JOURNAL OF NANJING FORESTRY UNIVERSITY ›› 2022, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (5): 177-184.doi: 10.12302/j.issn.1000-2006.202108018

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Effects of long-term nitrogen addition on soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and extracellular enzymes in Larix gmelinii and Fraxinus mandshurica plantations

ZHAO Kaige(), ZHOU Zhenghu(), JIN Ying, WANG Chuankuan   

  1. Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
  • Received:2021-08-29 Revised:2022-01-29 Online:2022-09-30 Published:2022-10-19
  • Contact: ZHOU Zhenghu E-mail:522651068@qq.com;zzhou@nefu.edu.cn

Abstract:

【Objective】Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to continuously increase, which has significant effects on material circulation in forest ecosystems. The objectives of the current study were to explore the responses of microbial biomass and extracellular enzymes to long-term N addition and the regulation of tree species.【Method】A long-term (16-year) N addition experiment with a N addition rate of 10 g/(m2·a) in larch(Larix gmelinii) and ash(Fraxinus mandshurica) plantations was conducted at the Maoershan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. Soil C, N and P fractions, microbial biomass, and C-, N- and P-cycling related extracellular enzymes were investigated in control and N added plots.【Result】Results show that long-term N addition significantly increased the soil inorganic N but reduced the soil microbial biomass C and N in both plantations. N addition inhibited the activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, peroxidase and phenol oxidase in the F. mandshurica stand but had no effect on these C-degrading enzymes in the L. gmelinii stand. Regression analysis showed that microbial biomass and C-degrading enzymes (β-1,4-glucosidase, peroxidase and phenol oxidase) consistently decreased with decreasing soil pH. N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase showed a negative response to N addition in the L. gmelinii stand but displayed a positive response to N addition in the F. mandshurica stand. However, N addition had no effect on the activity of acid phosphatase, total organic C, C fractions measured by an acid hydrolysis approach, total N, total P, and available P.【Conclusion】Long-term N addition has altered the soil microbial biomass and C-degrading enzymes in the L. gmelinii and the F. mandshurica plantation through soil acidification approach, while the N effects on extracellular enzymes are species-specific. This may have resulted from the differences in litter quality and mycorrhizal types between the L. gmelinii and the F. mandshurica. The inhibition of N addition on the microbial biomass and the C-degrading enzymes did not increase the soil organic C content and alter the C fractions. The mechanism for this phenomenon may be revealed by the formation and stabilization of soil organic C in a future study.

Key words: larch (Larix gmelinii), ash(Fraxinus mandshurica), plantations, nitrogen addition, soil organic carbon, extracellular enzymes, soil microorganism

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