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Itoh M, Osaka K, Iizuka K, Kosugi Y, Lion M, Shiodera S. Assessing the changes in river water quality across a land-use change (forest to oil palm plantation) in peninsular Malaysia using the stable isotopes of water and nitrate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160319. [PMID: 36410477 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Land conversion from natural forests to plantations (e.g., oil palm) in Southeast Asia is one of the most intensive land-use changes occurring worldwide. To clarify the effects of oil palm plantations on water quality, we conducted multipoint river and stream water sampling in peninsular Malaysia at the end of the rainy season over a 3-year period (2013-2015). We measured the major dissolved ions and stable isotope ratios of water (δ2H-H2O and δ18O-H2O) and nitrate (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-) in water from the upper streams in mountainous forests to the midstream areas of two major rivers in peninsular Malaysia. The electrical conductivity increased, and the d-excess value (as an index of the degree of evaporation) decreased with increasing distance from the headwaters, suggesting the effect of evaporative enrichment and the addition of pollutants. We separated the sampling points into four groups (G1-G4) through cluster analysis of the water quality data. From the land use/land cover (LULC) classification maps developed from satellite images and local information, we found that G1 and G2 mainly consisted of sampling points in forested areas, while G3 and G4 were located in oil-palm-affected areas. The concentrations of major ions were higher in the oil palm areas, indicating the effects of fertilizer and limestone (i.e., pH adjustment) applications. The dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration did not differ among the groups, but the dissolved organic carbon, total dissolved nitrogen, and δ15N-NO3- were higher in the oil palm area than in the forested area. Although the nitrogen concentration was low, even in the oil palm area, the significantly higher δ15N-NO3- in the oil palm area indicated substantial denitrification. This implies that denitrification contributed to the lowering of the NO3- concentration in rivers in the oil palm area, in addition to nutrient uptake by oil palm trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Itoh
- School of Human Science and Environment, University of Hyogo, 670-0092, Hyogo, Japan; Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
| | - Ken'ichi Osaka
- School of Environmental Science, The University of Shiga Prefecture, 522-8533, Shiga, Japan.
| | - Kotaro Iizuka
- Center for Spatial Information Science, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8568, Japan.
| | - Yoshiko Kosugi
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, 606-8502 Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Marryanna Lion
- Forestry and Environment Division, Forest Research Institute, Malaysia.
| | - Satomi Shiodera
- Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Global Liberal Studies, Faculty of Global Liberal Studies, Nanzan University, Aichi 466-8673, Japan.
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Liu M, Han G. Alterations of ecosystem nitrogen status following agricultural land abandonment in the Karst Critical Zone Observatory (KCZO), Southwest China. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14790. [PMID: 36726724 PMCID: PMC9885863 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Secondary succession after agricultural land abandonment generally affects nitrogen (N) cycle processes and ecosystem N status. However, changes in soil N availability and NO3 - loss potential following secondary succession are not well understood in karst ecosystems. Methods In the Karst Critical Zone Observatory (KCZO) of Southwest China, croplands, shrub-grass lands, and secondary forest lands were selected to represent the three stages of secondary succession after agricultural land abandonment by using a space-for-time substitution approach. The contents and 15N natural abundance (δ 15N) of leaves, soils, and different-sized aggregates at the three stages of secondary succession were analyzed. The δ 15N compositions of soil organic nitrogen (SON) in aggregates and soil to plant 15N enrichment factor (EF = δ 15Nleaf -δ 15Nsoil), combined with soil inorganic N contents and δ 15N compositions were used to indicate the alterations of soil N availability and NO3 -loss potential following secondary succession. Results Leaf N content and SON content significantly increased following secondary succession, indicating N accumulation in the soil and plant. The δ 15N values of SON also significantly decreased, mainly affected by plant δ 15N composition and N mineralization. SON content in macro-aggregates and soil NH4 + content significantly increased while δ 15N values of NH4 + decreased, implying increases in SON stabilization and improved soil N availability following secondary succession. Leaf δ 15N values, the EF values, and the (NO3 --N)/(NH4 +-N) ratio gradually decreased, indicating reduced NO3 - loss following secondary succession. Conclusions Soil N availability improves and NO3 - leaching loss reduces following secondary succession after agricultural land abandonment in the KCZO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Liu
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Guilin Han
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
