Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Net and gross N transformation rates in subtropical forest soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

  • SOILS, SEC 2 • GLOBAL CHANGE, ENVIRON RISK ASSESS, SUSTAINABLE LAND USE • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated the differences between net and gross rates of N transformation in subtropical forest soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. We aim to explore the factors responsible for the differences observed and to evaluate the ability of net and gross N transformation measurements to reflect the occurrence and stimulation of N transformation in subtropical forest soils.

Materials and methods

Subtropical soil samples from adjacent native forest (NF) and two plantation forest sites (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis (PCH) and Hoop pine (HP), Araucaria cunninghammii), with different initial pool sizes of NH4 + and NO3 −, were collected from South East Queensland, Australia. Soil samples were incubated at 25 °C to determine net and gross N transformation rates (15N pool dilution method) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Results and discussion

Under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, gross N transformation rates differed significantly from net N transformation rates. NH4 + immobilization occurred under aerobic and anaerobic conditions for all soils. NO3 − immobilization occurred under aerobic conditions in the NF soils but was negligible in both the PCH and HP soils. Gross ammonification rates were significantly correlated with the C/N ratios (R 2 = 0.714, p < 0.001). Gross nitrification rates were significantly correlated with soil carbon composition (13C, R 2 = 0.569, p < 0.01). The ratios of the gross rates of NH4 + immobilization to the gross ammonification rates (R_i a/g a) were significantly correlated with δ13C (R 2 = 0.829, p < 0.001). The results indicated that in the subtropical forest soils, both the variability of gross N production and immobilization mainly influenced the net N transformation rates. Forest type affected the gross production or immobilization of NH4 + and NO3 − via C turnover, which was indicated by the relationship between the N transformation rates and soil C/N ratio or soil 13C.

Conclusions

Although subtropical forest soils are generally an N-unlimited system, the immobilization of NH4 + and NO3 − under aerobic or anaerobic conditions played an important role in the N transformations. Net rates of NH4 +/NO3 − accumulation are not suitable to describe the occurrence and stimulation of N transformations in subtropical soils when immobilization (or other consumption processes) of NH4 + and NO3 − is occurring, especially under anaerobic conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams JA (1986) Nitrification and ammonification in acid forest litter and humus as affected by peptone and ammonium-N amendment. Soil Biol Biochem 18:45–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bengtsson G, Bengtson P, Mẚnsson KF (2003) Gross nitrogen mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification rates as a function of soil C/N ratio and microbial activity. Soil Biol Biochem 35:143–154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernoux M, Cerri CC, Neill C, De Moraes JFL (1998) The use of stable carbon isotopes for estimating soil organic matter turnover rates. Geoderma 82:43–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth MS, Stark JM, Rastetter E (2005) Controls on nitrogen cycling in terrestrial ecosystems: a synthetic analysis of literature data. Ecol Monogr 75(2):139–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burton J, Chen CR, Xu ZH, Ghadiri H (2007) Gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia. Soil Biol Biochem 39:426–433

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng Y, Cai ZC, Zhang JB, Chang SX (2011) Gross N transformations were little affected by 4 years of simulated N and S depositions in an aspen-white spruce dominated boreal forest in Alberta, Canada. Forest Ecol Manag 262:571–578

  • Christenson LM, Lovett GM, Weathers KC, Arthur MA (2009) The influence of tree species, nitrogen fertilization, and soil C to N ratio on gross soil nitrogen transformations. Soil Sci Soc Amer J 73(2):638–646

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Hart SC, Shanks CA, Firestone MK (1991) Measuring gross nitrogen mineralization, immobilization, and nitrification by 15N isotopic pool dilution in intact soil cores. J Soil Sci 42:335–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dixon ER, Cardenas L, Alfaro M, Salazar F, Hatch DJ (2011) High rates of nitrogen cycling in volcanic soils from Chilean grasslands. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 25:1521–1526

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Freier KP, Glaser B, Zech W (2010) Mathematical modeling of soil carbon turnover in natural Podocarpus forest and Eucalyptus plantation in Ethiopia using compound specific δ13C analysis. Globe Change Biol 16:1487–1502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart SC, Nason GE, Myrold DD, Perry DA (1994a) Dynamics of gross nitrogen transformations in an old-growth forest: the carbon connection. Ecology 75:880–891

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hart SC, Stark JM, Davidson EA, Firestone MK (1994b) Nitrogen mineralisation, immobilisaton and nitrification. In: Weaver Re (ed) Methods of soil analysis. Part 2: microbiological and biochemical properties. Soil Sci Soc Amer. Madison, Wisconsin, pp 985–1018

