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Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry reflects the regulation of microbial carbon and nitrogen limitation on soil nitrogen cycling potential in arid agriculture ecosystems

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Water and nutrient availability are critical factors that affect soil biological processes in agroecological systems, which are regulated by extracellular ecoenzymatic activity; however, the response of these enzymes to water and nutrient levels is poorly understood.

Methods

A 4-year field experiment with three levels of irrigation (high, 400 mm; medium, 300 mm; and low, 200 mm) and two levels of fertilization (high, 600 kg/ha P2O5 + 300 kg/ha urea; and low, 300 kg/ha P2O5 + 150 kg/ha urea) was conducted to investigate the microbial metabolic status in an arid agroecological system in China using the model of extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry.

Results

Higher C-acquisition enzyme activity and lower N-acquisition enzyme activity were observed during the crop growth stage, suggesting promoted C limitation and alleviated N limitation for microbes by the combination of medium irrigation and low fertilization. Increased microbial C limitation surged the abundance of amoA-AOA and amoA-AOB genes involved in nitrification and strengthened this process. Decreased microbial N limitation hindered the denitrification potential by reducing the abundance of the involved nirK, nirS, nosZ, and narG genes. Increased microbial C limitation was due to the elevated soil water content, which further promoted the activity of C-acquiring enzymes and facilitated microbial decomposition of organic matter. The decreased microbial N limitation was largely related to the increased soil N availability.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a combination of medium irrigation and low fertilization is effective for organic matter decomposition, by promoting microbial C metabolism and reducing the risk of N loss via alleviation of microbial N limitation. Our results emphasize the roles of stoichiometry-regulated microbial metabolism in soil nutrient transformation and have implications for agricultural practices in arid fertigation agroecosystems.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by the West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Science (XAB2020YN05); Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shaanxi Province (2019KJXX-081; 2021JM-605); the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (4177449); Under the auspices of Strategic Priority Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (XDA20040200); and the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund (2452018336).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming On the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, People’s Republic of China

    Zhencheng Ye, Jie Wang, Chao Zhang, Guobin Liu & Qinge Dong

  2. College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, People’s Republic of China

    Jing Li

  3. Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, 712100, People’s Republic of China

    Guobin Liu

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  1. Zhencheng Ye
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  2. Jie Wang
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  3. Jing Li
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  4. Chao Zhang
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  5. Guobin Liu
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  6. Qinge Dong
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Correspondence to Chao Zhang.

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Ye, Z., Wang, J., Li, J. et al. Ecoenzymatic stoichiometry reflects the regulation of microbial carbon and nitrogen limitation on soil nitrogen cycling potential in arid agriculture ecosystems. J Soils Sediments 22, 1228–1241 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03142-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03142-x

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