Soluble organic nitrogen in temperate forest soils

Very few studies have been related to soluble organic nitrogen (SON) in forest soils. However, this nitrogen pool could be a sensitive indicator to evaluate the soil nitrogen status. The current study was conducted in temperate forests of Thuringia, Germany, where soils had SON (extracted in 0.5 M K₂SO₄) varying from 0.3 to 2.2% of total N, which was about one-third of the soil microbial biomass N by CFE. SON in study soils were positively correlated to microbial biomass N and soil total N. Multiple regression analysis also showed that mineral N negatively affected SON pool. The dynamics of the SON was significantly affected by mineralization and immobilization. During the 2 months of aerobic incubation, the SON were significantly correlated with net N mineralization and microbial biomass N. SON extracted by two different salt solution (i.e. 1 M KCl and 0.5 M K₂SO₄₎ were highly correlated. In mineral soil, SON concentrations extracted by 1 M KCl and 0.5 M K₂SO₄ solutions were similar. In contrast, in organic soil layer the amount of KCl-extractable SON was about 1.2-1.4 times higher than the K₂SO₄-extractable SON. Further studies such as the differences of organic N form and pool size between SON and dissolved organic N (DON) are recommended.     

Distribution of nitrogen pools in the soil profile of undisturbed and reseeded grasslands

 This study evaluated the effect of cultivation and reseeding on the distribution and fate of soil mineral N (SMN), soluble organic N (SON) and potentially mineralisable N (PMN) in the soil profile of two long-term grasslands in the UK. Cultivation and reseeding significantly increased the total soluble N concentration (SMN plus SON) of the soil profile (0–90 cm), with over 50 mg SON kg^–1 observed. By contrast, the PMN pool was unaffected by cultivation and declined with increasing soil depth. The flush in SON and SMN observed in both soils disappeared within 1 year following cultivation. The fate of SON appeared to be dependent on soil type, with considerably more movement to deeper layers apparent in the profile of a silty clay loam (30% clay) than in a clay loam (49% clay). Mineralisation and/or immobilisation of SON in the topsoil probably accounted for the changes observed in the SON content of the clay loam. SON is an important N pool in grassland soils and cultivation has a significant impact on its release. Measurements of SON should therefore be included in studies of N cycling in agricultural cropping systems, so that full account may be taken of its potential as a source or sink of mobile N. Received: 17 February 1999     

Role of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in soil N cycling in grassland soils

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) represents a significant pool of soluble N in many soils and freshwaters. Further, the low molecular weight (LMW) component of DON represents an important source of N for microorganisms and can also be utilized directly by some plants. Our purpose was to determine which of the pathways in the decomposition and subsequent ammonification and nitrification of organic N represented a significant block in soil N supply in three agricultural grassland soils. The results indicate that the conversion of insoluble organic N to LMW-DON and not LMW-DON to NH₄⁺ or NH₄⁺ to NO₃⁻ represents a major constraint to N supply. We hypothesize that there are two distinct DON pools in soil. The first pool comprises mainly free amino acids and proteins and is turned over very rapidly by the microbial community, so it does not accumulate in soil. The second pool is a high molecular weight pool rich in humic substances, which turns over slowly and represents the major DON loss to freshwaters. The results also suggest that in NO₃⁻ rich soils the uptake of LMW-DON by soil microorganisms may primarily provide them with C to fuel respiration, rather than to satisfy their internal N demand.     

土壤可溶性有机氮及其在氮素供应及转化中的作用

可溶性有机氮(SON)是指土壤中可以溶于水或盐溶液的有机态氮,在土壤中的行为既不同于矿质氮,也不同于不溶性有机氮。综述了对这一特殊的氮素组分研究进展,包括不同生态系统土壤SON的含量,SON与土壤氮素供应、转化的关系,SON在土壤氮素损失中的作用等,认为SON是土壤氮素中的重要组分之一,今后应开展土壤SON在不同土壤生态系统中氮素循环中作用的研究工作。     

