Analysis and behavior of soluble organic nitrogen in forest soils

Background, aim, and scope  

A large proportion of soil nitrogen (N; >80%) is present in organic form. Current research on plant N uptake in terrestrial ecosystems has focused mainly on inorganic N such as ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) and nitrate (NO₃ ⁻), while soluble organic N (SON) has received little attention. In recent years, the increasing evidence showing the direct uptake of various amino acids by plants and the predominance of the organic form in N loss by leaching in many forest ecosystems has drawn attention to critically re-examine the nature and the ecological role of soil SON in terrestrial N cycling. However, little is known about the sources and dynamics, chemical nature, and ecological functions of soil SON in forest ecosystems. This paper reviews recent advances in the areas of research on current techniques for characterizing soil SON and the size, nature, and dynamics of soil SON pools in forest ecosystems.     

Soluble organic nitrogen pools in greenhouse and open field horticultural soils under organic and conventional management: A case study

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of four different horticultural management practices in open field and in greenhouse conditions under organic and conventional cultivation on the amount of soluble organic nitrogen (SON) present in the soil. Soils used in greenhouses and open field cultivation were sampled in Shanghai, China, where organic farming has been conducted for 3 years or conventional faming has been continued in the same area. The amounts of SON, nitrate (NO₃^?) and ammonium (NH₄⁺) were greater in the greenhouse soils than those under open field cultivation, which indicated a higher degree of soil management was imposed under greenhouse conditions. Greenhouse cultivation is also known to accelerate the turnover of SON in the soils, which may explain the significantly higher amounts of SON present in these soils. Organic farming, which does not use artificial fertilizers and pesticides, also resulted in significantly higher amounts of SON (average 42.10 mg kg^?1) compared with soils under conventional faming (24.59 mg kg^?1). The reasons for the observed differences in pool sizes of soluble inorganic nitrogen (SIN) and NO₃^? in the greenhouse soils and the open fields include (a) the heavy application of both complex fertilizer and organic fertilizer that exceeded crop requirements and (b) warmer temperatures and moist soils in the greenhouses, which are likely to lead to greater rates of N cycling compared with the open field soils. These results suggest that SON may be an important source of N in all horticultural systems, representing a pool of labile N readily available for plant growth. However, its concentration is less sensitive to different management practices than SIN. In contrast to SON, the total soluble nitrogen and inorganic N (SIN) pools varied widely with the different management practices although they were dominated by NO₃^? in all treatments. Soil organic N was positively related to dissolved organic carbon and NO₃^? contents. This relationship indicates that NO₃^? and dissolved organic matter play a key role in the retention of SON in soil.     

Soil nitrogen mineralization and fate of (<Superscript>15</Superscript>NH<Subscript>4</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript>SO<Subscript>4</Subscript> in field-incubated soil in a hardwood plantation of subtropical Australia: the effect of mulching

Background, aim, and scope  

Mulching is frequently used to overcome the drought problem in hardwood plantations that are increasingly being established in lower rainfall areas of Queensland, Australia because of increasing land values. In addition to soil water content, soil nitrogen (N) availability is another critical determinant of plantation productivity in these areas. The purpose of this study was to understand how soil mineral N dynamics, in situ N mineralization, and the fate of fertilized N would be affected by mulching during the early establishment of hardwood plantations.     

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.     

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.     

Impact of global climate change and fire on the occurrence and function of understorey legumes in forest ecosystems

Introduction  

The objective of this review was to provide a better understanding of how global climate change and fire influence the occurrence of understorey legumes and thereby biological nitrogen (N) fixation rates in forest ecosystems. Legumes are interesting models since they represent an interface between the soil, plant, and microbial compartments, and are directly linked to nutrient cycles through their ability to fix N. As such, they are likely to be affected by environmental changes.     

