Effects of field-applied composted cattle manure and chemical fertilizer on ammonia and particulate ammonium exchanges at an upland field

The present study aimed to investigate the NH3 volatilization loss from field-applied compost and chemical fertilizer and evaluate the atmosphere–land exchange of NH3 and particulate NH4+ (pNH4) at an upland field with volcanic ash soil (Andosol) in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Two-step basal fertilization was conducted on the bare soil surface. First, a moderately fermented compost of cattle manure was applied by surface incorporation (mixing depth, 0–15 cm) at a rate of 117 kg N ha−1 as total nitrogen (T-N) corresponding to 9.9 kg N ha−1 as ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4–N). Twelve days later, a chemical fertilizer containing 10% (w/w) of NH4–N as a mixture of ammonium sulfate and ammonium phosphates was applied by row placement (cover depth, 3 cm) at a rate of 100 kg N ha−1 as NH4–N. The study period was divided into the first-half, beginning after the compost application (CCM period), and the second-half, beginning after the chemical fertilizer application (CF period). The mean air concentrations of NH3 and pNH4 (1.5 m height) were 7.6 and 3.0 μg N m−3, respectively, in the CCM period; the values were 3.7 and 3.9 μg N m−3, respectively, in the CF period. The composition ratios of NH3 to the sum of NH3 and pNH4 (1.5 m height) were 72% and 49% in the CCM and CF periods, respectively. The NH3 volatilization loss from the compost was 0.8% of the applied T-N (or 9.3% of the applied NH4–N) and that from the chemical fertilizer was near zero. Excluding the period immediately after the compost application, the upland field acted as a net sink for NH3 and pNH4.