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Liu M, Han G. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope compositions in plant-soil systems under different land-use types in a red soil region, Southeast China. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13558. [PMID: 35694377 PMCID: PMC9179617 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stable N isotope compositions in plant-soil systems have been widely used to indicate soil N transformation and translocation processes in ecosystems. However, soil N processes and nitrate ( NO 3 - ) loss potential under different land-use types are short of systematic comparison in the red soil region of Southeast China. Methods In the present study, the stable N and C isotope compositions (δ 15N and δ 13C) of soil and leaf were analyzed to indicate soil N transformation processes, and the soil to plant 15N enrichment factor (EF) was used to compare soil NO 3 - loss potential under different land-use types, including an abandoned agricultural land, a natural pure forest without understory, and a natural pure forest with a simple understory. Results The foliar δ 15N value (-0.8‰) in the abandoned agricultural land was greater than those of the forest lands (ranged from -2.2‰ to -10.8‰). In the abandoned agricultural land, δ 15N values of soil organic nitrogen (SON) increased from 0.8‰ to 5.7‰ and δ 13C values of soil organic carbon (SOC) decreased from -22.7‰ to -25.9‰ with increasing soil depth from 0-70 cm, mainly resulting from SON mineralization, soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition, and C4 plant input. In the soils below 70 cm depth, δ 15N values of SON (mean 4.9‰) were likely affected by microbial assimilation of 15N-depleted NO 3 - . The variations in δ 15N values of soil profiles under the two forests were similar, but the EF values were significant different between the pure forest with a simple understory (-10.0‰) and the forest without understory (-5.5‰). Conclusions These results suggest that soil to plant 15N enrichment factor have a great promise to compare soil NO 3 - loss potential among different ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Liu
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
| | - Guilin Han
- Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing, China
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Low N 2O and variable CH 4 fluxes from tropical forest soils of the Congo Basin. Nat Commun 2022; 13:330. [PMID: 35039512 PMCID: PMC8764088 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27978-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, tropical forests are assumed to be an important source of atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) and sink for methane (CH4). Yet, although the Congo Basin comprises the second largest tropical forest and is considered the most pristine large basin left on Earth, in situ N2O and CH4 flux measurements are scarce. Here, we provide multi-year data derived from on-ground soil flux (n = 1558) and riverine dissolved gas concentration (n = 332) measurements spanning montane, swamp, and lowland forests. Each forest type core monitoring site was sampled at least for one hydrological year between 2016 - 2020 at a frequency of 7-14 days. We estimate a terrestrial CH4 uptake (in kg CH4-C ha−1 yr−1) for montane (−4.28) and lowland forests (−3.52) and a massive CH4 release from swamp forests (non-inundated 2.68; inundated 341). All investigated forest types were a N2O source (except for inundated swamp forest) with 0.93, 1.56, 3.5, and −0.19 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1 for montane, lowland, non-inundated swamp, and inundated swamp forests, respectively. The Congo Basin is home to the second largest stretch of continuous tropical forest, but the magnitude of greenhouse fluxes are poorly understood. Here the authors analyze gas samples and find the region is not actually a hotspot of N2O emissions.
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Gallarotti N, Barthel M, Verhoeven E, Pereira EIP, Bauters M, Baumgartner S, Drake TW, Boeckx P, Mohn J, Longepierre M, Mugula JK, Makelele IA, Ntaboba LC, Six J. In-depth analysis of N 2O fluxes in tropical forest soils of the Congo Basin combining isotope and functional gene analysis. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:3357-3374. [PMID: 34035444 PMCID: PMC8528805 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Primary tropical forests generally exhibit large gaseous nitrogen (N) losses, occurring as nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O) or elemental nitrogen (N2). The release of N2O is of particular concern due to its high global warming potential and destruction of stratospheric ozone. Tropical forest soils are predicted to be among the largest natural sources of N2O; however, despite being the world's second-largest rainforest, measurements of gaseous N-losses from forest soils of the Congo Basin are scarce. In addition, long-term studies investigating N2O fluxes from different forest ecosystem types (lowland and montane forests) are scarce. In this study we show that fluxes measured in the Congo Basin were lower than fluxes measured in the Neotropics, and in the tropical forests of Australia and South East Asia. In addition, we show that despite different climatic conditions, average annual N2O fluxes in the Congo Basin's lowland forests (0.97 ± 0.53 kg N ha-1 year-1) were comparable to those in its montane forest (0.88 ± 0.97 kg N ha-1 year-1). Measurements of soil pore air N2O isotope data at multiple depths suggests that a microbial reduction of N2O to N2 within the soil may account for the observed low surface N2O fluxes and low soil pore N2O concentrations. The potential for microbial reduction is corroborated by a significant abundance and expression of the gene nosZ in soil samples from both study sites. Although isotopic and functional gene analyses indicate an enzymatic potential for complete denitrification, combined gaseous N-losses (N2O, N2) are unlikely to account for the missing N-sink in these forests. Other N-losses such as NO, N2 via Feammox or hydrological particulate organic nitrogen export could play an important role in soils of the Congo Basin and should be the focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Gallarotti
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matti Barthel
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth Verhoeven
- grid.4391.f0000 0001 2112 1969College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR USA
| | - Engil Isadora Pujol Pereira
- grid.449717.80000 0004 5374 269XSchool of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX USA
| | - Marijn Bauters
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Isotope Bioscience Laboratory, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium ,grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology Lab, Department of Environment, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Simon Baumgartner