Soil nitrogen pools and turnover in native woodland and managed pasture soils

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is a significant nitrogen (N) pool in most soils and is considered to be important for N cycling. The present study focused on paired sites of native remnant woodland and managed pasture at three locations in south-eastern Australia. Improved understanding of N cycling is important for assessing the impact of agriculture on soil processes and can guide conservation and restoration soil management strategies to maintain remnant native woodland systems, which currently exist as small pockets of woodland within extensive managed pasture landscapes. Organic and inorganic N pools were quantified, as well as the rates of amino acid and peptide mineralisation in the paired native woodland and managed pasture systems. Soil DON dominated the soil N pool in both land uses, and the proportion of DON to other N pools was greatest at the most N-limited site (up to ∼70% of extractable N). In both land uses soil ammonium and free amino acid concentrations were similar (∼20% of extractable N), and soil nitrate formed the smallest N pool (<∼5% of extractable N). Mineralisation of ¹⁴C-labelled amino acid and peptide substrates was rapid (<3 h), and more amino acid was respired than peptide in both the native woodland and managed pasture soils. Soil C:N ratio was important in separating site and land use differences, and contrasting relationships between soil physico-chemical properties and organic N uptake rates were identified across sites and land uses.     

土壤中可溶性有机氮含量及其影响因素研究

研究了农田和日光温室2个生态系统土壤中可溶性有机氮(SON)的含量及施肥和栽培模式对其含量的影响。结果表明,农田和日光温室土壤中SON的含量平均分别为39.19 mg kg-1和320.16 mg kg-1,分别占可溶性总氮(TSN)的80%和73%,说明SON是土壤氮素中不可忽视的氮素组分。不同栽培模式对土壤中SON的含量及其占TSN的比例的影响因生育时期的不同而异。覆草显著增加了小麦拔节期0~5 cm土层土壤中SON的含量,覆膜各土层SON含量均较常规模式有所提高;开花期覆草和覆膜模式土壤中TSN和SON含量较拔节期的显著下降。施用无机氮肥对土壤中SON的含量无显著影响。     

Dissolved soil organic nitrogen and carbon in a Norway spruce stand and an adjacent clear-cut

 The aims of this study were to characterize dissolved soil organic N (DON) and C (DOC) in a coniferous stand and an adjacent clear-cut, and to evaluate the importance of DON in N leaching. The study was carried out in a Norway spruce stand and a clear-cutting treatment in the same forest stand. Concentrations of DON in soil solution were monitored for 5 years after clear-cutting with gravity lysimeters. In the Norway spruce stand DON comprised 62–83% of the total N in soil solution over the 5-year period. The concentrations of DON in the clear-cut were higher than in the forest stand, but the proportion of total N was lower. To characterize dissolved organic matter, soil samples were aerobically incubated for 6 weeks in the laboratory, and the quantity, molecular size distribution and chemical nature of both DON and DOC were determined from water extracts made before and after the incubation. In the soil samples from the Norway spruce stand, C-rich compounds with a high C/N ratio and large molecular size were formed. In contrast, after the incubation the major carriers of DON in soil samples from the clear-cut were N-rich organic compounds with a low C/N ratio and a small molecular size. The distribution of different chemical fractions of DOC in soil did not differ much whether recovered from the Norway spruce stand or the clear-cut. It was (from highest to lowest concentration): hydrophobic acids>hydrophilic acids>phenols>hydrophilic neutrals. A major part of DON was also carried by these fractions. During incubation the concentration of N-containing hydrophilic acids increased, especially in the soil from the clearcut. In soil samples from the Norway spruce stand, the rate of net N mineralization was low and no NO₃ was formed, whilst the rate of net N mineralization was high and net nitrification was intensive in soil from the clear-cut. Received: 12 June 2000     

温度对土壤吸附有机肥中可溶性有机碳、氮的影响

可溶性有机碳、氮(Soluble organic carbon or nitrogen,SOC和SON)可被土壤吸附.土壤可溶性有机碳、氮组分复杂,土壤对可溶性有机物吸附的不均一性会导致可溶性有机物组分的变化,大部分疏水性化合物被吸附,而亲水性化合物被释放进入溶液中[1].因此,可溶性有机碳、氮在土壤中的吸附,直接影响其在土壤-水系统中的迁移和行为[2-3].林地土壤中含有相当数量的可溶性有机养分,因此,关于林地土壤对可溶性有机养分的吸附特性,国外研究者已开展了不少研究.研究表明,可溶性有机碳吸附特性与土壤性质如pH、表面积、有机碳、铁铝氧化物和黏粒含量等因素有关[4-5].关于农业土壤对可溶性有机碳的吸附特性的影响,国内也开展了一些研究,主要集中在pH、铁铝氧化物含量等对吸附影响方面[6-9].     

