DYNAMICS OF CARBON AND PHOSPHORUS MINERALIZATION IN WETLAND SOIL AMENDED WITH ORGANIC WASTES

Abstract

This work investigated the Kinetics of Carbon and phosphorus Mineralization when different organic wastes (Cattle Dung’s, Poultry waste and Sewage Sludge) with varying degree of stability were added to wetland soil in Niger Delta. Respiration assays shows that the incorporation of organic waste led mineralization to a greater emission of carbon in form of CO2 and greater degree of microbial activity in the Soil amended with organic wastes .Reaction rates decrease with time in the amended soil which could be attributed to the mineralization of the most resistant organic product. In a nutshell, mineralization occurs in two phases. The first phase was clearly differentiated from the second slower phrase, most especially in Fadama and acid sulphate soils that were amended. This could be due to high degree of organic matter released with time and the pH of the amended soil which were favorable.