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Measuring Denitrification in Soils Using 15N Techniques

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Denitrification in Soil and Sediment

Part of the book series: Federation of European Microbiological Societies Symposium Series ((FEMS,volume 56))

Abstract

Soil scientists who were involved in some of the pioneering studies of denitrification in soils used 15N methodology (Nômmik, 1956; Wijler and Delwiche, 1954). At that time, thirty years ago, 15N or the use of artificial atmospheres were the only tools available to scientists interested in understanding the workings of denitrification in soil systems. Because of the expense of 75N, limited access to mass spectrometer facilities, and the analytical difficulties of working with 15N, few scientists were able to study denitrification. Despite these limitations, however, many fundamental insights were gained into the denitrification process and useful techniques were developed that were adapted several years later (Hauck and Bouldin, 1961; Hauck et al., 1958). The pace of denitrification research quickened greatly following the discovery in the mid-1970’s that C2H2 blocks the reduction of N2O to N2 (Balderston et al., 1976; Yoshinari and Knowles, 1976). The C2H2 inhibition method made the study of denitrification accessible to many more scientists, as shown by the explosive increase in the number of articles about denitrification published since the introduction of the C2H2 blockage technique. This new technique also stimulated comparisons of the efficacy of 5N versus C2H2 inhibition methods (Focht, 1985; Hauck, 1986; Keeney, 1986; Rolston, 1986).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, Oregon State University, Strand Agriculture Hall 202, Corvallis, OR, 97731-2213, USA

    David D. Myrold

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  1. David D. Myrold
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, DK-8000, Århus C, Denmark

    Niels Peter Revsbech

  2. Department of Ecology and Molecular Biology, Section of Microbiology, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 21, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jan Sørensen

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Myrold, D.D. (1990). Measuring Denitrification in Soils Using 15N Techniques. In: Revsbech, N.P., Sørensen, J. (eds) Denitrification in Soil and Sediment. Federation of European Microbiological Societies Symposium Series, vol 56. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9969-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9969-9_11

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