Warming and grazing affect soil labile carbon and nitrogen pools differently in an alpine meadow of the Qinghai�CTibet Plateau in China

Purpose

Small but highly bioactive labile carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools are of great importance in controlling terrestrial C and N fluxes, whilst long-term C and N storage is determined by less labile but relatively large sizes of C and N pools. Little information is available about the effects of global warming and grazing on different forms of C and N pools in the Qinghai?CTibet Plateau of China. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of warming and grazing on the sizes of different soil labile C and N pools and N transformation in this region.

Materials and methods

A free-air temperature enhancement system in a controlled warming?Cgrazing experiment had been implemented since May 2006. Infrared heaters were used to manipulate temperature, and a moderate grazing intensity was simulated by Tibetan sheep. After 3 years?? warming, soil samples were taken from the four treatment plots: no warming with no grazing; no warming with grazing; warming with no grazing; and warming with grazing. Concentrations of inorganic N in the 40?Ccm soil profiles were measured by a flow injection analyser. Microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) were measured by the fumigation?Cextraction method, and soluble organic C (SOC) and soluble organic N (SON) were determined by high-temperature catalytic oxidation. Total N (TN), C isotope composition (??¹³C) and N isotope composition (??¹⁵N) were determined using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Net N transformation under low temperature was studied in a laboratory incubation experiment.

Results and discussion

Warming and grazing treatments affected soil C and N pools differently, and these effects varied with soil depth. Warming significantly increased TN, MBC, MBN, and SON and decreased ??¹³C at the 10?C20 and 20?C30 cm soil depths, whilst grazing generally decreased SON at the 10?C20 and 20?C30 cm, and MBC at 20?C30 cm. At the 0?C10 cm depth, neither warming nor grazing alone affects these soil parameters significantly, indicating that there could be considerable perturbation on the soil surface. However, grazing alone increased NO ₃ ^? ?CN, total inorganic N, SOC and ??¹⁵N at the 0?C10 cm depth. Incubated at 4°C, warming (particularly with grazing) led to net immobilization of N, but no-warming treatments led to net N mineralization, whilst nitrification was strong across all these treatments. Correlations between MBC and SOC, and TN and MBN or SON were positive. However, SON was less well correlated with TN and MBN compared with the highly positive correlations between SOC and MBC.

Conclusions

It is clearly demonstrated that warming and grazing affected labile C and N pools significantly, but differently after 3 years?? treatments: Warming tended to enlarge labile C and N pools through increased litter inputs, whilst grazing tended to increase inorganic N pools, decrease SON and accelerate N cycling. Grazing might modify the mode that warming affected soil C and N pools through its strong impacts on microbial processes and N cycling. These results suggested that interactive effects of warming and grazing on C and N pools might have significant implications for the long-term C and N storage and productivity of alpine meadow ecosystem in the Qinghai?CTibet Plateau of China.     

Nitrogen deposition influences nitrogen isotope composition in soil and needles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus massoniana</Emphasis> forests along an urban-rural gradient in the Pearl River Delta of south China

Purpose  

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition remains globally and regionally a significant N source in forest ecosystems, with intensive industrial activities. Stable N isotope ratio (δ¹⁵N) is a useful indicator widely adopted to assess environmental and ecological impacts of anthropogenic N inputs. On the basis of temporal changes in tree ring δ¹⁵N established recently, the present study investigated the influence of N deposition on δ¹⁵N in needles of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana L.) and forest soil along an urban–rural gradient in the Pearl River Delta of south China.     

Soil soluble organic carbon and nitrogen pools under mono- and mixed species forest ecosystems in subtropical China

Purpose  

The objective of the present study was to assess the differences in soil total C and N, microbial biomass C and N, soil soluble organic C and N among eight mono- and mixed species forest ecosystems (18-year-old restoration) in subtropical China.     

