Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variations in the natural abundance of 15N in ryegrass/white clover shoot material as influenced by cattle grazing

  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Biological N2 fixation in clover is an important source of N in low external-N input farming systems. Using the natural 15N-abundance method, variations in N2 fixation were investigated in grazed and mowed plots of a ryegrass/white clover field. Ryegrass δ15N varied considerably, from 0.2 to 5.6‰ under mowed conditions and from –3.3 to 11.6‰ under grazed conditions. Variations in δ15N white clover were lower than in ryegrass, especially in the mowed plots (SE = 0.05‰, n = 20). The variations in the percentage of nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa) in white clover were highest in the grazed plots where it ranged from 12 to 96% (mean = 64%) compared with the mowed plots where it ranged from 64 to 92% (mean = 79%). Thus, the N2 fixation per unit white clover DM in the grazed ley was lower and more variable than under mowing conditions.

Urine from dairy cows equivalent to 0, 200, 400 and 800 kg N ha-1 was applied to a ryegrass/white clover plot 6, 4 or 2 weeks before harvest. Without urine application δ15N of ryegrass was positive. By increasing urine application (δ15N = –1‰) two weeks before sampling, the δ15N of ryegrass decreased strongly to about –7‰ (P < 0.001). However, this effect was only observed when urine was applied two weeks before sampling. When applying 800 kg N four and six weeks before sampling, δ15N in ryegrass was not significantly different from the treatment without urine application. White clover δ15N was unaffected by whatever changes occurred in δ15N of the plant-available soil N pool (reflected in δ15N of ryegrass). This indicates that within the time span of this experiment, N2 fixation per unit DM was not affected by urine. Therefore, newly deposited urine may not be the main contributing factor to the variation in %Ndfa found in the grazed fields. This experiment suggested that the natural abundance method can be applied for estimating %Ndfa without disturbance in natural animal-grazed systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afzal M and Adams W A 1992 Heterogeneity of soil mineral nitrogen in pasture gazed by cattle. Soil Sci. Soc. Am J. 56, 1160-1166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Androsoff G L, van Kessel C and Pennock 1995 Landscape-scale estimates of dinitrogen fixation by Pisum sativum by nitrogen-15 natural abundance and enriched isotope dilution. Biol. Fertil. Soils 20, 33-40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergersen F J and Turner G L 1983 An evaluation of 15N methods for estimating nitrogen fixation in a subterranean clover-perennial ryegrass sward. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 34, 391-401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolger T P, Pate J S, Unkovich M J and Turner N C 1995 Estimates of seasonal nitrogen fixation of annual subterranean clover-based pastures using the 15N natural abundance technique. Plant Soil 175, 57-66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boller B C and Nösberger J 1987 Symbiotically fixed nitrogen from field-grown white and red clover mixed with ryegrass at low levels of 15N-fertilization. Plant Soil 104, 219-226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bremer E and van Kessel C 1990 Appraisal of the nitrogen-15 natural-abundance method for quantifying dinitrogen fixation. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 54, 404-411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalk P M and Smith C J 1994 15N isotope dilution methology for evaluating the dynamics of biologically fixed N in legume-non-legume associations. Biol. Fertil. Soils 17, 8084.