  • Hart SC, Binkley D, Perry DA (1997) Influence of red alder on soil nitrogen transformations in two conifer forests of contrasting productivity. Soil Biol Biochem 29:1111–1123

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang ZQ, Xu ZH, Blumfield TJ, Chen CR, Bubb K (2008) Soil nitrogen mineralization and fate of (15NH4)2SO4 in field-incubated soil in a hardwood plantation of subtropical Australia: the effect of mulching. J Soils Sediments 8:389–397

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huygens D, Rütting T, Boeckx P, Van Cleemput O, Godoy R, Müller C (2007) Soil nitrogen conservation mechanisms in a pristine south Chilean Nothofagus forest ecosystem. Soil Biol Biochem 39:2448–2458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keeney DR (1982) Nitrogen availability indices. In: Page AL (ed) Methods of soil analysis. American Society of Agronomy/Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, pp 711–730

    Google Scholar 

  • Killham K (1990) Nitrification in coniferous forest soils. Plant Soil 128:31–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirkham D, Bartholomew W (1954) Equations for following nutrient transformations in soil, utilising tracer data. Soil Sci Soc Amer J 18:33–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Knops JMH, Bradley KL, Wedin DA (2002) Mechanisms of plant species impacts on ecosystem nitrogen cycling. Ecol Lett 5:454–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krusche AV, De Camargo PB, Cerri CE, Ballester MV, Lara LBLS, Victoria RL, Martinelli LA (2003) Acid rain and nitrogen deposition in a sub-tropical watershed (Piracicaba): ecosystem consequences. Environ Pollut 121:389–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuroiwa M, Koba K, Isobe K, Tateno R, Nakanishi A, Inagaki Y, Toda H, Otsuka S, Senoo K, Suwa Y, Yoh M, Urakawa R, Shibata H (2011) Gross nitrification rates in four Japanese forest soils: heterotrophic versus autotrophic and the regulation factors for the nitrification. J For Res 16:363–373

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis DB, Kaye JP (2012) Inorganic nitrogen immobilization in live and sterile soil of old-growth conifer and hardwood forests: implications for ecosystem nitrogen retention. Biogeochemistry 111:169–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Matson PA, McDowell WH, Townsend AR, Vitousek PM (1999) The globalization of N deposition: ecosystem consequences in tropical environments. Biogeochemistry 46:67–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milroy SP, Bange MP, Thongbai P (2009) Cotton leaf nutrient concentrations in response to waterlogging under field conditions. Field Crop Res 113:246–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy DV, Recous S, Stockdale EA, Fillery IRP, Jensen LS, Hatch DJ, Goulding KWT (2003) Gross nitrogen fluxes in soil: theory, measurement and application of 15N pool dilution techniques. Advan Agron 79:69–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nugroho RA, Roling WFM, Laverman AM, Verhoef HA (2006) Net nitrification rate and presence of Nitrosospira cluster 2 in acid coniferous forest soils appear to be tree species specific. Soil Biol Biochem 38:1166–1171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nugroho RA, Roling WFM, Laverman AM, Verhoef HA (2007) Low nitrification rates in acid scots pine forest soils are due to pH-related factors. Microb Ecol 53:89–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan K, Xu ZH, Blumfield TJ, Totua S, Lu M (2008) In situ mineral 15N dynamics and fate of added 15NH4 + in hoop pine plantation and adjacent native forest in subtropical Australia. J Soils Sediments 8:398–405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan K, Xu ZH, Blumfield TJ, Tutua S, Lu M (2009) Application of (15NH4)2SO4 to study N dynamics in hoop pine plantation and adjacent native forest of subtropical Australia: the effects of injection depth and litter addition. J Soils Sediments 9:515–525

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staelens J, Rütting T, Huygens D, De Schrijver A, Müller C, Verheyen K, Boeckx P (2012a) In situ gross nitrogen transformations differ between temperate deciduous and coniferous forest soils. Biogeochemistry 108:259–277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staelens J, Wuyts K, Adriaenssens S, Van Avermaet P, Buysse H, Van den Bril B, Roekens E, Ottoy JP, Verheyen K, Thas O, Deschepper E (2012b) Trends in atmospheric nitrogen and sulphur deposition in northern Belgium. Atmos Environ 49:186–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ste-Marie C, Paré D (1999) Soil, pH and N availability effects on net nitrification in the forest floors of a range of boreal forest stands. Soil Biol Biochem 31:1579–1589