湘中丘陵区不同植被恢复阶段林地土壤可溶性氮组分含量和密度

以湘中丘陵区的檵木—南烛—白栎灌草丛(LVR)、檵木—杉木—白栎灌木林(LCQ)、马尾松—柯—檵木针阔混交林(PLL)、柯—红淡比—青冈常绿阔叶林(LAG)作为1个恢复序列,设置固定样地,采集土壤样品,测定土壤可溶性有机氮(SON)、铵态氮(NH_4⁺—N)、硝态氮(NO_3^-—N)含量及其密度,分析SON、NH_4⁺—N、NO_3^-—N含量与土壤黏粒、全氮(TN)、有机碳(SOC)、微生物生物量的相关性。结果表明:各土层SON、NH_4⁺—N含量随植被恢复而增加,与LVR相比,LAG、PLL、LCQ 0—40 cm土层SON含量分别增加225.78%,121.22%,54.73%,NH_4⁺—N分别增加22.10%,14.74%,7.80%;而各土层NO_3^-—N含量随植被恢复先下降再增加,LAG各土层NO_3^-—N含量最高,LCQ最低;0—40 cm土壤层SON、NH_4⁺—N密度分别为143.82~528.12,55.73~65.57 kg/hm²,与LVR相比,LAG、PLL、LCQ土壤SON密度分别增加267.20%,98.40%,86.30%,NH_4⁺—N密度分别增加17.70%,7.90%和11.60%;0—40 cm土壤层NO_3^-—N密度为22.91~25.87 kg/hm²,与LVR相比,LAG增加13.16%;SON、NH_4⁺—N密度各阶段间的增长速率呈快—慢—快的特征,而NO_3^-—N呈慢—慢—快的特征;土壤理化性质和微生物生物量对SON、NH_4⁺—N的影响大于NO_3^-—N,表明植被恢复有利于土壤N养分积累,提高土壤可溶性氮组分的含量和密度,增加土壤N的可利用性。     

Nitrogen addition impacts on the emissions of greenhouse gases depending on the forest type: a case study in Changbai Mountain,Northeast China

Purpose

Anthropogenic-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rates derived from the soil are influenced by long-term nitrogen (N) deposition and N fertilization. However, our understanding of the interplay between increased N load and GHG emissions among soil aggregates is incomplete.

Materials and methods

Here, we conducted an incubation experiment to explore the effects of soil aggregate size and N addition on GHG emissions. The soil aggregate samples (0–10 cm) were collected from two 6-year N addition experiment sites with different vegetation types (mixed Korean pine forest vs. broad-leaved forest) in Northeast China. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄) production were quantified from the soil samples in the laboratory using gas chromatography with 24-h intervals during the incubation (at 20 °C for 168 h with 80 % field water capacity).

Results and discussion

The results showed that the GHG emission/uptake rates were significantly higher in the micro-aggregates than in the macro-aggregates due to the higher concentration of soil bio-chemical properties (DOC, MBC, NO₃ ^?, NH₄ ⁺, SOC and TN) in smaller aggregates. For the N addition treatments, the emission/uptake rates of GHG decreased after N addition across aggregate sizes especially in mixed Korean pine forest where CO₂ emission was decreased about 30 %. Similar patterns in GHG emission/uptake rates expressed by per soil organic matter basis were observed in response to N addition treatments, indicating that N addition might decrease the decomposability of SOM in mixed Korean pine forest. The global warming potential (GWP) which was mainly contributed by CO₂ emission (>98 %) decreased in mixed Korean pine forest after N addition but no changes in broad-leaved forest.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that soil aggregate size is an important factor controlling GHG emissions through mediating the content of substrate resources in temperate forest ecosystems. The inhibitory effect of N addition on the GHG emission/uptake rates depends on the forest type.

     

Nitrogen loading levels affect abundance and composition of soil ammonia oxidizing prokaryotes in semiarid temperate grassland

Purpose  

Global nitrogen deposition has profound impact on the terrestrial ecosystem including the semiarid temperate grassland, causing vegetation community shifts and soil acidification. Little is known regarding the effect of nitrogen (N) deposition on the belowground microbial communities. This study aimed to examine the response of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) to added N in semiarid temperate grassland.     

