Influences of global environmental changes on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities: a review北大核心CSCD

丛枝菌根(arbuscular mycorrhizal, AM)真菌是生态系统地上地下部的重要连接体,对其群落结构特征的研究有助于菌种资源的发掘和生态系统的可持续发展.人类生产生活活动对全球环境带来了一系列的改变,如二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高、氮沉降、增温及降水减少/增多等,全球环境变化对AM真菌群落结构的影响也引起了广泛关注.针对二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高、增温、氮沉降和降水减少/增多等全球环境变化因子,总结其对AM真菌群落结构影响的国内外研究进展,探讨全球环境变化对AM真菌群落的可能作用途径.已有模拟全球环境变化实验研究主要集中于北半球的草原、农田和森林系统.大多研究发现二氧化碳和臭氧浓度升高未对AM真菌多样性产生不利影响,但使AM真菌群落结构显著分异.氮沉降和增温对AM真菌多样性的影响表现为降低、无显著影响和增加等多种情况,对AM真菌群落结构的影响也表现为未显著和显著分异,主要与模拟实验处理方式、增加幅度、土壤养分水平和生态系统类型等因素有关.降水减少未显著影响AM真菌群落结构和多样性,而降水增加使AM真菌群落结构发生显著分异.这些研究主要注重AM真菌群落结构和多样性如何改变等生态现象而潜在机理探索以及热带和南半球不同生态系统下的研究尚不足.另外,鉴于全球变化因子间的关联性,复合因子对AM真菌群落结构的影响值得重视.(图1表4参113)     

陆地生态系统植物和土壤微生物群落多样性对全球变化的响应与适应研究进展

生态系统植物和土壤微生物群落多样性受氮沉降、气候变暖、大气CO_2浓度升高(eCO_2)、极端干旱等全球变化的强烈影响,深入认识和理解全球变化下植物群落-土壤微生物群落的关系对生物多样性保护至关重要。文章综述了陆地生态系统植物和土壤微生物群落多样性对以上4种全球变化单因子和多因子(双因子、三因子及四因子)交互作用的响应与适应规律。主要结论为,(1)氮沉降、气候变暖和极端干旱均改变了植物和土壤微生物的群落组成,呈现降低、增加和无影响3种效应,大多数研究结果是降低效应,例如高氮沉降和长期低水平氮沉降减少了植物多样性,微生物群落多样性的下降幅度随氮沉降时间和量的增加而加强;气候变暖改变了植物的物候,降低了植物多样性,促使土壤微生物群落的演替分异;极端干旱导致植物组成发生了方向性的变化,植物多样性降低并促进盐生植物的生长,土壤微生物量和活性降低并促使转向渗透胁迫型策略。(2)eCO_2增加促进植物光合作用从而刺激植物的生长,对植物多样性的影响取决于资源可利用性,一般增加根际细菌和土壤真菌的相对丰度以加快土壤的碳源利用。(3)全球变化多因子交互作用下植物-土壤微生物群落多样性的关联效应主要为协同、累加、抵消或非加性等,其中氮沉降×气候变暖为累加;氮沉降×eCO_2对植物生物量的影响为协同增效,而对植物群落可能是相反或抵消;气候变暖×eCO_2对土壤微生物群落为累加;三因子和四因子交互作用对植物和土壤微生物群落为非加性,较难预测。最后指出当前的研究不足和今后的发展方向:(1)加大不同时空尺度的植物和土壤微生物群落研究;(2)精确全球变化多因子交互作用对植物和土壤微生物群落多样性影响的估算。     

