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Response of denitrifying communities to successive soil freeze–thaw cycles

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Abstract

The effect of soil freeze–thaw cycles on the denitrification potential was examined based on the C2H2 inhibition method. The gross N2O production curve of the soil sample (incubation with C2H2) showed minor changes between the freeze–thaw treatment and the unfrozen control. However, kinetics analysis revealed that the initial production rate, an indicator of the population density of denitrifying communities, decreased (P = 0.043) and the specific growth rate constant, an indicator of the activity of denitrifying communities, increased (P = 0.039) as a result of the freeze–thaw cycles in five of six soil samples examined. The increase in the specific growth rate constant suggested the stimulation of the activity of denitrifying communities that survived after the freeze–thaw cycles and may explain the minor suppression on the gross N2O production in spite of decreasing the population density of denitrifying communities that was suggested by the initial production rate. The net N2O production curve of the soil sample (incubation without C2H2) showed a remarkable change in one out of six soil samples, and in that one soil sample, N2O release to the atmosphere was largely stimulated (7.6 times) by the freeze–thaw cycles. However, the stimulation of the N2O release by the freeze–thaw cycles was even observed in two other selected soil samples (4.6 and 1.8 times), suggesting that an imbalance in the N2O-producing and N2O-reducing activities of denitrifying communities might complementally explain the N2O release stimulated by the freeze–thaw cycles.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Dr. Y. Kurokawa and Dr. T. Ezawa for providing soil samples. A part of this research was funded by a Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant from The Japan Science Society (16-315), the TUA&T 21st Century COE Program (Evolution and Survival of Technology-based Civilization), and JSPS Research Fellowships for Young Scientists (17-6518).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment-Symbiotic Production Systems, Division of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan

    Yosuke Yanai

  2. Division of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Institute of Symbiotic Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16 Nakacho, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan

    Koki Toyota & Masanori Okazaki

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  1. Yosuke Yanai
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  2. Koki Toyota
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  3. Masanori Okazaki
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Correspondence to Yosuke Yanai.

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Yanai, Y., Toyota, K. & Okazaki, M. Response of denitrifying communities to successive soil freeze–thaw cycles. Biol Fertil Soils 44, 113–119 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0185-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0185-y

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