Controls on Nitrogen Cycling in Terrestrial Ecosystems: A Synthetic Analysis of Literature Data

Booth, Mary S.; Stark, John; Rastetter, Edward B.

doi:10.1890/04-0988

Cited by 900 publications

(855 citation statements)

References 102 publications

(113 reference statements)

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“…As shown previously, the rates obtained in such a study may not necessarily reflect field rates, which will vary in response to environmental conditions, but rather reflect the potential gross N dynamics after long-term N applications under conditions of the experiment (Arnold et al, 2008). However, the rates of mineralization and nitrification obtained in the current study are within the range reported in other grassland studies (Booth et al, 2005).…”

Section: Application Of a 15 N Tracing Analysissupporting

confidence: 47%

Effects of repeated fertilizer and cattle slurry applications over 38 years on N dynamics in a temperate grassland soil

Müller

Laughlin²,

Christie³

et al. 2011

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

112

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The effects of repeated synthetic fertilizer or cattle slurry applications at annual rates of 50, 100 or 200 m 3 ha À1 yr À1 over a 38 year period were investigated with respect to herbage yield, N uptake and gross soil N dynamics at a permanent grassland site. While synthetic fertilizer had a sustained and constant effect on herbage yield and N uptake, increasing cattle slurry application rates increased the herbage yield and N uptake linearly over the entire observation period. Cattle slurry applications, two and four times the recommended rate (50 m 3 ha À1 yr À1 , 170 kg N ha À1 ), increased N uptake by 46 and 78%, respectively after 38 years. To explain the long-term effect, a 15 N tracing study was carried out to identify the potential change in N dynamics under the various treatments. The analysis model evaluated process-specific rates, such as mineralization, from two organic-N pools, as well as nitrification from NH 4 þ and organic-N oxidation. Total mineralization was similar in all treatments. However, while in an unfertilized control treatment more than 90% of NH 4 þ production was related to mineralization of recalcitrant organic-N, a shift occurred toward a predominance of mineralization from labile organic-N in the cattle slurry treatments and this proportion increased with the increase in slurry application rate. Furthermore, the oxidation of recalcitrant organic-N shifted from a predominant NH 4 þ production in the control treatment, toward a predominant NO 3 À production (heterotrophic nitrification) in the cattle slurry treatments. The concomitant increase in heterotrophic nitrification and NH 4 þ oxidation with increasing cattle slurry application rate was mainly responsible for the increase in net NO 3 À production rate. Thus the increase in N uptake and herbage yield on the cattle slurry treatments could be related to NO 3 À rather than NH 4 þ production. The 15 N tracing study was successful in revealing process-specific changes in the N cycle in relationship to long-term repeated amendments.

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Section: Application Of a 15 N Tracing Analysissupporting

confidence: 47%

Effects of repeated fertilizer and cattle slurry applications over 38 years on N dynamics in a temperate grassland soil

Müller

Laughlin²,

Christie³

et al. 2011

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

112

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“…Denitrification is generally favored by high availability of C and NO 3 − , poor aeration, and neutral pH (Booth et al 2005;Xu et al 2013). In terms of N loss in forest ecosystems, the influence of N deposition and fertilization on denitrification may be insignificant (Gundersen 1991).…”

Section: Denitrification and N 2 O Emissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the ecosystem level, it may be useful to focus on soil C/N ratios, microbial activities (microbial biomass and respiration), and C availability as the key factors responsible for the effects of N deposition and fertilization on forest soil N mineralization (Aber et al 1998;Booth et al 2005;Corre et al 2007;Tietema 1998;Zhu et al 2013). For instance, data on soil characteristics and gross N transformation rates from across a wide range of ecosystems, forest ecosystems included, show that gross N mineralization rate is positively correlated with microbial biomass and C availability that are negatively correlated with soil C/N ratio (Booth et al 2005).…”

Section: N Mineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, data on soil characteristics and gross N transformation rates from across a wide range of ecosystems, forest ecosystems included, show that gross N mineralization rate is positively correlated with microbial biomass and C availability that are negatively correlated with soil C/N ratio (Booth et al 2005). Also, Tietema (1998) found that gross N mineralization and immobilization rates from five European coniferous forest floors along a N deposition gradient were correlated with microbial respiration rates.…”

