Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ
In nitrogen (N)-limited temperate regions, winter is an important period of N accumulation. The accumulated N is released during snowmelt and thawing, and the availability peaks in early spring. However, the early-spring dynamics of specific N forms (i.e., ammonium NH4+ and nitrate NO3−) in temperat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308763 |
| _version_ | 1818664466103926784 |
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| author | Linna Ma Chaoxue Zhang Jinchao Feng Guofang Liu Xiaofeng Xu Yixia Lü Weiming He Renzhong Wang |
| author_facet | Linna Ma Chaoxue Zhang Jinchao Feng Guofang Liu Xiaofeng Xu Yixia Lü Weiming He Renzhong Wang |
| author_sort | Linna Ma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In nitrogen (N)-limited temperate regions, winter is an important period of N accumulation. The accumulated N is released during snowmelt and thawing, and the availability peaks in early spring. However, the early-spring dynamics of specific N forms (i.e., ammonium NH4+ and nitrate NO3−) in temperate grasslands are still not fully understood. Here, we added 15NH4+ and 15NO3− (equivalent to 150 mg 15N m−2) to the soils of a meadow steppe and a typical steppe in northern China immediately after snowmelt, then quantified the retention dynamics of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− in soils, microbes, and plants over the subsequent growing season. Approximately 70% of the added 15N tracers were initially retained within the soil−microbe−plant systems in both temperate grasslands. In early spring, much 15N was immobilized in soils and microbes, while little had been taken up by plants. During the subsequent growing season, approximately 45% of the 15N was rapidly lost by the soils and microbes, but plant 15N acquisition gradually increased. Although soils and plants retained similar levels of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− during the growing season, soil microbes retained more 15NH4+ than 15NO3−. Different plant taxa had distinct 15N acquisition capacities: perennial grasses and forbs accumulated the 15N tracers rapidly, while annuals did not. Perennial grasses were effective immobilizers of the 15NH4+, whereas forbs were effective immobilizers of the 15NO3−. These findings provided evidence of the substantial retention of early-spring N over the following growing season in temperate grasslands, regardless of the vegetation type and N form. However, it was clear that the dynamics of early-spring 15NH4+ and 15NO3− differed within the soil−microbe−plant systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:33:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b0994a575d84cf19cc32dd357927259 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:33:11Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b0994a575d84cf19cc32dd3579272592022-12-21T22:01:41ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942020-12-0124e01335Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differLinna Ma0Chaoxue Zhang1Jinchao Feng2Guofang Liu3Xiaofeng Xu4Yixia Lü5Weiming He6Renzhong Wang7State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Desertification Studies, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, ChinaBiology Department, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USAState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Corresponding author. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.In nitrogen (N)-limited temperate regions, winter is an important period of N accumulation. The accumulated N is released during snowmelt and thawing, and the availability peaks in early spring. However, the early-spring dynamics of specific N forms (i.e., ammonium NH4+ and nitrate NO3−) in temperate grasslands are still not fully understood. Here, we added 15NH4+ and 15NO3− (equivalent to 150 mg 15N m−2) to the soils of a meadow steppe and a typical steppe in northern China immediately after snowmelt, then quantified the retention dynamics of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− in soils, microbes, and plants over the subsequent growing season. Approximately 70% of the added 15N tracers were initially retained within the soil−microbe−plant systems in both temperate grasslands. In early spring, much 15N was immobilized in soils and microbes, while little had been taken up by plants. During the subsequent growing season, approximately 45% of the 15N was rapidly lost by the soils and microbes, but plant 15N acquisition gradually increased. Although soils and plants retained similar levels of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− during the growing season, soil microbes retained more 15NH4+ than 15NO3−. Different plant taxa had distinct 15N acquisition capacities: perennial grasses and forbs accumulated the 15N tracers rapidly, while annuals did not. Perennial grasses were effective immobilizers of the 15NH4+, whereas forbs were effective immobilizers of the 15NO3−. These findings provided evidence of the substantial retention of early-spring N over the following growing season in temperate grasslands, regardless of the vegetation type and N form. However, it was clear that the dynamics of early-spring 15NH4+ and 15NO3− differed within the soil−microbe−plant systems.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308763Early springMicrobial N15N labelingN retentionPlant N uptakeTemperate grassland |
| spellingShingle | Linna Ma Chaoxue Zhang Jinchao Feng Guofang Liu Xiaofeng Xu Yixia Lü Weiming He Renzhong Wang Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ Global Ecology and Conservation Early spring Microbial N 15N labeling N retention Plant N uptake Temperate grassland |
| title | Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| title_full | Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| title_fullStr | Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| title_full_unstemmed | Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| title_short | Retention of early-spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands: The dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| title_sort | retention of early spring nitrogen in temperate grasslands the dynamics of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen differ |
| topic | Early spring Microbial N 15N labeling N retention Plant N uptake Temperate grassland |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989420308763 |
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