EFFECT OF ADDED BENTONITE CLAY ON CARBON AND NITROGEN MINERALIZATION: A Case Study from Tarai Soils of Uttarakhand, India

This book deals with the effect of bentonite clay on carbon and nitrogen mineralization from different organic substances under varying moisture regimes in Mollisols of Tarai region of Uttarakhand, India. Accurate modeling of soil C and N mineralization rates and their response to changing environment require a thorough understanding of the factors that control these biochemical processes. Amongst many factors, the quality of detrital inputs, soil texture and mineralogy are hypothesized to be the crucial factors that control C and N mineralization process in soils. Carbon sequestration by agricultural lands has generated global interest because of its potential impact on climate change and benefits for agriculture. Where proper soil organic residue management techniques are performed, agriculture can be one of the many potential solutions of green house gas emissions and global warming. For proper management of organic residues, factors effecting their decomposition and kinetics of decomposition must be studied properly. This book describes all these things in a lucid way.