对间隙淋洗长期通气培养条件下黄土高原土壤供氮能力的评价

采用间隙淋洗长期通气培养法,通过对黄土高原物理化学性质差异较大的10种农田土样起始矿质氮、起始提取态总氮、起始可溶性有机氮,以及培养期间淋洗矿质氮、淋洗总氮、可溶性有机氮含量及其与作物吸氮量关系的研究,分析并评价黄土高原主要农田土壤氮素矿化能力以及包括和不包括培养淋洗可溶性有机氮对土壤供氮能力的影响。结果表明,供试土样起始可溶性有机氮平均为N 23.9 mg/kg,是起始提取态总氮的28.8%,土壤全氮的2.4%。在通气培养淋洗总氮中,可溶性有机氮所占比例不高,经过217 d通气培养,淋洗出的可溶性有机氮平均为N 28.8mg/kg,占淋洗总氮量的19.8%。相关分析表明,淋洗可溶性有机氮量与第1季作物吸氮量相关不显著,但与连续2季作物总吸氮量显著相关。淋洗矿质氮、淋洗总氮与两季作物总吸氮量的相关系数明显高于与第一季作物吸氮量的相关系数;与第一季作物吸氮量达显著相关水平,与连续两季作物吸氮量达极显著相关水平。总体上看,可溶性有机氮和土壤全氮、土壤微生物氮不能作为反映短期可矿化氮的指标;间隙淋洗通气培养淋洗液中淋洗矿质氮、淋洗总氮是评价可矿化氮的较好指标,不仅适宜于第一季作物,而且也适用于对连续两季作物土壤供氮能力的评价。     

Microbial immobilization and mineralization of dissolved organic nitrogen from forest floors

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) plays a key role in the N cycle of many ecosystems, as DON availability and biodegradation are important for plant growth, microbial metabolism and N transport in soils. However, biodegradation of DON (defined as the sum of mineralization and microbial immobilization) is only poorly understood. In laboratory incubations, biodegradation of DON and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from Oi and Oa horizons of spruce, beech and cypress forests ranged from 6 to 72%. Biodegradation of DON and DOC was similar in most samples, and mineralization of DON was more important than microbial immobilization. Nitrate additions (0-10 mg N L⁻¹) never influenced either DON immobilization by microorganisms or mineralization. We conclude that soil microorganisms do not necessarily prefer mineral N over DON for meeting their N demand, and that biodegradation of DON seems to be driven by the microbial demand for C rather than N. Quantifying the dynamics of DON in soils should include consideration of both C and N demands by microbes.     

Soluble organic nitrogen pools in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia

Soil soluble organic nitrogen (SON) can play an important role in soil nitrogen (N) cycling in forest ecosystems. This study examined the effect of land-use change from a native forest (NF) to a first rotation (1R) and subsequent second rotation (2R) hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii) plantation on soil SON pools. The impact of residue management on SON pools was also investigated in the 2R forest, where SON was measured in tree rows (2R-T) and windrows (2R-W). Various extraction techniques were used to measure SON pool size in the 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm layers of soil. The results showed that land-use change had a significant impact on soil SON pools. In the 0-10 cm layer, 3.2-8.7, 14-23, 20-28, 60-160 and 127-340 mg SON kg⁻¹ were extracted by water, 0.5 M K₂SO₄, 2 M KCl, hot water and hot 2 M KCl, respectively. The size of the SON pools and the potential production of SON (PPSON) were generally highest in the NF soil and lowest in the 2R-T soil, and in all forest types decreased with soil depth. The larger SON pools in the NF soil coincided with lower soil, litter and root C:N ratios, suggesting that the difference in the size of SON pools between the NF and 1R soil may be related to differences in the quality of organic matter input under the different forest ecosystems. Differences in the size of SON pools between the 1R soil and the 2R soils and between the 2R-T soil and the 2R-W soil may be related to the quantity of organic matter input and time since disturbance. Significant relationships were found between the SON extracted by 0.5 M K₂SO₄ (SON_ps) and 2 M KCl (SON_KCl), and also among the SON extracted by hot 2 M KCl (SON_hKCl), hot water (SON_hw) and water (SON_w), suggesting that the organic N released by these groups of extracts may be at least partly from similar pools.     