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ,grid.7942.80000 0001 2294 713XEarth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Travis W. Drake
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Boeckx
- grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Isotope Bioscience Laboratory, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joachim Mohn
- grid.7354.50000 0001 2331 3059Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Swiss Federal Laboratories of Materials Science and Technology, Empa Dubendorf, Switzerland
| | - Manon Longepierre
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John Kalume Mugula
- grid.442836.f0000 0004 7477 7760Département de Biologie, Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Isaac Ahanamungu Makelele
- grid.442836.f0000 0004 7477 7760Département de Biologie, Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo ,grid.5342.00000 0001 2069 7798Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Landry Cizungu Ntaboba
- grid.442834.d0000 0004 6011 4325Département d’ Agronomie, Université Catholique de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Johan Six
- grid.5801.c0000 0001 2156 2780Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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McCulloch LA, Porder S. Light fuels while nitrogen suppresses symbiotic nitrogen fixation hotspots in neotropical canopy gap seedlings. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:1734-1745. [PMID: 34058025 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mature neotropical lowland forests have relatively lower symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) rates compared with secondary forests. Canopy gap formation may create transient SNF hotspots in mature forests that increase overall SNF rates in these ecosystems, as canopy gaps are pervasive across the landscape and increasing in frequency. However, what environmental conditions are driving SNF upregulation in canopy gaps is unknown. In a field experiment to test these potential environmental controls on SNF, we grew 540 neotropical nitrogen-fixing legume seedlings (Pentaclethra macroloba, Zygia longifolia, and Stryphnodendron microstachyum) under manipulated light and soil nitrogen availability in canopy gaps and intact forests at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Seedling biomass, nodule biomass, and SNF (g N seedling-1 h-1 ) were 4-, 17- and 42-fold higher, respectively, in canopy gaps than in the intact forest. Nitrogen additions decreased SNF, but light had a stronger positive effect. Upregulation of SNF in canopy gaps was driven by increased plant growth and not a disproportionate increased SNF allocation. These data provide evidence that canopy gap SNF hotspots are driven, in part, by light availability, demonstrating a potential driver of SNF spatial heterogeneity. This further suggests that canopy gap dynamics are important for understanding the biogeochemistry of neotropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A McCulloch
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Stephen Porder
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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Soper FM, Taylor BN, Winbourne JB, Wong MY, Dynarski KA, Reis CRG, Peoples MB, Cleveland CC, Reed SC, Menge DNL, Perakis SS. A roadmap for sampling and scaling biological nitrogen fixation in terrestrial ecosystems. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona M. Soper
- Department of Biology and Bieler School of Environment McGill University Montréal QC Canada
| | - Benton N. Taylor
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Harvard University Cambridge MA USA
| | - Joy B. Winbourne
- Department of Earth and Environment Boston University Boston MA USA
| | | | - Katherine A. Dynarski
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT USA
| | - Carla R. G. Reis
- Department of Forest Ecosystem and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
| | - Mark B. Peoples
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Agriculture and Food Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Cory C. Cleveland
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT USA
| | - Sasha C. Reed
- U.S. Geological SurveySouthwest Biological Science Center Moab UT USA
| | - Duncan N. L. Menge
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology Columbia University New York NY USA
| | - Steven S. Perakis
- Department of Forest Ecosystem and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OR USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Corvallis OR USA
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8
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Biological Nitrogen Fixation Does Not Replace Nitrogen Losses After Forest Fires in the Southeastern Amazon. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00453-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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9
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Yu L, Mulder J, Zhu J, Zhang X, Wang Z, Dörsch P. Denitrification as a major regional nitrogen sink in subtropical forest catchments: Evidence from multi-site dual nitrate isotopes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:1765-1778. [PMID: 30776171 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Increasing nitrogen (N) deposition in subtropical forests in south China causes N saturation, associated with significant nitrate (NO3- ) leaching. Strong N attenuation may occur in groundwater discharge zones hydrologically connected to well-drained hillslopes, as has been shown for the subtropical headwater catchment "TieShanPing", where dual NO3- isotopes indicated that groundwater discharge zones act as an important N sink and hotspot for denitrification. Here, we present a regional study reporting inorganic N fluxes over two years together with dual NO3- isotope signatures obtained in two summer campaigns from seven forested catchments in China, representing a gradient in climate and atmospheric N input. In all catchments, fluxes of dissolved inorganic N indicated efficient conversion of NH4+ to NO3- on well-drained hillslopes, and