Nitrapyrin effectiveness in reducing nitrous oxide emissions decreases at low doses of urea in an Andosol

In the tropics,frequent nitrogen(N)fertilization of grazing areas can potentially increase nitrous oxide(N₂O)emissions.The application of nitrification inhibitors has been reported as an effective management practice for potentially reducing N loss from the soil-plant system and improving N use efficiency(NUE).The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the co-application of nitrapyrin(a nitrification inhibitor,NI)and urea in a tropical Andosol on the behavior of N and the emissions of N₂O from autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification.A greenhouse experiment was performed using a soil(pH 5.9,organic matter content 78 g kg^-1,and N 5.6 g kg^-1)sown with Cynodon nlemfuensis at 60%water-filled pore space to quantify total N₂O emissions,N₂O derived from fertilizer,soil ammonium(NH₄⁺)and nitrate(NO₃^-),and NUE.The study included treatments that received deionized water only(control,NI).No significant differences were observed in soil NH₄⁺content between the UR and UR+NI treatments,probably because of soil mineralization and NO₃^-produced by heterotrophic nitrification,which is not effectively inhibited by nitrapyrin.After 56 d,N₂O emissions in UR(0.51±0.12 mg N₂O-N concluded that the soil organic N mineralization and heterotrophic nitrification are the main processes of NH₄⁺and NO₃^-production.Additionally,it was found that N₂O emissions were partially a consequence of the direct oxidation of the soil's organic N via heterotrophic nitrification coupled to denitrification.Finally,the results suggest that nitrapyrin would likely exert significant mitigation on N₂O emissions only if a substantial N surplus exists in soils with high organic matter content.     

Assessing Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies in Winter Wheat and Cotton Crops in Northern Greece

The management of fertilizer application is crucial for agricultural production and environmental safety.The objective of this study was to assess the effciency of different fertilization strategies,applying fertilizers with and without nitrification inhibitors(NIs) in split application,in Greece.The assessment criteria used were based on crop yield,soil nitrogen(N)concentrations and economic effciency.For this purpose two crops(winter wheat and cotton)were seffected in order to explore the optimum fertilization strategy for each crop.Three treatments combining fertilizers with NIs were tested compared with conventional fertilization(CF).Slight differences in the quantity and the combination of fertilizers with NIs applied resulted in variable effects on crop yield,soil N and economic return.Split N application of 102 kg ha^-1,with half of the total amount applied at seeding,resulted in higher grain yield of winter wheat,lower NO₃^--N in soil and higher economic return.This result reveals the importance of N application at seeding in wheat crop.Fertilization strategy with 109.5 kg N ha^-1 and split P application resulted in higher cotton yield and higher economic profit.Split P application seemed to increase yield,even though it is not a common practise in the area.     

纳米银对城郊菜地土壤微生物群落结构及细菌硝化作用的影响

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used antimicrobial compounds;however,they may pose a threat to non-targeted bacteria in the environment.In this study high-throughput sequencing was used to investigate the effects of different concentrations of AgNPs (10,50,and 100 mg kg-1) on soil microbial community structure during short-term (7 d) exposure.The amounts of Acidobacteria,Actinobacteria,Cyanobacteria,and Nitrospirac significantly decreased with increasing AgNP concentration;meanwhile,several other phyla (e.g.,Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes) increased and dominated.Nitrosomonas europaea,a well-characterized ammoniaoxidizing bacterium,was used to study the sensitivity of bacteria to AgNPs and ionic silver (Ag+).Flow cytometry was used to monitor the toxicity of low (1 mg L-1),middle (10 mg L-1),and high concentrations (20 mg L-1) of AgNPs,as well as Ag+ (1 mg L-1) released into the medium from 20 mg L-1 concentration of AgNPs,towards N.europaea.After 12 h of exposure,the survival rate of N.europaea treated with 1 mg L-1 Ag+ was significantly lower than those treated with low (1 mg L-1) and middle concentrations (10 mg L-1) of AgNPs,but the survival rate in the treatment with high concentration (20 mg L-1) of AgNPs was much lower.Additionally,necrosis rates were higher in the treatment with 20 mg L-1 AgNPs.Electron microscopy showed that Ag+ caused serious damage to the cell wall of N.europaea,disintegrated the nucleoids,and condensed next to the cell membrane;however,dissolved Ag+ is only one of the antibacterial mechanisms of AgNPs.     

