and nutrient release pattern of fresh and composted residues under low temperature field conditions is still limited. A 540-day period litterbag study was conducted in an agricultural field of the northeastern Japan to quantify mass loss and C and N release from fresh (rice straw and sawdust) and composted (compost) residues. Decomposition rates (k) were estimated from mass loss data by fitting a single-pool exponential decay model for actual days of field incubation. The k values were also expressed in degree-days (DGD) and decomposition-days (DCD) time scales to account for the effect of temperature and precipitation on residue decomposition. At any time scales, k values followed the order: compost > straw > sawdust. Daily mass loss, C and N release were significantly affected by residue type and incubation time. Compost showed higher decomposability and potential N source, while a considerable amount of N was immobilized in straw and sawdust decomposition. Mass loss was positively correlated with initial C content and C: N for compost and straw, while it was negatively correlated with initial N content for straw and sawdust. Decomposition exhibited at a slow rate even at sub¨Czero air temperature during soil freezing conditions, indicating that residue decomposition under cold climate field conditions may be more regulated by moisture availability than temperature per se.
%U http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/enrr/article/view/23748