Ki-In Kim1, David Clay2, Gregg Carlson2, and Sharon Clay2. (1) USDA-Agricultural Research Service, 803 Iowa Ave., Morris, MN 56267, (2) South Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, Plant Science Department, Brookings, SD 57007
Monitoring long-term impacts of fertilizer N and the fate of N sources in production fields are needed. The objective of this study was to determine total soil N temporal and spatial changes over a 8 year period in a 1/4 section. The site was located in east-central South Dakota in a 65-ha field. Crop rotation was corn and soybean. During the study corn was grown for 5 years (1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2002) and soybeans were grown for 3 years (1996, 1998, and 2000). Two tillage methods were used; no-till between 1995 and 1999 and strip-till between 2000 and 2002. More than 600 soil samples from the 0- to 15-cm soil depth were collected from a 30- by 30-m offset grid in May, 1995 and between May and June, 2003 and were aggregated to a common 40- by 40-m grid cell. Soil samples were air dried (35 oC), ground, sieved, and analyzed for total N, total C, 13C discrimination (D), and δ15N on a ratio mass spectrometer. Findings from this study can be used to an improved understanding of N cycling in production fields.