Evidence for niche differentiation of nitrifying communities in grassland soils after 44 years of different field fertilization scenarios

Long-term nitrogen(N)fertilization imposes strong selection on nitrifying communities in agricultural soil,but how a progressively changing niche affects potentially active nitrifiers in the field remains poorly understood.Using a 44-year grassland fertilization experiment,we investigated community shifts of active nitrifiers by DNA-based stable isotope probing(SIP)of field soils that received no fertilization(CK),high levels of organic cattle manure(HC),and chemical N fertilization(CF).Incubation of DNA-SIP microcosms showed significant nitrification activities in CF and HC soils,whereas no activity occurred in CK soils.The 44 years of inorganic N fertilization selected only 13C-ammonia-oxidizing bacteria(AOB),whereas cattle slurry applications created a niche in which both ammonia-oxidizing archaea(AOA)and AOB could be actively13C-labeled.Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Nitrosospira sp.62-like AOB dominated inorganically fertilized CF soils,while Nitrosospira sp.41-like AOB were abundant in organically fertilized HC soils.The 13C-AOA in HC soils were affiliated with the 29i4 lineage.The 13C-nitrite-oxidizing bacteria(NOB)were dominated by both Nitrospira-and Nitrobacter-like communities in CF soils,and the latter was overwhelmingly abundant in HC soils.The 13C-labeled nitrifying communities in SIP microcosms of CF and HC soils were largely similar to those predominant under field conditions.These results provide direct evidence for a strong selection of distinctly active nitrifiers after 44 years of different fertilization regimes in the field.Our findings imply that niche differentiation of nitrifying communities could be assessed as a net result of microbial adaption over 44 years to inorganic and organic N fertilization in the field,where distinct nitrifiers have been shaped by intensified anthropogenic N input.     

丛枝菌根防止Plantago lanceolata根际菌根土壤实际消化速率受抑制

The vast majority of herbaceous plants engage into arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses and consideration of their mycorrhizal status should be embodied in studies of plant-microbe interactions. To establish reliable AM contrasts, however, a sterilized re-inoculation procedure is commonly adopted. It was questioned whether the specific approach is sufficient for the studies targeting the bacterial domain, specifically nitrifiers, a group of autotrophic, slow growing microbes. In a controlled experiment mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal Plantago lanceolata were grown up in compartmentalized pots to study the AM effect on nitrification rates in the plant rhizosphere. Nitrification rates were assayed following an extensive 3-week bacterial equilibration step of the re-inoculated soil and a 13-week plant growth period in a controlled environment. Under these specific conditions, the nitrification potential levels at harvest were exceptionally low, and actual nitrification rates of the root compartment of non-mycorrhizal P. lanceolata were significantly lower than those of any other compartment. It is then argued that the specific effects should be attributed to the alleged higher growth rates of non-mycorrhizal plants that are known to occur early in the AM experiment. It is concluded that the specific experimental approach is not suitable for the study of microbes with slow growth rates.     

沿海酸性硫酸盐土中气态N损失的短期研究

NO x and N 2 O emissions from coastal acid sulfate soils (CASS) cultivated for sugarcane production were investigated on the coastal lowlands of northern New South Wales,Australia.Two series of short-term measurements were made using chambers and micrometeorological techniques.Series 1 occurred during the wet season,the water-filled pore space (WFPS) was between 60%-80% and the site flooded during the measurements.Measurements were made directly after the harvest of soybean crop,which fixed an estimated 100 kg N ha-1,and the emission amounted to 3.2 kg NO x-N ha-1 (12 d) and 1.8 kg N 2 O-N ha-1 (5 d).Series 2 was made towards the end of the dry season when the WFPS was less than 60%.In Series 2,after an application of 50 kg N ha 1,emissions were markedly less,amounting to 0.9 kg N ha-1 over 10 d.During both series when the soil was moist,emissions of NO x were larger than those of N 2 O.The emission of NO x appeared to be haphazard,with little time dependence,but there was a clear diurnal cycle for N 2 O,emphasising the need for continuous measurement procedures for both gases.These results suggest that agricultural production on CASS could be important sources of greenhouse gases and nitrogen practices will need to be optimised to reduce the offsite effects of atmospheric warming,acidification or nitrification.Many questions still remain unanswered such as the emissions during the soybean bean filling stage and crop residue decomposition,the longer-term losses following the fertiliser application and emissions from CASS under different land uses.     

