Work

Contrasting effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on soil nitrous oxide fluxes and enzyme activities in an alpine wetland of the Tibetan Plateau

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Alpine wetlands are important ecosystems, but an increased availability of soil nutrients may affect their soil nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes and key enzyme activities. We undertook a 3-year experiment of observing nitrogen (N) and/or phosphorus (P) addition to alpine wetland soils of the Tibetan Plateau, China, with measurements made of soil extracellular enzyme activities and soil N2O fluxes. Our study showed that soil N2O flux was significantly increased by 72% and 102% following N and N+P additions, respectively. N addition significantly increased acid phosphatase (AP) and β-1, 4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities by 32% and 26%, respectively. P addition alone exerted a neutral effect on soil AP activities, while increasing NAG activities. We inferred that microbes produce enzymes based on 'resource allocation theory', but that a series of constitutive enzymes or the treatment duration interfere with this response. Our findings suggest that N addition increases N- and P-cycling enzyme activities and soil N2O flux, whereas P addition exerts a neutral effect on P-cycling enzyme activities and N2O flux after 3 years of nutrient applications to an alpine wetland.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216244

Authors: Yunyun Zhang, Chunmei Wang, Yun Li

Institution: Beijing Forestry University

Language: English

Topic: Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,595