Ethylene oxidation,atmospheric methane consumption,and ammonium oxidation in temperate volcanic forest soils

Temperate volcanic forest surface soils under different forest stands (e.g., Pinus sylvestris L., Cryptomeria japonica, and Quercus serrata) were sampled to study the kinetics of ethylene (C₂H₄) oxidation and the C₂H₄ concentrations that effectively inhibit oxidation of atmospheric methane (CH₄) and nitrification. The kinetics of C₂H₄ oxidation in temperate volcanic forest soils was biphasic, indicating that at least two different microbial populations, one with low and another with high apparent K _m values, were responsible for ethylene oxidation. Methane consumption activity and ammonium oxidation of soil were inhibited by adding ethylene. Added C₂H₄ at concentrations of 3, 10, and 20 μl C₂H₄ per liter in the headspace gas respectively reduced by 20%, 50%, and 100% atmospheric CH₄ consumption by soil, and these values were much smaller than those inhibiting ammonium oxidation in these forest soils; thus, the CH₄ consumption activity was more sensitive to the addition of C₂H₄ than ammonium oxidation. Previous studies have shown that accumulation of C₂H₄ in such volcanic forest soils within 3 days of aerobic and anaerobic incubations can reach a range from 0.2 to 0.3 and from 1.0 to 3.0 μl C₂H₄ per liter in the headspace gas, respectively. It is suggested that C₂H₄ production beneath forest floors, particularly after heavy rain, can to some extent affect the capacity of forest surface soils to consume atmospheric CH₄, but probably, it has no impact on ammonium oxidation.