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Mechanisms behind the stimulation of nitrification by N input in subtropical acid forest soil

  • 2015 International Symposium on Forest Soils
  • Published:
Journal of Soils and Sediments Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Input of N as NH4 + is known to stimulate nitrification and to enhance the risk of N losses through NO3 − leaching in humid subtropical soils. However, the mechanisms responsible for this stimulation effect have not been fully addressed.

Materials and methods

In this study, an acid subtropical forest soil amended with urea at rates of 0, 20, 50, 100 mg N kg−1 was pre-incubated at 25 °C and 60 % water-holding capacity (WHC) for 60 days. Gross N transformation rates were then measured using a 15N tracing methodology.

Results and discussion

Gross rates of mineralization and nitrification of NH4 +-N increased (P < 0.05), while gross rate of NO3 − immobilization significantly decreased with increasing N input rates (P < 0.001). A significant relationship was established between the gross nitrification rate of NH4 + and the gross mineralization rate (R 2 = 0.991, P < 0.01), so was between net nitrification rate of NH4 + and the net mineralization rate (R 2 = 0.973, P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Stimulation effect of N input on the gross rate of nitrification of NH4 +-N in the acid soil, partially, resulted from stimulation effect of N input on organic N mineralization, which provides pH-favorable microsites for the nitrification of NH4 + in acid soils (De Boer et al., Soil Biol Biochem 20:845–850, 1988; Prosser, Advan Microb Physiol 30:125–181, 1989). The stimulated gross nitrification rate with the decreased gross NO3 − immobilization rate under the elevated N inputs could lead to accumulation of NO3 − and to enhance the risk of NO3 − loss from humid forest soils.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the “973” project (2014CB953803, 2015CB954201), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41330744, 41101236), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2014 M561682) and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD, 164320H116).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Wei Zhao, Jinbo Zhang & Zucong Cai

  2. College of Environment, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, Jiangsu, China

    Wei Zhao

  3. Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment (Nanjing Normal University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jinbo Zhang & Zucong Cai

  4. State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base of Geographical Environment Evolution (Jiangsu Province), Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jinbo Zhang & Zucong Cai

  5. Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Jinbo Zhang & Zucong Cai

  6. Department of Plant Ecology (IFZ), Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Christoph Müller

  7. School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Christoph Müller

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  1. Wei Zhao
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  2. Jinbo Zhang
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Correspondence to Jinbo Zhang.

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Responsible editor: Zhiqun Huang

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Zhao, W., Zhang, J., Müller, C. et al. Mechanisms behind the stimulation of nitrification by N input in subtropical acid forest soil. J Soils Sediments 17, 2338–2345 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1461-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1461-y

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