东北北部温带森林和干草地土壤养分分布及影响因素

土壤是陆地生态系统碳储存的重要场所,其养分变化与全球陆地碳循环密切相关。土壤养分是植物生长的重要保证,而土壤各养分之间是紧密联系的。理解土壤养分变化与环境因素的关系有助于更好地了解陆地生态系统碳、氮、磷循环。本研究以东北北部自东向西沿降水量梯度变化纬度带上的温带森林与干草地生态系统为研究对象,利用气象数据和野外土壤实测数据,分析了纬度带上不同植被类型土壤的有机碳、全氮、碳氮比、速效磷的空间分布格局及其与环境因子（年降水量、年均温、土壤pH值）的关系。研究纬度带上降水量自东向西逐渐减少,植被类型从温带森林过渡到干草原,与降水量和植被类型对应,植被生物量也自东向西呈现从高到低的分布梯度。研究结果表明：从整个研究带上来说,降水量与土壤pH值是土壤养分空间分布的决定因素,沿纬度带从东到西,随着降水量逐渐减少,土壤pH值逐渐增加,而土壤有机碳、全氮、碳氮比、速效磷含量逐渐减少。但如果将森林和草地分别讨论则发现,森林和草地生态系统的土壤养分环境控制因素有较大差别。对于草地生态系统而言,降水量和土壤pH值仍然是其土壤养分含量的控制因子,但森林生态系统由于所处区域降水量充足,降水量不再是其土壤养分的控制因子,降水量只与森林土壤碳氮比呈显著正相关。研究还发现森林土壤的速效磷含量与温度呈正相关,与土壤pH值呈负相关,说明温度对东北北部温带森林的土壤养分含量具有一定的控制作用。     

氮沉降对森林土壤碳收支机制的影响

森林土壤储存着全球陆地生态系统大约45%的碳,在维持全球碳平衡方面具有重要的作用。不断加剧的全球氮沉降对森林生态系统碳循环和碳吸存产生了深刻的影响,进而改变了森林生态系统的生产力和生物量积累。本文以欧洲和北美温带地区开展的有关氮沉降对森林生态系统影响的研究为基础,提炼出最可能决定加氮影响碳输入、输出效应方向和大小的因素：凋落物分解、细根周转、外生菌根真菌、土壤呼吸及可溶性有机碳淋失,并探讨了森林生态系统碳动态对氮沉降响应的不确定性。陆地生态系统碳氮循环密切相关,由于氮循环的复杂性,尽管以往碳循环研究都考虑了氮对碳循环的限制作用,但在碳氮循环耦合机理方面的研究还比较少见。在未来研究中,应通过探寻森林土壤碳氮相互作用特征,及土壤微生物、土壤酶等与土壤碳氮过程的互动机制,来增进氮沉降对森林碳储量和碳通量的理解。     

森林土地利用变化及其对碳循环的影响

由于人口剧增，人类活动的影响不断加大，在过去100年全球土地利用／土地覆被发生了巨大的变化。最常见的土地利用变化是由森林转变为农业用地。森林砍伐使森林生态系统地上部生物量大大减少，砍伐后作农业用地，降低了植被生产力，减少了土壤有机质的输入，增强了腐殖质的矿化作用，有机质分解速率增加，有机碳贮量随之降低，从而影响到森林生态系统的碳循环，使大量碳元素释放到大气中，引起温室效应，导致全球变暖。另一个常见的土地利用变化是植树造林和森林恢复，这一过程可以增加森林生态系统的碳储量，从而减缓大气CO2体积分数的上升。     

土地利用对湿地土壤活性有机碳的影响研究进展

湿地生态系统土壤碳库的周转及碳源/汇过程对全球气候变化起着极其重要的作用,而土壤碳库中的活性碳组分对环境因子变化响应最为敏感,湿地土壤活性有机碳在湿地土壤碳、氮、磷等养分元素的生物地球化学循环方面起着十分重要的作用。不同的土地利用方式对湿地土壤活性有机碳组分的特征分布影响显著,综述了土壤活性有机碳内涵、组分及土地利用方式变化对湿地土壤活性有机碳多种组分的影响研究进展,展望不同土地利用方式下湿地土壤活性碳库的未来研究方向,并提出今后应加强不同土地利用方式下湿地生态系统土壤活性碳库与土壤微生物及土壤酶活性的关系研究,以期为评估湿地生态系统碳源/汇功能提供理论基础。     