Earthworm regulation of nitrogen pools and dynamics and marker genes of nitrogen cycling: A meta-analysis

Earthworms, as the ecosystem engineers, both directly and indirectly affect the nitrogen(N) cycle. We aimed to provide a quantitative assessment of the contribution of earthworms to the terrestrial ecosystem N cycle using meta-analysis of 130 publications selected. The natural logarithm of the response ratio(lnRR) was used to indicate the effect size of earthworms on N dynamic variables. The results showed that earthworms significantly affected soil N-cycling microorganisms, including the amoA gene abundance of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria(AOB), and significantly promoted soil N cycle processes,including denitrification, mineralization, and plant assimilation. The effects of earthworms on the N cycle were experimental design dependent and affected by factors such as the functional group of earthworm and residue input. The presence of the anecic earthworms decreased the rates of mineralization and nitrification, and increased nitrification and denitrification responses were more pronounced in the presence of the endogeic earthworms than that of the other two functional groups of earthworms. In addition, residue input enhanced the effects of earthworms on the N cycle. The effects of earthworms on nitrous oxide(N₂ O) emission increased when residues were added. These findings indicate that residue input and introducing suitable functional groups of earthworms into the field can lead to N sustainability without increasing N2 O emission. This meta-analysis also provides systematic evidence for the positive effects of earthworms on the plant N pool, N availability(soil ammonium(NH₄⁺) content), and soil microbial biomass N content, showing the potential to alter ecosystem functions and services in relation to N cycling.     

定期淹水强碱性盐渍土中14C标记葡萄糖和NH4+的动态

Flooding an extremely alkaline（pH 10.6） saline soil of the former Lake Texcoco to reduce salinity will affect the soil carbon（C）and nitrogen（N） dynamics.A laboratory incubation experiment was done to investigate how decreasing soil salt content affected dynamics of C and N in an extremely alkaline saline soil.Sieved soil with electrical conductivity（EC） of 59.2 dS m^-1 was packed in columns,and then flooded with tap water,drained freely and conditioned aerobically at 50%water holding capacity for a month.This process of flooding-drainage-conditioning was repeated eight times.The original soil and the soil that had undergone one,two,four and eight flooding-drainage-conditioning cycles were amended with 1000 mg glucose-¹⁴C kg^-1 soil and 200 mg NH₄⁺-N kg^-1soil,and then incubated for 28 d.The CO₂ emissions,soil microbial biomass,and soil ammonium（NE₄⁺）,nitrite（NO₂^-） and nitrate（NO₃^-） were monitored in the aerobic incubation of 28 d.The soil EC decreased from 59.2 to 1.0 dS m_¹ after eight floodings,and soil pH decreased from 10.6 to 9.6.Of the added ¹⁴C-labelled glucose,only 8%was mineralized in the original soil,while 24%in the soil flooded eight times during the 28-d incubation.The priming effect was on average 278 mg C kg^-1 soil after the 28-d incubation.Soil microbial biomass C(mean 66 mg C kg^-1 soil) did not change with flooding times in the unamended soil,and increased 1.4 times in the glucose-NH₄⁺-amended soil.Ammonium immobilization and NO₂^- concentration in the aerobically incubated soil decreased with increasing flooding times,while NO₃^- concentration increased.It was found that flooding the Texcoco soil decreased the EC sharply,increased mineralization of glucose,stimulated nitrification,and reduced immobilization of inorganic N,but did not affect soil microbial biomass C.     