subsequent interflow of NO3- over the argic B-horizons to groundwater discharge zones. Depletion of 15 N- and 18 O-NO3- on hillslopes suggested nitrification as the main source of NO3- . In all catchments, except one of the northern sites, which had low N deposition rates, NO3- attenuation by denitrification occurred in groundwater discharge zones, as indicated by simultaneous 15 N and 18 O enrichment in residual NO3- . By contrast to the southern sites, the northern catchments lack continuous and well-developed groundwater discharge zones, explaining less efficient N removal. Using a model based on 15 NO3- signatures, we estimated denitrification fluxes from 2.4 to 21.7 kg N ha-1 year-1 for the southern sites, accounting for more than half of the observed N removal. Across the southern catchments, estimated denitrification scaled proportionally with N deposition. Together, this indicates that N removal by denitrification is an important component of the N budget of southern Chinese forests and that natural NO3- attenuation may increase with increasing N input, thus partly counteracting further aggravation of N contamination of surface waters in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longfei Yu
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Jan Mulder
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | - Jing Zhu
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
- Department of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, China
| | - Xiaoshan Zhang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangwei Wang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peter Dörsch
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
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10
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Deng M, Liu L, Jiang L, Liu W, Wang X, Li S, Yang S, Wang B. Ecosystem scale trade-off in nitrogen acquisition pathways. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1724-1734. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0677-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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11
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Soper FM, Sullivan BW, Nasto MK, Osborne BB, Bru D, Balzotti CS, Taylor PG, Asner GP, Townsend AR, Philippot L, Porder S, Cleveland CC. Remotely sensed canopy nitrogen correlates with nitrous oxide emissions in a lowland tropical rainforest. Ecology 2018; 99:2080-2089. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona M. Soper
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59808 USA
| | - Benjamin W. Sullivan
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada Reno Nevada 89557 USA
| | - Megan K. Nasto
- Department of Biology, and the Ecology Center Utah State University Logan Utah 84322 USA
| | - Brooke B. Osborne
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - David Bru
- INRA UMR 1347 Agroécologie Dijon France
| | - Christopher S. Balzotti
- Department of Global Ecology Carnegie Institution for Science 206 Panama Street Stanford California 94305 USA
| | - Phillip G. Taylor
- The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80303 USA
| | - Gregory P. Asner
- Department of Global Ecology Carnegie Institution for Science 206 Panama Street Stanford California 94305 USA
| | - Alan R. Townsend
- The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80303 USA
| | | | - Stephen Porder
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Cory C. Cleveland
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana 59808 USA
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Winbourne JB, Feng A, Reynolds L, Piotto D, Hastings MG, Porder S. Nitrogen cycling during secondary succession in Atlantic Forest of Bahia, Brazil. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1377. [PMID: 29358584 PMCID: PMC5778002 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19403-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon accumulation in tropical secondary forests may be limited in part by nitrogen (N) availability, but changes in N during tropical forest succession have rarely been quantified. We explored N cycle dynamics across a chronosequence of secondary tropical forests in the Mata Atlântica of Bahia, Brazil in order to understand how quickly the N cycle recuperates. We hypothesized that N fixation would decline over the course of succession as N availability and N gaseous losses increased. We measured N fixation, KCl-extractable N, net mineralization and nitrification, resin-strip sorbed N, gaseous N emissions and the soil δ15N in stands that were 20, 35, 50, and > 50 years old. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, we found no significant differences between stand ages in any measured variable. Our findings suggest that secondary forests in this region of the Atlantic forest reached pre-disturbance N cycling dynamics after just 20 years of succession. This result contrasts with previous study in the Amazon, where the N cycle recovered slowly after abandonment from pasture reaching pre-disturbance N cycling levels after ~50 years of succession. Our results suggest the pace of the N cycle, and perhaps tropical secondary forest, recovery, may vary regionally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy B Winbourne
- The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Box 1951, Providence, RI, 02912, USA.
| | - Aida Feng
- The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Box 1951, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Lovinia Reynolds
- The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Box 1951, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Daniel Piotto
- Centro de Formação em Ciências Agroflorestais, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Ilhéus-BA, Brazil
| | - Meredith G Hastings
- The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Box 1951, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
- Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Box 1846, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Stephen Porder
- The Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Box 1951, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
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