降水变化、氮添加对鼎湖山主要森林土壤有机碳矿化和土壤微生物碳的影响

全球变化对土壤有机碳(SOC)存贮与分解的影响在全球碳(C)循环中具有重要地位.分别通过室内土壤培养法和氯仿熏蒸法,研究了降水变化和氮(N)添加处理对鼎湖山3种不同演替阶段的季风常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林和马尾松针叶林SOC矿化和土壤微生物量碳(SMBC)的影响.结果表明:1)降水量增加能够提高森林演替晚期SOC累积矿化量和矿化速率,而对森林演替早期SOC累积矿化量和矿化速率没有显著影响(P>0.05).2)干旱条件(降水量减少)降低森林SMBC含量,且在鼎湖山季风林表层土壤(0～10 cm)中SMBC的减少达到显著水平(P<0.05).3)N添加处理对鼎湖山3种森林类型SOC累积矿化量、矿化速率以及SMBC都没有显著影响(P>0.05).未来关于SOC矿化对全球变化响应的研究,要综合考虑土壤有机质质量、C/N比例、外源性氮输入等因素的作用.图4表2参37     

大气CO2升高对土壤碳循环影响的研究进展

土壤有机碳是陆地碳库的重要组成部分,其积累和分解的变化直接影响全球的碳平衡。据估计,全球土壤（表层1m）有机碳积累总量相当于大气中碳总量的2～3倍。土壤是温室气体的源或汇,土壤碳库的变化将影响大气C02的浓度,因此,土壤碳库对人类活动的响应也是全球碳循环和全球变化研究的热点。在全球变化的大背景下,大气CO2升高导致植被生态系统碳平衡的改变进而对土壤碳循环产生影响。总结了陆地生态系统碳循环对大气C02浓度升高响应的主要生物学机制及过程,简述了大气C02浓度升高对影响土壤碳输入和输出的各因素的研究进展,并指出未来研究的主要方向。在大气C02浓度升高条件下,陆地生态系统碳循环的变化主要反映在以下几个方面：1）不同类型植物群落的净初级生产力（NPP）显著增加,但湿地植物的净初级生产力也有可能降低;2）光合产物向根系分配的数量增加,地上／地下生物量降低,根系形态发生变化,根系周转速率和根系分泌等过程的碳流量提高;3）植物含氮量降低,C／N提高,次生代谢产物增加,微生物生长受到抑制,植物残体分解速率降低;4）土壤呼吸速率显著增加,提高幅度受植物类型与土壤状况的影响;5）进入土壤的植物残体及分泌物的数量和性质影响土壤酶的活性,脱氢酶和转化酶活性增加,酚氧化酶和纤维素酶受植物类型与环境条件的影响;6）土壤中真菌的数量的增加幅度要高于细菌;7）CH4释放量增加,在植物的生长期表现更为明显。由于陆地生态系统碳循环的复杂性,研究结果仍有很大的不确定性。大气C02浓度升高与全球变化的其它表现间的交互作用将是今后研究的重点,同时由于土壤碳循环是一个由微生物介导的生物地球化学循环过程,因此,加强陆地生态系统碳循环的微生物机制研究也将为全面理解碳循环的过程提供更加准确的研究理论基础。     

凋落物季节性输入对川西亚高山森林土壤活性有机碳的影响

土壤活性有机碳是土壤有机碳库的活跃组分,在森林生态系统碳循环中具有重要作用;凋落物作为森林土壤有机碳库的主要来源,其季节性输入可能会对土壤活性有机碳动态产生不同的影响.为了解土壤活性有机碳如何响应凋落物输入的季节变化,选取川西亚高山3种不同森林类型(针叶林、混交林和阔叶林),采用凋落物原位控制实验,分别于凋落物输入的枝条高峰期、非生理性高峰期、生殖高峰期和叶高峰期进行样品采集,对比这4个关键时期的凋落物输入对土壤溶解性有机碳(DOC)、易氧化有机碳(EOC)、颗粒有机碳(POC)和轻组有机碳(LFC)的影响.结果显示,凋落物季节性输入下,土壤DOC浓度在非生理性高峰期减少11.1%-26.4%,在生殖高峰期增加23.9%-34.5%;EOC浓度在各采样时期均有不同程度的增加(12.9%-84.5%);而POC浓度在各采样时期主要呈减少趋势(35.6%-46.8%);LFC浓度在枝条凋落高峰期显著增加(26.75%-106.1%),随后呈减少趋势(20.3%-39.9%).凋落物C/N显著解释了土壤DOC和EOC浓度变化,而对土壤POC和LFC浓度变化的解释不显著.综上所述,土壤活性有机碳组分对凋落物季节性输入短期内即有响应,由于活性有机碳组分周转机制的差异,以及土壤理化性质(土壤温度、冻融循环和全氮等)的调控作用,不同活性有机碳组分的响应存在差异,其内在机制需进一步研究;上述结果为认识气候变化背景下高山森林土壤碳循环相关生态过程提供了基础数据.(图4表1参55)     

植物多样性对土壤微生物的影响

生物多样性强烈地影响生态系统的过程.生态系统过程的变化可导致生物多样性衰减并因此导致生态系统功能衰退.植物种丰度和植物功能多样性对土壤细菌群落的代谢活性和代谢多样性有成正比的影响.土壤细菌的代谢活性和代谢多样性随植物种数量的对数和植物功能组的数量而直线上升.其原因可能是由植被流入土壤的物质和能量的多样性和数量的增加,也可能是由土壤动物区系起作用的土壤微生境的多样性的增加造成的.由于植物多样性的丧失所引起的植物生物量的减少对分解者群落有强烈的影响微生物生物量将可能减少,因为在大多数陆地生态系统中,有机碳源限制着土壤微生物的活性.     

The enigma of progress in denitrification research.

Humans have dramatically increased the amount of reactive nitrogen (primarily ammonium, nitrogen oxides, and organically bound N) circulating in the biosphere and atmosphere, creating a wide array of desirable products (e.g., food production) and undesirable consequences (e.g., eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and air pollution). Only when this reactive N is converted back to the chemically unreactive dinitrogen (N2) form, do these cascading effects of elevated reactive N cease to be of concern. Among the quantitatively most important processes for converting reactive N to N2 gas is the biological process of classical denitrification, in which oxides of nitrogen are used as terminal electron acceptors in anaerobic respiration. This Invited Feature on denitrification includes a series of papers that integrate our current state of knowledge across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems on denitrification rates, controlling factors, and methodologies for measuring and modeling denitrification. In this paper, we present an overview of the role of denitrification within the broader N cycle, the environmental and health concerns that have resulted from human alteration of the N cycle, and a brief historical perspective on why denitrification has been so difficult to study. Despite over a century of research on denitrification and numerous recent technological advances, we still lack a comprehensive, quantitative understanding of denitrification rates and controlling factors across ecosystems. Inherent problems of measuring spatially and temporally heterogeneous N2 production under an N2-rich atmosphere account for much of this slow progress, but lack of interdisciplinary communication of research results and methodological developments has also impeded denitrification research. An integrated multidisciplinary approach to denitrification research, from upland terrestrial ecosystems, to small streams, river systems, estuaries, and continental shelf ecosystems, and to the open ocean, may yield new insights into denitrification across landscapes and waterscapes.     

Nutrient balance in the ecosystem of the North Western Adriatic Sea

The effects of biological processes on dissolved inorganic nutrients, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and phosphorus (DOP) are considered in the north western Adriatic Sea. The budgets of these nutrients, which represent the sum of production and consumption processes in comparison to advection, are discussed with regard to dissolved inorganic nitrogen ( 15 N labelled) uptake, which basically indicates the biological demand of this fraction of nitrogen by phytoplankton community. The presented data show that, although important, the continental input of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), mainly nitrate, is utilised and recycled within the coastal marine environment (budget of m 15 r µmol-N·dm m 3 ). In fact, during four cruises (June, 1996; February, 1997; June, 1997; February, 1998), phytoplankton production was mainly driven by regenerated nutrients ( f h 0.4). Regarding dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), the negative budgets observed in most cases (down to m 0.4 r µmol-P·dm m 3 ) confirm, above all, its scarce availability in this basin. Recycling processes rather than continental inputs regulate the availability of this nutrient. In addition, the comparison between DIN and DIP budgets indicates that, in this ecosystem, dissolved inorganic phosphorus is recycled faster than nitrogen through the living particulate and dissolved organic pools. As a consequence of biological activities, a strong production of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) can occur in summer (up to +22 r µmol-N·dm m 3 ) while DOP shows a more independent behaviour both with respect to its accumulation in the environment and to the observed nitrogen variations.     

淡水水体溶解有机氮对有毒藻种的生物有效性

溶解有机氮(Dissolved organic nitrogen,DON)是多数天然水体中溶解氮的主要组成部分。天然水体DON是许多微生命体包括有毒藻种的氮营养源,在供水安全以及水体富营养化等方面的生态环境效应不容忽视。文章系统地介绍了淡水水体DON含量与来源、生物有效性与估算方法,以及对有毒藻种生长的影响。DON的来源是影响水体中DON含量动态特征的关键因素。DON来源包括陆地径流,植物碎屑,土壤淋溶液,沉积物释放,大气沉降,藻类、大型植物、细菌与细胞死亡或自我分解,微型及大型浮游动物捕食和排泄、分泌物释放等。研究表明约有12%～72%的DON可迅速被生物所利用,具显著差异,究其原因可能是其来源组成、化学本质(分子质量与极性)、测试生物组成、是否有细菌作用等因素造成的。不同藻种具有不同氮源利用能力,DON对藻类生长具有直接或间接的作用,并可能影响藻类群落结构(有毒藻类成为优势种)。考虑到水环境保护与饮用水安全供水的重要性,未来研究应重视淡水水体DON生物有效性与其化学本质的揭示,尤其是对有毒藻种。     

宁夏引黄灌区稻田氮磷流失特征初探

在宁夏引黄灌区选择相对封闭灌排体系作为试验监测区,通过2年在作物灌溉期间对试验监测区的灌排水中氮磷的跟踪监测,研究了该区域氮、磷流失,分析了支渠灌溉水、支沟排水中的氮磷动态变化规律。研究表明：2006年种稻区的氮磷流失明显高于2007年的稻旱区,稻区氮的流失负荷15.2kg·hm-2,磷的流失负荷6.9kg·hm-2;稻区比稻旱区氮磷流失严重,稻区总氮变幅在0.32～8.22mg·L-1,总磷变幅在0.012～0.921mg·L-1,均超过水体富营养化指标;稻区支沟排水中氮磷组分变化与稻旱区一致,氮都是以硝态氮为主,磷以溶解性总磷和颗粒磷为主,支沟排水中的硝态氮动态变化与总氮变化一致,颗粒磷与总磷动态变化一致,均为前期颗粒磷含量较高,中后期较低,可溶性总磷与之相反;灌溉前期支沟排水中氮磷流失严重的几个时期,均是在各种作物施肥7～10d后,尤其氮、硝态氮流失严重,后期支沟排水中氮磷流失是由于传统的不合理的灌溉形成的地表径流,将灌溉水养分含量迁移到排水中,造成支沟排水氮磷流失加重。结合宁夏引黄灌区的自然条件、耕作方式等因素,综合分析了宁夏引黄灌区在作物灌溉期间非点源污染产生过程及污染特点,为该地区非点源污染管理和控制提供科学依据。     