好氧条件下两种水稻土的氮素总转化速率比较

Although to date individual gross N transformations could be quantified by ~(15)N tracing method and models,studies are still limited in paddy soil.An incubation experiment was conducted using topsoil(0-20 cm) and subsoil(20-60 cm) of two paddy soils,alkaline and clay(AC) soil and neutral and silt loam(NSL) soil,to investigate gross N transformation rates.Soil samples were labeled with either ~(15)NH4_NO_3 or NH_4~(15)NO_3,and then incubated at 25 °C for 168 h at 60%water-holding capacity.The gross N mineralization(recalcitrant and labile organic N mineralization) rates in AC soil were 1.6 to 3.3 times higher than that in NSL soil,and the gross N nitrification(autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrification) rates in AC soil were 2.4 to 4.4 times higher than those in NSL soil.Although gross NO_3~- consumption(i.e.,NO_3~- immobilization and dissimilatory NO_3~- reduction to NH_4~+ rates increased with increasing gross nitrification rates,the measured net nitrification rate in AC soil was approximately 2.0 to 5.1 times higher than that in NSL soil.These showed that high NO_3~- production capacity of alkaline paddy soil should be a cause for concern because an accumulation of NO_3~- can increase the risk of NO_3~- loss through leaching and denitrification.     

草甸草原模拟氮沉降抑制甲烷吸收、促进氧化亚氮排放

Few studies are conducted to quantify the effects of enhanced N deposition on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and methane (CH4) uptake in the meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia,China.A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition rates (0,10,and 20 kg N ha-1 year-1 as (NH4)2SO4) on soil N2O and CH4 fluxes.The seasonal and diurnal variations of soil N2O and CH4 fluxes were determined using the static chamber-gas chromatography method during the two growing seasons of 2008 and 2009.Soil temperature,moisture and mineral N (NH4+-N and NO3--N) concentration were simultaneously measured.Results showed that low level of (NH4)2SO4 (10 kg N ha-1 year-1) did not significantly affect soil CH4 and N2O fluxes and other variables.High level of (NH4)2SO4 (20 kg N ha-1 year-1) significantly increased soil NO3--N concentration by 24.1％ to 35.6％,decreased soil CH4 uptake by an average of 20.1％,and significantly promoted soil N2O emission by an average of 98.2％.Soil N2O emission responded more strongly to the added N compared to CH4 uptake.However,soil CH4 fluxes were mainly driven by soil moisture,followed by soil NO3--N concentration.Soil N2O fluxes were mainly driven by soil temperature,followed by soil moisture.Soil inorganic N availability was a key integrator of soil CH4 uptake and N2O emission.These results suggest that the changes of availability of inorganic N induced by the increased N deposition in soil may affect the CH4 and N2O fluxes in the cold semi-arid meadow steppe over the short term.     

有机碳氮添加对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响

以亚热带酸性森林土壤为研究对象,开展了微宇宙室内培养实验,设置了有机碳和有机氮添加处理,分析了土壤硝化活性和氨氧化古菌(Ammonia-oxidizing archaea,AOA)、氨氧化细菌(Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的功能基因丰度,研究了外源有机碳和有机氮对酸性森林土壤氨氧化过程的影响规律。结果表明:外源有机氮添加显著刺激了酸性森林土壤硝化活性,乙炔抑制实验表明自养氨氧化对酸性森林土壤硝化过程的贡献率90%。有机碳添加对土壤硝化活性未有显著影响,同时添加有机碳和无机铵态氮也未显著提高土壤硝化活性,而外源有机氮添加提高了土壤矿化速率并导致土壤NH3浓度升高,可能是土壤硝化活性、AOA和AOB数量显著增加的主要原因。     

Contributions of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria to nitrification in Oregon forest soils

