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Mowing and topography effects on microorganisms and nitrogen transformation processes responsible for nitrous oxide emissions in semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia

  • Soils, Sec 3 • Remediation and Management of Contaminated or Degraded Lands • Short Original Communication
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Few studies have been done to investigate the impact of mowing on N2O emissions and the abundance of functional microbial genes, especially in sloping landscapes. This study aims to explore the impact of mowing on key N2O-producing processes under different topographical conditions in a semi-arid grassland.

Materials and methods

Soil samples were collected from a semiarid grassland ecosystem in Xilingol region, Inner Mongolia, where long-term management practices including non-mowing and mowing in flat and sloping blocks were conducted. We then determined (1) soil moisture, total carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN), and mineral N (NH4 +-N and NO3 −-N) content; (2) the potential N2O emission from nitrification (NN2O) and from denitrification (DN2O) and potential N2 emission (DN2); and (3) the gene abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), the narG (nitrate reductase) gene, and nosZ (nitrous oxide reductase) gene.

Results and discussion

Soil moisture and potential N2O emission from nitrification and denitrification were significantly lower in sloping than in flat conditions, whereas the TC, TN, NH4 +-N, NO3 −-N content, gene abundance of AOA, AOB, narG, and nosZ showed no difference between flat and sloping conditions. Mowing significantly decreased the gene abundance of AOA, AOB, narG in both flat and sloping areas, and significantly decreased potential N2O emissions, especially in sloping areas.

Conclusions

The potential N2O emission was significantly lower on sloping than flat grassland. Mowing significantly decreased the potential N2O emissions, especially on sloping grassland. Our results suggest that topographical conditions should be incorporated into methods for estimating N2O emission and land management practices in semiarid grassland.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 41601245) and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2015BAC02B04). We greatly appreciate the assistance of the Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We also thank Miss Ri Weal and Dr. Yichao Rui for their assistance in improving the use of English in the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University/China-Australia Centre for Sustainable Urban Development, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Lei Zhong

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Lei Zhong, Yanfen Wang & Shutong Zhou

  3. Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China

    Frank Yonghong Li

  4. Tiantong National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Xiaoqi Zhou

  5. School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Xiaolei Gong

  6. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China

    Yongfei Bai

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  1. Lei Zhong
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  2. Frank Yonghong Li
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Correspondence to Lei Zhong.

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Responsible editor: Yongtao Li

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Zhong, L., Li, F.Y., Wang, Y. et al. Mowing and topography effects on microorganisms and nitrogen transformation processes responsible for nitrous oxide emissions in semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia. J Soils Sediments 18, 929–935 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-017-1819-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-017-1819-9

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