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ste-Marie C, Houle D (2006) Forest floor gross and net nitrogen mineralization in three forest types in Quebec, Canada. Soil Biol Biochem 38:2135–2143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tahovská K, Kaňa J, Bárta J, Oulehle F, Richter A, Santrůčková H (2013) Microbial N immobilization is of great importance in acidified mountain spruce forest soils. Soil Biol Biochem 59:58–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verchot LV, Holmes Z, Mulon L, Groffman PM, Lovett GM (2001) Gross vs net rates of N mineralization and nitrification as indicators of functional differences between forest types. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1889–1901

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vervaet H, Boeckx P, Boko AMC, Van Cleemput O, Hofman G (2004) The role of gross and net N transformation processes and NH4 + and NO3 − immobilization in controlling the mineral N pool of a temperate mixed deciduous forest soil. Plant Soil 264:349–357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek P, Cassman K, Cleveland C, Crews T, Field CB, Grimm NB, Howarth RW, Marino R, Martinelli L, Rastetter EB, Sprent JI (2002) Towards an ecological understanding of biological nitrogen fixation. Biogeochemistry 57:1–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Gosz JR, Grier CC, Melillo JM, Reiners WA, Todd RL (1979) Nitrate losses from disturbed ecosystems. Science 204:469–474

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang WJ, Chalk PM, Chen D, Smith CJ (2001) Nitrogen mineralisation, immobilisation and loss, and their role in determining differences in net nitrogen production during waterlogged and aerobic incubation of soils. Soil Biol Biochem 33:1305–1315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waring CA, Bremner JM (1964) Ammonium production in soil under waterlogged conditions as an index of nitrogen availability. Nature 201:951–952

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu ZH, Ward S, Chen CR, Blumfield TJ, Prasolova N, Liu JX (2008) Soil carbon and nutrient pools, microbial properties and gross nitrogen transformations in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantations of subtropical Australia. J Soils Sediments 8:99–105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu ZH, Chen CR, He JZ, Liu JX (2009) Trends and challenges in soil research 2009: linking global climate change to local long-term forest productivity. J Soils Sediments 9:83–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeller B, Recous S, Kunze M, Moukoumi J, Colin-Belgrand M, Bienaime S, Ranger J, Dambrine E (2007) Influence of tree species on gross and net N transformations in forest soils. Ann For Sci 64:151–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JB, Cai ZC, Cheng Y, Zhu TB (2009) Denitrification and total nitrogen gas production from forest soils of Eastern China. Soil Biol Biochem 41:2551–2557

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JB, Cai ZC, Cheng Y, Zhu TB (2010) Nitrate immobilization in anaerobic forest soils along a north–south transect in East China. Soil Sci Soc Amer J 74:1193–1200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JB, Muller C, Zhu TB, Cheng Y, Cai ZC (2011) Heterotrophic nitrification is the predominant NO3 − production mechanism in coniferous but not broad-leaf acid forest soil in subtropical China. Biol Fertil Soils 47:533–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JB, Cai ZC, Zhu TB, Yang WY, Müller C (2013) Mechanisms for the retention of inorganic N in acidic forest soils of southern China. Sci Rep 3:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao W, Cai ZC, Xu ZH (2007) Does ammonium-based N addition influence nitrification and acidification in humid subtropical soils of China? Plant Soil 297:213–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu TB, Meng TZ, Zhang JB, Yin YF, Cai ZC, Yang WY, Zhong WH (2013) Nitrogen mineralization, immobilization turnover, heterotrophic nitrification, and microbial groups in acid forest soils of subtropical China. Biol Fertil Soils 49:323–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The project was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41101236 and No. 41330744), State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture Foundation (No. Y052010036), Nanjing Tech University Overseas Research & Training Program, and Australian Research Council (DP 0667184 and DP 0664154).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Zhao

  2. School of Environment, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Wei Zhao

  3. Environmental Future Research Institute, School of Natural Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111, Australia

    Wei Zhao & Zhihong Xu

  4. School of Geography Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People’s Republic of China

    Zucong Cai

Authors
  1. Wei Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zucong Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhihong Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Wei Zhao or Zhihong Xu.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Hailong Wang

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhao, W., Cai, Z. & Xu, Z. Net and gross N transformation rates in subtropical forest soils under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. J Soils Sediments 15, 96–105 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-1012-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-014-1012-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation