Responses of soil gross nitrogen transformations to three vegetation restoration strategies in a subtropical karst region

Bibliographic Data

ID21649020
AuthorsDejun Li (0000-0002-6376-5786, Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha PR China, corresponding author), Li Wen (0000-0002-1498-3103, Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha PR China), Kongcao Xiao (Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha PR China), Tongqing Song (Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha PR China), Kelin Wang (0000-0001-7599-7798, Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha PR China)
Year2021
Volume32
Issue8
Pages2520-2527
Publication date2021-05-15
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLand Degradation and Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1085-3278 • E-ISSN: 1099-145X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ldr.3907
OpenAlexW3126553885
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited43

Investigation of soil internal nitrogen cycles is useful for unravelling the mechanisms responsible for soil nitrogen availability change. Here, gross nitrogen transformations were investigated in a subtropical karst area after 16 years of vegetation restoration. The experiment included four treatments with one control and three restoration strategies, that is: (i) maize‐soybean rotation field (CR, control); (ii) restoration with Toona sinensis (TS); (iii) restoration with Guimu‐1 hybrid elephant grass (GG, Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke × Pennisetum purpureum Schumach); and (iv) restoration with Guimu‐1 hybrid elephant grass and Zenia insignis as a mixture (ZG). Soil NH 4 + and NO 3 − responded differentially to three restoration strategies, resulting in no significant change of total inorganic N content following vegetation restoration. Gross nitrogen mineralization (GNM) rate increased by 124.0%, 96.8%, and 60.3% in TS, GG, and ZG, respectively, relative to CR (2.88 ± 0.05 mg N kg −1 d −1 ). The strongest explanatory variable was microbial biomass carbon for both GNM ( R 2 = 0.82) and gross nitrification ( R 2 = 0.66). Dissimilatory NO 3 − reduction to NH 4 + (DNRA) rate in TS or ZG, which was significantly greater than that in CR, was significantly correlated with SOC: NO 3 − ratio ( R 2 = 0.61), implying that DNRA was limited by SOC availability. Gross NH 4 + immobilization rate, which was highest in GG, and lowest in CR, was best predicted by carbon to nitrogen ratio ( R 2 = 0.65). However, gross NO 3 − immobilization rate could not be well predicted by the measured soil properties. Our results suggest that vegetation restoration especially TS significantly enhanced soil N availability as reflected by gross N mineralization rate

Agronomy · Animal science · Biology · Botany · Nitrification · Nitrogen · Nitrogen Cycle · Pennisetum purpureum · Restoration Ecology · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism · Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics · Soil erosion and sediment transport · Ecology

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