Pretreatment for dissolved organic nitrogen testing by gas stripping

ABSTRACT

Total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), including dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), is of significant importance in aquatic systems due to its roles in numerous environmental processes, such as nutrients for agriculture activities, sources for lake and estuary eutrophication, and one of the major factors contributing to disinfection byproduct formation. The distribution and impact of DIN on these processes are relatively well-understood; however, information on DON is extremely limited, as there is no direct method for its quantification. DON is conventionally determined by subtracting DIN from TDN. However, significant errors may be introduced if DIN is the predominant species in samples with high concentrations of TDN. In order to deal with this challenge, pretreatment method for nitrogen gas stripping was investigated using 56 water samples collected from various ecosystems. The results indicated that after nitrogen gas stripping pretreatment, removal % of ammonia nitrogen (NH₃–N) was more than 87.5%, and the ratios of removal of NH₃–N/removal of TDN (β) were over 86.5% for most of 56 samples with high [NH₃–N], indicating a high efficiency for removal of NH₃–N, and that NH₃–N was the predominant nitrogen species removed for the samples with high [NH₃–N]. Therefore, nitrogen gas stripping is an appropriate pretreatment method for DON testing when NH₃–N is the dominant inorganic nitrogen species.     

农田土壤硝化-反硝化作用与N_2O的排放

在北京潮土上研究了冬小麦夏玉米轮作体系下土壤硝化反硝化作用以及N2O排放情况。结果表明,小麦生育期土壤温度及含水量较低,无论是反硝化损失氮量还是土壤的N2O生成排放量均不高。土壤的N2O生成排放量与反硝化氮量相当或低于反硝化氮量。玉米生育期土壤温度升高以及孔隙含水量有较大的改善,反硝化损失氮量、N2O生成排放量有明显上升。通常情况下土壤反硝化损失氮量与N2O排放氮量基本处于同一水平。在玉米十叶期追肥后的较短时间内,N2O总排放量明显高于反硝化损失氮量,说明至少在这一阶段中,硝化作用在北方旱地土壤N2O的排放中发挥了主要作用。在评价北方旱地农田土壤氮素硝化反硝化损失中,硝化作用的氮素损失是不可忽视的重要方面。     

Effect of water and temperature on ammonia volatilization of maize straw returning

ABSTRACT

Ammonia volatilization is an important nitrogen (N) loss pathway in agricultural production and consequent significant atmospheric pollutant. The primary objective of this study was to (1) examine effects of environmental factors such as temperature and soil water capacity, as well as crop residue (CR) addition as fertilizer, on ammonia (NH₃) volatilization, and (2) search for a comprehensive management strategy to reduce accumulative ammonia volatilization (AAV). A bench-scale cultivated experiment was conducted at two environment temperatures (15 or 25 °C), three forms of soil water capacity (30%, 50%, or 70% soil field moisture capacity), and two treatments of fertilizers (conventional fertilizer urea and straw returning – 10% of total N application arising from maize straw and remainder from conventional urea). Results showed that AAV was markedly decreased by adjusting soil water capacity, temperature, and CR addition. Significant quantified exponential correlation between AAV and soil moisture was observed. More than 70% AAV was reduced in intermediate 50% and high 70% soil moisture compared to low 30%. AAV was less sensitive to temperature than soil moisture using black soils. Only in low soil moisture, AAV rose with increasing of temperature. Straw restoration addition decreased significantly the AAV loss.     