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation and soil N availability under legume crops in an arid environment

Purpose  

Legume crops often present an important option to maintain and improve soil nitrogen (N) quality and fertility in a dryland agroecosystem. However, the work on the integral assessment of the symbiotic N₂ fixation (N_fix) and their effects on soil N availability under field conditions is scare.     

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。     

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。     

Shift in abundance and structure of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea communities associated with four typical forest vegetations in subtropical region

Purpose

Nitrogen (N) is one of the most important elements that can limit plant growth in forest ecosystems. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) are considered as the key drivers of global N biogeochemical cycling. Soil ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities associated with subtropical vegetation remain poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to determine how AOA and AOB abundance and community structure shift in response to four typical forest vegetations in subtropical region.

Materials and methods

Broad-leaved forest (BF), Chinese fir forest (CF), Pinus massoniana forest (PF), and moso bamboo forest (MB) were widely distributed in the subtropical area of southern China and represented typical vegetation types. Four types of forest stands of more than 30 years grew adjacent to each other on the same soil type, slope, and elevation, were chosen for this experiment. The abundance and community structure of AOA and AOB were characterized by using real-time PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The impact of soil properties on communities of AOA and AOB was tested by canonical correspondence analysis (CCA).

Results and discussion

The results indicated that AOB dominated in numbers over AOA in both BF and MB soils, while the AOA/AOB ratio shifted with different forest stands. The highest archaeal and bacterial amoA gene copy numbers were detected in CF and BF soils, respectively. The AOA abundance showed a negative correlation with soil pH and organic C but a positive correlation with NO₃ ^??N concentration. The structures of AOA communities changed with vegetation types, but vegetation types alone would not suffice for shaping AOB community structure among four forest soils. CCA results revealed that NO₃ ^??N concentration and soil pH were the most important environmental gradients on the distribution of AOA community except vegetation type, while NO₃ ^??N concentration, soil pH, and organic C significantly affected the distribution of the AOB communities.

Conclusions

These results revealed the differences in the abundance and structure of AOA and AOB community associated with different tree species, and AOA was more sensitive to vegetation and soil chemical properties than AOB. N bioavailability could be directly linked to AOA and AOB community, and these results are useful for management activities, including forest tree species selection in areas managed to minimize N export to aquatic systems.     

How environmental and vegetation factors affect spatial patterns of soil carbon and nitrogen in a subtropical mixed forest in Central China

Purpose

Soil properties are highly heterogeneous in forest ecosystems, which poses difficulties in estimating soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. However, little is known about the relative contributions of environmental factors and vegetation to spatial variations in soil C and N, especially in highly diverse mixed forests. Here, we examined the spatial variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in a subtropical mixed forest in central China, and then quantified the main drivers.

Materials and methods

Soil samples (n = 972) were collected from a 25-ha forest dynamic plot in Badagonshan Nature Reserve, central China. All trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥1 cm and topography data in the plot were surveyed in detail. Geostatistical analyses were used to characterize the spatial variability of SOC and TN, while variation partitioning combined with Mantel’s test were used to quantify the relative contribution of each type of factors.

Results and discussion

Both surface soil (0–10 cm) and subsurface soil (10–30 cm) exhibited moderate spatial autocorrelation with explainable fractions ranged from 31 to 47 %. The highest contribution to SOC and TN variation came from soil variables (including soil pH and available phosphorus), followed by vegetation and topographic variables. Although the effect of topography was weak, Mantel’s test still showed a significant relationship between topography and SOC. Strong interactions among these variables were discovered. Compared with surface soil, the explanatory power of environmental variables was much lower for subsurface soil.

Conclusions

The differences in relative contributions between surface and subsurface soils suggest that the dominating ecological process are likely different in the two soil depths. The large unexplained variation emphasized the importance of fine-scale variations and ecological processes. The large variations in soil C and N and their controlling mechanisms should be taken into account when evaluating how forest managements may affect C and N cycles.