Pedotransfer functions for the pool size of slowly mineralizable organic N in sandy arable soils

The major aim of this study was to evaluate how the pool size of slowly mineralizable, ‘old’ soil organic N can be derived from more easily accessible soil and site information via pedotransfer functions (PTF). Besides modeling, this pool size might be of great importance for the identification of soils with high mineralization potential in drinking‐water catchments. From long‐term laboratory incubations (ca. 200 days) at 35 °C, the pool sizes of easily mineralizable organic N (N_fast), mainly in fresh residues, and slowly mineralizable, ‘old’ soil organic N (N_slow) as well as their first‐order rate coefficients were obtained. 90 sandy arable soils from NW Germany served to derive PTFs for N_slow that were evaluated using another 20 soils from the same region. Information on former land‐use and soil type was obtained from topographical, historical, and soil maps (partly from 1780). Pool size N_slow very strongly depends on soil type and former land‐use. Mean pool sizes of N_slow were much lower in old arable lowland (105 mg N kg^–1) than upland soils (175 mg N kg^–1) possibly due to lower clay contents. Within lowlands, mean pool sizes in former grassland soils (245 mg N kg^–1) were 2 to 3 times larger than in old arable soils due to accumulation of mineralizable N. In contrast, mean pool sizes of N_slow were lowest in recently cleared, former heath‐ and woodland (31 mg N kg^–1) as a result of the input of hardly decomposable organic matter. Neither N nor C in the light fraction (density < 1.8 g cm^–3) was adequate to derive pool size N_slow in the studied soils (r² < 0.03). Instead, N_slow can be accurately (r² = 0.55 – 0.83) derived from one or two basic soil characteristics (e.g. organic C, total N, C : N, mineral fraction < 20 μm), provided that sites were grouped by former land‐use. Field mineralization from N_slow during winter (independent data set) can be predicted as well on the basis of N_slow‐values calculated from PTFs that were derived after grouping the soils by former land‐use (r² = 0.51***). In contrast, using the PTF without soil grouping strongly reduced the reliability (r² = 0.16).     

Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Fractions under Different Land Uses and Tillage Practices

Many questions have surfaced regarding long-term impacts of land-use and cultivation system on soil carbon (C) sequestration. The experiment was conducted at Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center. Only minor variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) fractions with depth under plow tillage (PT). The SOC, total nitrogen (TN), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) concentrations were higher under grassland and forestland in the top 0–15 cm depth than arable soils. No-tillage (NT) also increased SOC and N fractions concentrations in the surface soils than PT. Compared to arable, grass and forest could significantly improve proportions of MBC and MBN, and reduce proportions of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). NT and forest also increased the ratio of SOC/TN, MBC/MBN, and DOC/DON. Overall, grass and forest provided more labile C and improved C sequestration than arable. So did NT under arable land-use.     

Contribution of dissolved organic nitrogen to N leaching from four German agricultural soils

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) substantially contributes to N leaching from forest ecosystems. However, little is known about the role of DON for N leaching from agricultural soils. Therefore, the aim of our study was to quantify the contribution of DON to total N leaching from four agricultural soils. Concentrations and fluxes of DON and mineral N were monitored at two cropped sites (Plaggic Anthrosols) and two fallow plots (Plaggic Anthrosol and Gleyic Podzol) from November 1999 till May 2001 by means of glass suction plates. The experimental sites were located near the city of Münster, NW Germany. Median DON concentrations in 90 cm depth were 2.3 mg l^—1 and 2.0 mg l^—1 at the cropped sites and 1.6 mg l^—1 and 1.3 mg l^—1 at the fallow sites. There was only a slight (Anthrosols) or no (Gleyic Podzol) decrease in median DON concentrations with increasing depth. Total N seepage was between 19 kg N ha^—1 yr^—1 and 46 kg N ha^—1 yr^—1 at the fallow sites and 16—159 kg N ha^—1 yr^—1 at the cropped sites. For the fallow plots, DON seepage contributed 10—21 % to the total N flux (4—5 kg DON ha^—1 yr^—1), at the cropped sites DON seepage was 6—21 % of the total N flux (6—10 kg DON ha^—1 yr^—1). Thus, even in highly fertilized agricultural soils, DON is a considerable N carrier in seepage that should be considered in detailed soil N budgets.     