Ammonia oxidation, the first step of nitrification, is mediated by both ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB); however, the relative contributions of AOA and AOB to soil nitrification are not well understood. In this study we used 1-octyne to discriminate between AOA- and AOB-supported nitrification determined both in soil-water slurries and in unsaturated whole soil at field moisture. Soils were collected from stands of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) at three sites (Cascade Head, the H.J. Andrews, and McDonald Forest) on acidic soils (pH 3.9–5.7) in Oregon, USA. The abundances of AOA and AOB were measured using quantitative PCR by targeting the amoA gene, which encodes subunit A of ammonia monooxygenase. Total and AOA-specific (octyne-resistant) nitrification activities in soil slurries were significantly higher at Cascade Head (the most acidic soils, pH < 5) than at either the H.J. Andrews or McDonald Forest, and greater in red alder compared with Douglas-fir soils. The fraction of octyne-resistant nitrification varied among sites (21–74%) and was highest at Cascade Head than at the other two locations. Net nitrification rates of whole soil without NH₄⁺ amendment ranged from 0.4 to 3.3 mg N kg⁻¹ soil d⁻¹. Overall, net nitrification rates of whole soil were stimulated 2- to 8-fold by addition of 140 mg NH₄⁺-N kg⁻¹ soil; this was significant for red alder at Cascade Head and the H.J. Andrews. Red alder at Cascade Head was unique in that the majority of NH₄⁺-stimulated nitrifying activity was octyne-resistant (73%). At all other sites, NH₄⁺-stimulated nitrification was octyne-sensitive (68–90%). The octyne-sensitive activity—presumably AOB—was affected more by soil pH whereas the octyne-resistant (AOA) activity was more strongly related to N availability.     

Soil particle surface electrochemical property effects on abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing archaea, NH4 activity, and net nitrification in an acid soil

Soil surface electrochemical properties may have a strong influence on nitrifying microorganisms, H⁺ and NH₄⁺ activities, and therefore on the nitrification process. A gradient of surface electrochemical parameters was obtained by amendment of a subtropical acid pine soil (Oxisol) with 0% (control), 3%, 5%, 8%, 10% and 12% pure Ca-Montmorillonite by weight. The H⁺ and NH₄⁺ activities, the abundance of the ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) and archaeal (AOA) amoA gene copies, and time-dependent kinetics of net nitrification were investigated. Soil particle surface specific area ranged from 53 to 103 m² g⁻¹ and increased with increasing montmorillonite application rate. Similar to specific area, surface charge quantity, surface charge density, electric field strength and surface potential increased after montmorillonite amendment. The H⁺ and NH₄⁺ activities decreased linearly after montmorillonite addition. AOB amoA gene copy number was 1.82 × 10⁵ copies g⁻¹ for unamended soil, and the highest AOB amoA gene copy numbers were found for the 10% montmorillonite amendment (3.11 × 10⁷ g⁻¹ soil), which was more than 150 times higher than unamended soil. AOA amoA gene copy numbers were 9.19 × 10³ copies g⁻¹ dry unamended soil, and the highest AOA amoA gene copy numbers were found in the 8% montmorillonite amendment (1.22 × 10⁵ g⁻¹ soil). Although pH significantly decreased during the first three weeks of incubation, no significant difference was observed between the unamended control and different rates of montmorillonite addition treatments during the whole incubation. The largest net nitrification (103 mg N kg⁻¹) was observed in the 10% montmorillonite amendment and the lowest in unamended soil (62 mg N kg⁻¹). While montmorillonite did not change the kinetic patterns of net nitrification, the highest nitrification potential (275 mg N kg⁻¹) for the 10% montmorillonite treatment was more than 3 times higher than unamended soil from simulation of time-dependent kinetics. Nitrification was significantly stimulated after montmorillonite amendment in acid soil mainly due to an increase in the quantity and activity of AOB and AOA. We concluded that soil particle surface parameters can significantly influence nitrification, especially in acid soils.     

Heterotrophic nitrification is the predominant NO3 − production pathway in acid coniferous forest soil in subtropical China

To date, occurrence and stimulation of different nitrification pathways in acidic soils remains unclear. Laboratory incubation experiments, using the acetylene inhibition and ¹⁵N tracing methods, were conducted to study the relative importance of heterotrophic and autotrophic nitrification in two acid soils (arable (AR) and coniferous forest) in subtropical China, and to verify the reliability of the ¹⁵N tracing model. The gross rate of autotrophic nitrification was 2.28 mg?kg^?1?day^?1, while that of the heterotrophic nitrification (0.01 mg?kg^?1?day^?1) was negligible in the AR soil. On the contrary, the gross rate of autotrophic nitrification was very low (0.05 mg?kg^?1?day^?1) and the heterotrophic nitrification (0.98 mg?kg^?1?day^?1) was the predominant NO₃ ^? production pathway accounting for more than 95 % of the total nitrification in the coniferous forest soil. Our results showed that the ¹⁵N tracing model was reliable when used to study soil N transformation in acid subtropical soils.     

