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Pathways Regulating Decreased Soil Respiration with Nitrogen Addition in a Subtropical Forest in China

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Abstract

Knowledge of nitrogen (N) impacts on soil respiration (Rs) and its components is critical to assess soil carbon (C) storage and C stability with accumulating N deposition. However, the abiotic and biotic mechanisms underlying the responses of Rs and its components to N enrichment are still far from clear. This study investigated the direct and indirect pathways of N enrichment on autotrophic respiration (Ra) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh) in a subtropical forest. The results showed that N addition significantly decreased Rs across the 2-year observation. The negative effects of N fertilization on Rs were the combination of suppressive effects of excessive N on Ra and Rh. On average, N enrichment decreased Rs, Ra, and Rh by 34%, 33%, and 35%, respectively across the 2 years. The decrease in Ra was directly due to reducing fine root biomass and indirectly affected by N-induced soil acidification. The decline in Rh was directly controlled by reducing soil microbial biomass C and indirectly determined by N-induced soil acidification and the elevation of soil N availability. Nitrogen addition significantly increased temperature sensitivities of Rs and its components, suggesting a potential positive C-climate feedback in the future scenarios of global warming and aggravating N deposition. Our study highlights the direct and indirect pathways of N fertilization on soil respiration and its components, which could have implications for assessing forest C sequestration and C stability.

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Acknowledgments

L.L. and S.N. conceived the ideas and designed methodology. L.L., F.C., H.H., Y.Z., and J.Z. analyzed the data. L.L. and S.N. wrote the first draft of the paper. L.L., W.B., and S.N. revised the manuscript. All authors provided input to the drafting and final version of the manuscript. This research is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No.2016YFD0600205), the National Forestry Public Welfare Professional Scientific Research Project (No. 201404213), and CFERN & GENE Award Funds for Ecological Papers.

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  1. The Key Laboratory for Forest Resources and Ecosystem Processes of Beijing, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China

    Lizhuang Liang, Feng Chen, Hairong Han, Yanru Zhang, Jiang Zhu & Shukui Niu

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  1. Lizhuang Liang
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  2. Feng Chen
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Liang, L., Chen, F., Han, H. et al. Pathways Regulating Decreased Soil Respiration with Nitrogen Addition in a Subtropical Forest in China. Water Air Soil Pollut 230, 91 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-019-4144-7

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