N{sub 2}O production pathways in the subtropical acid forest soils in China
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008 (China)
To date, N{sub 2}O production pathways are poorly understood in the humid subtropical and tropical forest soils. A {sup 15}N-tracing experiment was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions to investigate the processes responsible for N{sub 2}O production in four subtropical acid forest soils (pH<4.5) in China. The results showed that denitrification was the main source of N{sub 2}O emission in the subtropical acid forest soils, being responsible for 56.1%, 53.5%, 54.4%, and 55.2% of N{sub 2}O production, in the GC, GS, GB, and TC soils, respectively, under aerobic conditions (40%-52%WFPS). The heterotrophic nitrification (recalcitrant organic N oxidation) accounted for 27.3%-41.8% of N{sub 2}O production, while the contribution of autotrophic nitrification was little in the studied subtropical acid forest soils. The ratios of N{sub 2}O-N emission from total nitrification (heterotrophic+autotrophic nitrification) were higher than those in most previous references. The soil with the lowest pH and highest organic-C content (GB) had the highest ratio (1.63%), suggesting that soil pH-organic matter interactions may exist and affect N{sub 2}O product ratios from nitrification. The ratio of N{sub 2}O-N emission from heterotrophic nitrification varied from 0.02% to 25.4% due to soil pH and organic matter. Results are valuable in the accurate modeling of N2O production in the subtropical acid forest soils and global budget. - Highlights: {yields} We studied N{sub 2}O production pathways in subtropical acid forest soil under aerobic conditions. {yields} Denitrification was the main source of N{sub 2}O production in subtropical acid forest soils. {yields} Heterotrophic nitrification accounted for 27.3%-41.8% of N{sub 2}O production. {yields} While, contribution of autotrophic nitrification to N{sub 2}O production was little. {yields} Ratios of N{sub 2}O-N emission from nitrification were higher than those in most previous references.
- OSTI ID:
- 22143616
- Journal Information:
- Environmental Research, Vol. 111, Issue 5; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0013-9351
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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