     

Amino acid and peptide dynamics in horticultural soils under conventional and organic management strategies

Purpose  

Free amino acids (FAAs) and peptides, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) comprise key pools in terrestrial soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles. A comparative study of organic and conventional arable farming systems was conducted in Shanghai, China to determine the influence of management practices on characterization of AA and peptide dynamics.     

基于不同林分类型下土壤碳氮储量垂直分布

以辽东大伙房水库周边防护林典型林分针阔混交林(落叶松-油松-刺槐混交林)、油松林、落叶松林、刺槐林为研究对象,对其土壤养分含量进行测定,研究了不同林分土壤剖面上有机碳、全氮、有机碳储量的分布规律。结果表明:随着土层深度的增大,4种林分的土壤有机碳、全氮含量均逐渐降低;4种林分土壤剖面有机碳含量大小顺序为落叶松林(24.16g/kg)刺槐林(23.07g/kg)针阔混交林(16.06g/kg)油松林(15.76g/kg);全氮含量大小顺序为刺槐林(5.23g/kg)落叶松林(4.57g/kg)油松林(3.45g/kg)针阔混交林(2.42g/kg);C/N平均值大小顺序为落叶松林(7.36)针阔混交林(6.51)油松林(4.67)刺槐林(4.57);4个林分0-40cm土层的有机碳储量大小为落叶松林(112.94t/hm~2)刺槐林(107.40t/hm~2)针阔混交林(105.42t/hm~2)油松林(89.89t/hm~2);4种林分土壤pH无明显差别,各土层土壤pH随土层深度增加而增大;4种林分土壤容重由高到低顺序依次为针阔混交林(1.73g/cm~3)油松(1.65g/cm~3)落叶松(1.64g/cm~3)刺槐(1.56g/cm~3)。4个林分土壤有机碳含量与土壤全氮含量互相间均存在极显著正相关关系,土壤有机碳、全氮含量与C/N之间则没有明显相关关系;在针阔混交林中,土壤容重、土壤全氮含量和土壤pH与土壤有机碳之间存在线性数量关系,而其他纯林则没有这种关系。     

Impact of in-season split application of nitrogen on intra-panicle grain dynamics,grain quality,and vegetative indices that govern nitrogen use efficiency in sorghum

Background

The correct rate and timing of nitrogen (N) has the potential to improve sorghum productivity through modified grain yield components and quality. The impacts of in-season split application of N have little documentation.

Aim

An experiment was conducted to determine the optimum rate and timing of N to relate vegetative indices that govern nitrogen use efficiency and to maximize grain yield and quality under different soil types.

Methods

Pioneer 86P20 was grown in three environments on two different soil types following a completely randomized block design with nine N application treatments. Treatments included differing N rates applied at critical developmental stages of sorghum (planting, panicle initiation, and booting), accompanied with high temporal aerial phenotyping.

Results

Opportunities to increase grain protein content while using split N applications were observed, with panicle initiation identified as a critical developmental stage. In-season split application of N enhances grain yield under low soil mineral N. Split application of 31 kg N ha⁻¹ each at the time of planting, panicle initiation, and booting emerged as optimum N treatment to increase protein content in sorghum. Vegetative indices, that is, normalized difference vegetation index and normalized difference red edge index are capable of predicting grain yield and protein content, respectively. Intra-panicle grain numbers and weights were altered significantly at different portions within panicles, with an opportunity to enhance yield potential at the bottom portion. The strong stay-green trait in this hybrid locked a large proportion of nitrogen in the leaves, which warrants the need for balancing stay-green and senescence in sorghum improvement programs.

Conclusions

Findings highlight that in grain sorghum remobilization of residual leaf N into grain is a target to increase yield and grain quality. An optimized stay-green trait balanced with senescence is recommended for enhancing sorghum yield potential.