三种硝化抑制剂抑制土壤硝化作用比较及用量研究

【目的】硝化抑制剂是调控土壤氮素转化与硝化作用微生物群落结构的有效途径。本文通过室内模拟试验对3种硝化抑制剂在不同剂量下的硝化抑制效果进行研究,旨在筛选出效果最佳的剂型与剂量,为石灰性土壤硝化抑制剂的合理应用提供依据。 【方法】培养试验在生长箱内进行,25℃黑暗条件培养;盆栽试验在温室内进行。供试硝化抑制剂为双氰胺（DCD）、3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐（DMPP）和2-氯-6-三氯甲基吡啶（Nitrapyrin）,DCD和DMPP用量均设定为纯氮（N）量的0（CK）、1.0%、2.0%、3.0%、3.5%、4.0%、4.5%、5.0%、6.0%和7.0%;Nitrapyrin用量分别为纯氮量的0、0.1%、0.125%、0.2%、0.25%、0.3%、0.35%、0.4%、0.45%和0.5%,三种硝化抑制剂均设10个水平,每个水平3次重复。盆栽试验氮加入量为每公斤风干土0.50 g,三种硝化抑制剂用量分别为纯氮用量的5%、1%、0.648%。调查比较了三者的硝化抑制效果及对土壤氮素转化的影响及其对小青菜鲜重的生物学效应;采用变性梯度凝胶电泳（DGGE）法分析了不同硝化抑制剂对土壤AOA、AOB群落结构的影响。 【结果】DCD、DMPP、Nitrapyrin均可显著抑制土壤硝化作用（P＜0.05）,各硝化抑制剂处理土壤的NH₄+-N含量分别较对照提高了46.2~256.1 mg/kg、291.8~376.7 mg/kg、3.68~372.9 mg/kg。DCD与DMPP处理的硝化抑制率分别为49.3%~79.4%和96.4%~99.4%,DCD表现出明显的剂量效应,但DMPP在1%~7%浓度范围内的剂量效应不明显。Nitrapyrin在0.1%~0.2%浓度范围内有明显的剂量效应。0.25%~0.5% Nitrapyrin的硝化抑制率为98.9%~99.9%,其硝化抑制效果与DMPP处理相同。DCD、DMPP、Nitrapyrin处理的小青菜地上部分鲜重分别比氮肥处理（ASN）提高了12.7%、11.1%、17.6%。施用硝化抑制剂可改变土壤AOA和AOB群落结构,且对AOA群落结构的影响大于AOB,不同硝化抑制剂之间对AOA和AOB群落结构的影响无差异。 【结论】3种硝化抑制剂的硝化抑制效果表现为Nitrapyrin≥DMPP>DCD,均对AOA与AOB群落结构产生明显影响。各硝化抑制剂处理均可提高小青菜地上部鲜重、叶片Vc含量及可显著提高小青菜叶片氨基酸含量（P＜0.05）。综合比较,Nitrapyrin硝化抑制效果好于DMPP,DCD效果最差,推荐用量为基于纯氮0.25%的Nitrapyrin添加量。     

Chronic Nitrogen Fertilization Modulates Competitive Interactions Among Microbial Ammonia Oxidizers in a Loess Soil

Nitrogen(N) application may lead to niche segregation of soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea(AOA) and bacteria(AOB), thereby reducing the competitive interactions between AOA and AOB due to higher ammonium substrate availability. However, the adaptive mechanisms of AOA and AOB under N enrichment remain poorly understood. Stable isotope probing(SIP) microcosm incubation was employed to reveal community changes of active AOA and AOB in a loess soil from a field experiment growing potatoes that received no N(control, CK), low N(LN, 75 kg N ha~(-1)), and high N(HN, 375 kg N ha~(-1)). The results showed that the soil potential nitrification rate(PNR) was measured by culturing of the soil samples from the field experiment. Soil PNR was significantly increased in HN by87.5% and 67.5% compared with CK and LN, respectively. Compared with CK, the~(13)C-amoA genes of soil AOA and AOB in HN had 2.58 × 10~4 and 1.55 × 10~6 copies, representing 1.6-and 16.2-fold increase respectively. It was indicated that AOB dominated soil ammonia oxidation. A phylogenetic analysis of the~(13)C-amoA gene showed that N application significantly increased the proportion of54 d9-like AOA up to 90% in HN, while the Nitrososphaera gargensis-like and Nitrososphaera viennensis-like AOA were inhibited and completely disappeared. Nitrogen application also resulted in the community shift of active AOB-dominant group from Nitrosospira briensis-like to Nitrosospira sp. TCH711-like. Our study provides compelling evidence for the emergence and maintenance of active nitrifying communities under the intensified N input to an agricultural ecosystem.     