    Google Scholar 

  • During C and McNaught K J 1961 Effects of cow urine on growth of pasture and uptake of nutrients. N.Z. J. Agric Res. 4, 591-605.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hardarson G, Danso S K A and Zapata F 1988 Dinitrogen fixation measurements in alfalfa-ryegrass swards using nitrogen-15 and influence of the reference crop. Crop Sci. 28, 101-105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes R 1980 Competitive aspects of the grass-legume association. Adv. Agron. 33, 227-261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes R J and Williams P H 1993 Nutrient cycling and soil fertility in the grazed pasture ecosystem. Adv. Agron. 49, 119-199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Høgh-Jensen H and Schjoerring J 1997 Interactions between white clover and ryegrass under contrasting nitrogen availability: N2 fixation, N fertiliser recovery, N transfer and water use efficiency. Plant Soil 197, 187-199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karamonos R E and Rennie D A 1978 Nitrogen isotope fractionation during ammonium exchange reactions with soil clay. Can. J. Soil Sci. 58, 53-60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerley S J and S C Jarvis 1996 Preliminary studies of the impact of excreted N on cycling and uptake of N in pasture systems using natural abundance stable isotopic discrimination. Plant Soil 178, 287-294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lantinga E A, Keuning J E, Groenwold J and Deenen P J A G 1987 Distribution of excreted nitrogen by grazing cattle and its effects on sward quality, herbage production and utilization. In Animal Manure on Grassland and Fodder Crops. Eds. H G v d Meer, R J Unwin, T A Dijk and G C Ennik pp 103-117. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ledgard S F, Steele K W and Saunders W H M 1982 Effects to cow urine and its major constituents on pasture properties. N.Z. J. Agric. Res. 25, 61-68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ledgard S F 1991 Transfer of fixed nitrogen from white clover to associated grasses estimated using 15N methods in swards grazed by dairy cows. Plant Soil 131, 215-233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ledgard S F and Steele K W 1992 Biological nitrogen fixation in mixed legume/grass pastures. Plant Soil 141, 137-153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marriott C A, Smith M A and Baird M A 1987 The effect of sheep urine on clover performance in a grazed upland sward. J. Agric. Sci. 109, 177-185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy P M, Turner S and Murphy M 1986 Effect of spring applied urea and calcium ammonium nitrate on white clover (Trifolium revens) performance in a grazed ryegrass-clover pasture. Irish J. Agric. Res. 25, 251-259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pate J S, Unkovich M J, Armstrong E L and Sanford P 1994 Selection of reference plants for 15N natural abundance assessment of N2 fixation by crop and pasture legumes in South-west Australia. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 45, 133-147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Preston T and Barrie A 1991 Recent progress in continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry. (International Laboratory, Sept 1991) pp 31-34.

  • Rennie D A, Paul E A and Johns L E 1976 Natural nitrogen-15 abundance of soil and plant samples. Can. J. Soil Sci. 56, 43-50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards I R and Wolton K M 1976 The spatial distribution of excreta under intensive cattle grazing. J. Brit. Grass. Soc. 31, 89-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanford P, Pate J S and Unkovich M J 1993 A survey of proportional depencence of subterranean clover and other pasture legumes on N2 fixation in South-west Australia utilizing 15N natural abundance. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 45, 165-181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selles F, Karamanos R E and Kachanoski R G 1986 The spatial variability of nitrogen-15 and its relation to the variability of other soil properties. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50, 105-110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shearer G and Kohl D H 1986 N2-fixation in field settings: Estimations based on natural 15N abundance. Aust. J. Plant. Physiol. 13, 699-765.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele K W 1983 Quantitative measurements of nitrogen turnover in pasture systems with particular reference to the role of 15N. In Nuclear Techniques in Improving Pasture Managemept. IAEA, Vienna. pp 17-45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele K W and Daniel R M 1978 Fractionation of nitrogen isotopes by animals: further complication to the use of variations in the natural abundance of 15N for tracer studies. J. Agric Sci. 7-9.

  • Steiner A A 1984 The universal nutrient solution. In Proceedings of the 6th International Congress on Soilless Culture, Luntern. Wageningen. pp 633-649.

  • Sutherland R A, van Kessel C and Pennock D J 1991 Spatial variability of nitrogen-15 natural abundance. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 55, 1339-1347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland R A, van Kessel C, Farrell R E and Pennock D J 1993 Landscape-scale variations in plant and soil nitrogen-15 natural abundance. Soil Sci. Soc. Am J. 57, 169-178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Unkovich M J, Pate J S, Sanford P and Armstrong E L 1994 Potential precision of the 15N natural abundance method in field estimates of nitrogen fixation by crop and pasture legumes in South-west Australia. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 45, 119-132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Kessel C, Farrell R E and Pennock D J 1994 Carbon-13 and nitrogen-15 natural abundance in crop residues and soil organic matter. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58, 382-389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinther F P and Aaes O 1996 Effects of urine on biological nitrogen fixation in a grass-clover pasture. Transactions of 9th Nitrogen Workshop, 9-12 Sept., Braunschweig, Germany. pp 173-176.

  • White R E, Haigh R A and Macduff J H 1987 Frequency distribution and spatially dependent variability of ammonium and nitrate concentrations in soil under grazed and ungrazed grassland. Fert. Res. 11, 193-208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead D C 1995 Grassland Nitrogen. CAB International, Oxon, UK. 397 pp.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Crop Physiology and Soil Science, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark

    J. Eriksen & H. Høgh-jensen

  2. Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871, Copenhagen, Denmark

    J. Eriksen

Authors
  1. J. Eriksen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Høgh-jensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eriksen, J., Høgh-jensen, H. Variations in the natural abundance of 15N in ryegrass/white clover shoot material as influenced by cattle grazing. Plant and Soil 205, 67–76 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004353229409

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004353229409

Search

Navigation