黄土区不同类型土壤微生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮的含量及其关系

研究了黄土高原南部地区不同土壤类型及不同利用方式下土壤微生物摄碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮的含量。结果表明：不同土地利用方式下，土壤微生物量碳、氮和可溶性有机碳、氮含量均为林地〉农田，其中林地枯枝落叶层〉林地O～20cm土层。农田土壤微生物量碳、氮的含量均为红油土〉黑垆土〉淋溶褐土；农田土壤中可溶性有机碳含量为淋溶褐土〉红油土〉黑垆土，而可溶性有机氮含量则为黑垆土〉红油土〉淋溶褐土。方差分析表明，不同土壤类型土壤微生物量氮含量之间的差异达显著水平，而不同土壤类型间土壤微生物量碳、可溶性有机碳、氯含量之间的差异未达显著水平。土壤微生物量碳、氮占土壤有机碳和全氮的比例明显高于可溶性有机碳、氮占土壤有机碳和全氮的比例。相关分析发现，土壤微生物量碳与可溶性有机碳之间以及土壤微生物量氮与可溶性有机氮之间的相关性达显著或极显著水平，说明土壤微生物量碳、氮和土壤可溶性有机碳、氮之间有密切联系。     

Soil acidification used as a management strategy to reduce nitrate losses from agricultural land

pH is known to be a primary regulator of nutrient cycling in soil. Increasing soil acidity in agricultural systems has the potential to slow down N cycling and reduce N losses from leaching thereby enhancing sustainability and reducing pollution. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the impact of acidity on N leaching in arable and grassland agricultural systems. The results showed that nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentrations in soil water were greater under arable than under grassland. Soil acidification significantly lowered NO₃⁻ concentrations in soil water over winter and spring under grassland, whilst in cereal plots a similar effect was only observed in spring. Our results suggest that soil acidification decreased nitrification causing an accumulation of NH₄⁺ which was not subject to leaching. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations in soil water were significantly greater under arable than grassland. Soil acidification lowered concentrations of DON in soil water, usually to a greater extent in grassland than in arable plots. It was concluded that it may be possible to use careful soil pH management as a tool to control NO₃⁻ leaching without compromising the quality of drainage water, and that this may be more effective on grassland than on arable crops.     

Dissolved organic nitrogen dynamics in a Mediterranean vineyard soil

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) have been hypothesized to play a central role in nutrient cycling in agricultural soils. The aim of this study was to investigate the annual dynamics of DOC and DON in a Greek vineyard soil and to assess the potential role of DON in supplying N to the vines. Our results indicated that significant quantities of DOC and DON existed in soil throughout the year and that peaks in concentration appeared to correlate with discrete agronomic events (e.g. onset of irrigation and plowing). Both field and laboratory experiments showed that free amino acids were rapidly mineralized in soil and that consequently free amino acids represented only a small proportion of the soil's total soluble N. Due to rapid nitrification the soil solution N was dominated by NO₃⁻. Based upon the calculation of a plant-soil N budget and previous studies on N uptake in Vitis vinifera L., it is likely that DON uptake does not directly supply significant amounts of N to the plant. As the soil was not N limited we hypothesize that amino acids are used by the microbial community more as a source of C rather than a source of N. While we conclude that DON constitutes a significant N pool in vineyard soils further work is required to chemically characterize its constituent units and their relative bioavailability so that their overall role in N cycling can be determined.     