Soil NO3-N production and immobilization affected by NH4-N,glycine, and NO3-N addition in different forest types in Shikoku,southern Japan

The characteristics of production and immobilization of NO₃-N were evaluated for soils from four forest types in Kochi Prefecture, southern Japan. Net NO₃-N production during the laboratory incubation differed among the soils from the four forest types, being high under Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) and deciduous hardwood, and negligible under Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc.) and hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher). Nitrification under Japanese cedar and hardwood was mainly autotrophic based on the fact that nitrification was inhibited by acetylene or nitrapyrin, and was not affected by cycloheximide. Net NO₃-N production in these soils increased by glycine addition, but did not increase appreciably by NH₄Cl addition. However, net NO₃-N production increased after the addition of CaCO₃ with NH₄Cl. These results indicate that the substrate of nitrification is NH₃ rather than NH₄ ⁺ and that the added NH₄ ⁺ is not utilized by nitrifiers at low pH values. With NO₃-N addition to soils under red pine and hinoki cypress, immobilization of NO₃-N was observed followed by rapid production of NH₄-N. These findings suggested that mobile NO₃-N can be converted to less mobile NH₄-N by the activities of soil microorganisms. This microbial process may play an important role in retaining nitrogen within forest ecosystems where the potential of N loss is high due to the high precipitation in the area.     

Nitrification in two coniferous forest soils after different fertilization treatments

The effects of seven different fertilization treatments on nitrification in the organic horizons of a Myrtillus-type (MT) and a Calluna-type pine forest in southern Finland were studied. No (NO^?₃ + NO^?₂)-N accumulated in unfertilized soils during 6 weeks at 14 or 20°C in the laboratory. Net nitrification was stimulated by urea in both soils (but more in the MT pine forest soil) and to a lesser degree by wood ash but not by ammonium nitrate or nitroform (ureaformaldehyde). Nitrification was not detected in nitroform fertilized soils although ammonium accumulation was high during incubation. In the MT pine forest soil, net nitrification appeared to be stimulated by apatite, biotite and micronutrients. Nitrapyrin inhibited nitrification indicating that it was carried out by autotrophic nitrifiers. In the urea-fertilized MT pine forest soil, nitrification took place at an incubation temperature of 0°C. Accumulation of (N0^?₃ + NO^?₂)-N was highest in soil sampled at < 10°C.     

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea are more important than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in nitrification and NO3 −-N loss in acidic soil of sloped land

As part of a long-term sloped land use experiment established in 1995 at Taoyuan Agro-ecosystem Research Station (111°26′ E, 28°55′ N) in China, soil samples were collected from three land use types, including cropland (CL), natural forest, and tea plantation. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism were used to determine the abundance and community composition of amoA-containing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA). The results indicate that land use type induced significant changes in soil potential nitrification rate and community composition, diversity, and abundance of AOB and AOA. Both AOB and AOA community compositions were generally similar between upper and lower slope positions (UP and LP), except within CL. The LP soils had significantly (p?<?0.05) higher diversity and abundance of both AOB and AOA than in the UP. Potential nitrification rate was significantly correlated (p?<?0.05) with diversity and abundance of AOA, but not with AOB. Among land use types, the NO₃ ^? and amoA-containing AOA runoff loss was greatest in CL. Nitrate-N runoff loss was significantly correlated (p?<?0.05) with the loss of AOA amoA copies in the runoff water. Furthermore, relationships between NO₃ ^?-N runoff loss and abundance of AOA but not of AOB at both slope positions were significantly correlated (p?<?0.05). These findings suggest that AOA are more important than AOB in nitrification and NO₃ ^?-N runoff loss in acidic soils across sloped land use types.