Section: N Mineralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of nitrogen deposition and fertilization on N transformations in forest soils: a review

et al. 2015

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Purpose Understanding how process-specific nitrogen (N) transformations in natural forest soils are modified by N deposition and fertilization is critically important to gain mechanistic insights on the links between global N deposition and N enrichment and loss in forest soils. Materials and methods Here we identify the general characteristics and the main mechanisms of N deposition-and fertilization-induced modifications in multiple N transformations, including N immobilization, N mineralization, nitrification (autotrophic nitrification and heterotrophic nitrification), and denitrification, in forest soils by literature survey. Results and discussion Overall, N status, soil C/N ratios, C availability, and soil pH are key factors separately and/or interactively affecting the effects of N deposition and fertilization on forest soil N transformations. In the N-limited stage, N deposition and fertilization can act as a stimulator of N mineralization by removing microbial N limitation and reducing the C/N ratios of the substrate being decomposed. In the Nunlimited stage, N added to forest ecosystems can retard N mineralization, which may primarily be a result of decreased microbial activity due to soil acidification and low C availability. The changes in N mineralization may drive a corresponding change in N immobilization, autotrophic nitrification, and denitrification. Despite the fact that ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) has a higher affinity than ammonia-oxidizers (AOB) for low-concentration ammonia (NH 3 ), low NH 3 availability may still limit the rate of ammonia oxidation (autotrophic nitrification) in acidic forest soils even in the case of high NH 4 + input. Heterotrophic nitrification, however, may be favored if soil C/N ratios and pH decrease with N deposition and fertilization. The responses of denitrification and N 2 O emission to N deposition and fertilization in forests may be nonlinear, with a trend of stimulation in the short term but a decline over time, partly because soil pH has a contrast effect on denitrification capacity and N 2 O emission. Conclusions There are various effects of N deposition and fertilization on forest soil N transformations; thus, their responses to N deposition are still not well characterized and understood. N deposition-and fertilization-induced modifications in soil N transformations have important implications for N enrichment, N loss, and soil acidification in forest ecosystems. In the future, more research is required to investigate on dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) process and link microbial community characteristics and functions of microbial extracellular enzymes with these rate processes in forest soils to narrow the uncertainty in evaluating and predicting ecosystem responses to global N deposition.

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“…The depolymerization step, critical in N cycling, is controlled by extracellular enzymes which are often produced by fungi (Jones et al, 2004;Schimel and Bennett, 2004). Ammonium (NH 4 þ ) supplied by N mineralization strongly influences NH 4 þ immobilization (Booth et al, 2005). With high rates of N mineralization and ample NH 4 þ availability, autotrophic nitrification rates in many subtropical/tropical acidic forest soils (soil pH < 5.0) remain low Zhang et al, 2013), indicating that autotrophic nitrification rates in these acidic soils might not be controlled by NH 4 þ availability (Zhao et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are nitrate production and retention processes in subtropical acidic forest soils responsive to ammonium deposition?

Gao

Kou

Yang

et al. 2016

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

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N tracing model Acid soil of subtropical forest a b s t r a c tChanges in soil N-cycling and retention processes in subtropical/tropical acidic forest ecosystems under anthropogenic N inputs are not well understood. We conducted a laboratory 15 N tracing study on an acid soil (pH values: 4.6 to 5.0) from a subtropical forest fertilized for more than 2.5 years at a rate of 0, 40, and 120 kg NH 4 CleN ha À1 yr À1 , respectively. To get a better resolution of mechanistic changes in soil N cycling and retention processes under NH 4 þ additions, we used a conceptual 15 N tracing model to quantify process-specific and pool-specific N transformation rates in soils. Gross N mineralization rates decreased at high NH 4 þ additions, which were paralleled by a reduction in fungal biomass and mineralization of recalcitrant organic N. Gross NH 4 þ immobilization rates did not show a change with increasing NH 4 þ additions. Interestingly, soil NO 3 À production (heterotrophic, autotrophic, and gross nitrification) and retention (NO 3 À immobilization and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) showed insensitivity to increasing additions of NH 4 þ . The mechanisms behind the lack of response of heterotrophic nitrification were unclear, but possibly related to the absence of significant changes in soil C: N ratio and soil acidity under increased NH 4 þ additions. Because of the low autotrophic nitrification potential and the lack of NH 4 þ limitation to autotrophic nitrifiers, autotrophic nitrification was unresponsive to NH 4 þ additions.NO 3 À immobilization rates appeared to be controlled by the NO 3 À produced from heterotrophic nitrification, as indicated by the positive relationship between NO 3 À immobilization and heterotrophic nitri-thus showing a lack of a change under increased NH 4 þ additions. DNRA seemed to be inherently less responsive to environmental changes such as NH 4 þ deposition. Our work demonstrates that enhanced NH 4 þ deposition has a low potential to stimulate soil NO 3 À production and weaken soil retention of NO 3 À in this, and perhaps other subtropical/tropical acidic forest ecosystems.

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Controls on Nitrogen Cycling in Terrestrial Ecosystems: A Synthetic Analysis of Literature Data

Cited by 900 publications

References 102 publications

Effects of repeated fertilizer and cattle slurry applications over 38 years on N dynamics in a temperate grassland soil

Effects of repeated fertilizer and cattle slurry applications over 38 years on N dynamics in a temperate grassland soil

Effects of nitrogen deposition and fertilization on N transformations in forest soils: a review

Are nitrate production and retention processes in subtropical acidic forest soils responsive to ammonium deposition?

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