Summary
Non-symbiotic heterotrophic N2 fixation in coniferous bark litter was investigated with the acetylene reduction assay under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The litter studied was composed essentially of bark, of pH 5 and a C/N ratio of 101; the ratio of available C to available N, which governs N2 fixation, was considerably higher. The rate of N2 fixation was estimated as 2.5–4.4 μg N. g−1 dry wt. day−1. Nitrogenase activity was still evident after seven months of incubation under aerobic conditions. The N2-ase activity was O2 dependent: under anaerobic conditions no N2-ase activity was found unless a fermentable C source was added. The importance of N2 fixation in N-poor litter for the maintenance of soil fertility is emphasized.
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Weber, A., Sundman, V. Nitrogen fixation in coniferous bark litter. Plant Soil 90, 419–425 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277413
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02277413