江苏省夏季浮萍种类及其生长水环境调查

对江苏省多个县（市）分布有浮萍的工业区、生活区、农田水体进行调查与采样,观测各地浮萍种类及其生长水体的富营养化状况,探讨水体pH值,铵态氮、硝态氮、总氮、总磷含量与浮萍分布的关系。调查结果表明,浮萍适宜生长在静止的水体中,流动的河流中较为少见;此外,浮萍适宜生长在农田和生活区水体中,工业区附近样本数较少。江苏省夏季浮萍的主要品种为紫萍（Spirodelapolyrrhiza）、青萍（Lemmaminor）、芜萍（Wolffiaarrhiza）和少根紫萍（Spirodelaoligorrhiza）,调查期间未发现稀脉浮萍（Lemmaperpusilla）与品藻（Lemmatrisulca）。紫萍和青萍在所调查的每个采样点均有分布,其生长水体的pH值变化范围（4．5～7．5）较大。浮萍生长水环境的氮、磷养分浓度范围很广,铵态氮、硝态氮、总氮、总磷质量浓度范围分别为0～42、0．2—2．0、0．2～45和0．02～13mg·L-1,尚未发现浮萍分布与水体氮、磷含量之间的必然联系。工业区附近水体中常见紫萍与青萍以共生形式存在,偶尔还伴有芜萍。在利用浮萍去除水中氮、磷营养物质时,应优先考虑利用各地当季优势浮萍品种及不同品种浮萍的共生复合系统,保障浮萍的最大生长量以及对水体氮、磷的最大去除率。     

Nitrate production and availability in residential soils

The rapid increase in residential land area in the United States has raised concern about water pollution associated with nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrate (NO3-) is the form of reactive N that is most susceptible to leaching and runoff; thus, a more thorough understanding of nitrification and NO3(-) availability is needed if we are to accurately predict the consequences of residential expansion for water quality. In particular, there have been few assessments of how the land use history, housing density, and age of residential soils influence NO3(-) pools and fluxes, especially at depth. In this study, we used 1 m deep soil cores to evaluate potential net nitrification and mineralization, microbial respiration and biomass, and soil NO3(-) and NH4+ pools in 32 residential home lawns that differed by previous land use and age, but had similar soil types. These were compared to eight forested reference sites with similar soils. Our results suggest that a change to residential land use has increased pools and production of reactive N, which has clear implications for water quality in the region. However, the results contradict the common assumption that NO3(-) production and availability is dramatically higher in residential soils than in forests in general. While net nitrification (128.6 +/- 15.5 mg m(-2) d(-1) vs. 4.7 +/- 2.3 mg m(-2) d(-1); mean +/- SE) and exchangeable NO3(-) (3.8 +/- 0.5 g/m2 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.3 g/m2) were significantly higher in residential soils than in forest soils in this study, these measures of NO3(-) production and availability were still notably low, comparable to deciduous forest stands in other studies. A second unexpected result was that current homeowner management practices were not predictive of NO3(-) availability or production. This may reflect the transient availability of inorganic N after fertilizer application. Higher housing density and a history of agricultural land use were predictors of greater NO3(-) availability in residential soils. If these factors are good predictors across a wider range of sites, they may be useful indicators of NO3(-) availability and leaching and runoff potential at the landscape scale.     

Effects of nitrogen addition on the growth of the salt marsh grassElymus athericus

Effects of nitrogen addition on the growth of the salt marsh grassElymus athericus were studied under greenhouse conditions. The addition of inorganic nitrogen (in the form of nitrate or ammonium and ranging from 0–24 g N/m²) stimulated the growth ofElymus athericus at the highest addition. Addition of nitrogen led to an increase of the soil nitrate concentrations both in the nitrate and ammonium treated soil in the first period of the experiment, whereas no differences were present at the end of the experiment. Ammonium in the ammonium treatments was transformed to nitrate within 15 days. In another experiment the values of the stable isotope nitrogen-15—expressed as δ¹⁵N-in nitrogen compounds used as fertilizer, in salt marsh soil and ofElymus athericus were measured. The δ¹⁵N of the N-compounds added (between ?3.2 and +2.6‰) were lower than the soil (ca.+10‰) and plants (ca.+8‰). During growth in water culture the δ¹⁵N of the leaves, stems and roots ofElymus athericus decreased from +9‰ to ?1‰. The latter value was close to the °¹⁵N of the N-compounds used in the water solution. Addition of N-compounds in soil culture, however, did not lead to such a decrease of the °¹⁵N ofElymus athericus. The difference in δ¹⁵N between soil nitrogen and the N-compounds added may be too small to be used successfully in ecological studies of nitrogen fluxes in the salt marsh environment.