不同类型水稻土可溶性有机氮及其组分的剖面分布

为揭示可溶性有机氮(soluble organic nitrogen,SON)在土壤剖面的分布状况,选取中亚热带地区发育于相同母质的黄泥田、灰黄泥田和灰泥田3种不同类型水稻土为对象,研究不同类型水稻土剖面中SON含量、组分及主控因子。结果表明,不同类型水稻土SON、游离氨基酸氮(FAA-N)、酰胺氮(AN-N)和可溶性蛋白氮(SP-N)含量具有明显的剖面分异,均表现为0～20 cm土层>20～40 cm土层>40～60 cm土层。不同类型水稻土SON及各组分含量差异主要表现在0～20 cm土层,均表现为灰泥田>灰黄泥田>黄泥田,灰泥田SON、FAA-N、AN-N和SP-N含量分别高于灰黄泥田50.5%、41.7%、44.8%和2.1%,高于黄泥田196.5%、200.9%、180.4%和76.5%。0～20 cm土层3种不同类型水稻土FAA-N和AN-N分别占SON的54.4%～58.7%和45.5%～48.1%,而底层(40～60 cm)FAA-N和AN-N分别占SON的33.1%～55.7%和50.3%～52.8%,说明FAA-N和AN-N具有向下累积的趋势...     

Indices of dissolved organic nitrogen, ammonium and nitrate across productivity gradients of boreal forests

Organic nitrogen (N) uptake, rather than solely inorganic N (DIN), is considered a significant pathway for plant nutrition, especially in arctic, alpine and boreal ecosystems. Assays of plant-available N in these ecosystems might therefore be improved with measures of dissolved organic N (DON). We examined DON and DIN abundance from an in situ 5-week incubation across plant associations that represent the widest range in site potential in southern boreal forests of British Columbia, Canada. The supply of N from forest floors and mineral soils (20 cm depth) was measured separately and then combined (kg ha⁻¹) to facilitate comparisons of sites. DON was the predominant form of extractable N, and was increasingly supplemented, rather than replaced, by NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ on productive sites. The amount of DIN produced in the soils was very low, perhaps too small to support forest needs, and the correlation of DIN to asymptotic stand height (a measure of site potential) was significant but nonlinear. The combined amount of DON+DIN was considered a more effective index of plant-available N because it was strongly significant as a linear correlation to stand height and more typical of annual forest N uptake. The relative shift in N forms, from a predominance of DON to progressively greater ratios of DIN:DON, was consistent with the current paradigm of N forms across gradients of N availability, although the actual amounts of DON increased, rather than decreased, with site potential. Based on this, we suggest organic N uptake has the potential to contribute to plant nutrition across the entire productivity gradient of soils in southern boreal forests. Although other N indices were effective in characterizing forest productivity, a combined assay of DON+DIN production could provide new insights into functional differences in plant-available N.     

Controls on soil nitrogen cycling and microbial community composition across land use and incubation temperature

We conducted a laboratory incubation of forest (Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) or beech (Fagus sylvatica)), grassland (Trifolium repens/Lolium perenne) and arable (organic and conventional) soils at 5 and 25 °C. We aimed to clarify the mechanisms of short-term (2-weeks) nitrogen (N) cycling processes and microbial community composition in relation to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and N (DON) availability and selected soil properties. N cycling was measured by ¹⁵N pool dilution and microbial community composition by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and community level physiological profiles (CLPP). Soil DOC increased in the order of arable<grassland<forest soil while DON and gross N fluxes increased in the order of forest<arable<grassland soil; land use had no affect on respiration rate. Soil DOC was lower, while respiration, DON and gross N fluxes were higher at 25 than 5 °C. Gross N fluxes, respiration and bacterial biomass were all positively correlated with each other. Gross N fluxes were positively correlated with pH and DON, and negatively correlated with organic matter, fungal biomass, DOC and DOC/DON ratio. Respiration rate was positively correlated with bacterial biomass, DON and DOC/DON ratio. Multiple linear modelling indicated that soil pH, organic matter, bacterial biomass, DON and DOC/DON ratio were important in predicting gross N mineralization. Incubation temperature, pH and total-C were important in predicting gross nitrification, while gross N mineralization, gross nitrification and pH were important in predicting gross N immobilization. Permutation multivariate analysis of variance indicated that DGGE, CLPP and PLFA profiles were all significantly (P<0.05) affected by land use and incubation temperature. Multivariate regressions indicated that incubation temperature, pH and organic matter content were important in predicting DGGE, CLPP and PLFA profiles. PLFA and CLPP were also related to DON, DOC, ammonium and nitrate contents. Canonical correlation analysis showed that PLFA and CLPP were related to differences in the rates of gross N mineralization, gross nitrification and soil respiration. Our study indicates that vegetation type and/or management practices which control soil pH and mediate dissolved organic matter availability were important predictors of gross N fluxes and microbial composition in this short-term experiment.