Effects of precipitation intensity and temporal pattern on soil nitrogen mineralization in a typical steppe of Nei Mongol grassland

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2017.0056

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Our objective is to: 1) explore the dynamics of soil nitrogen (N) mineralization in a grassland ecosystem in response to the changes in precipitation intensity and temporal distribution, and 2) identify the controlling factors.Methods The two study sites located in a typical steppe of the Nei Mongol grassland were fenced in 2013 and 1999, respectively. Our field experiment includes manipulations of three levels of precipitation intensity (increased 50%, decreased 50%, control) in three temporal patterns (increased or decreased precipitation for three years; increased or decreased precipitation for two years and no manipulation for one year; increased or decreased precipitation for one year and no manipulation for one year).Important findings 1) The soil net N mineralization and net nitrification rates decreased with changes in the temporal distributions of precipitation from one year to three years, with the maximum values of soil net N mineralization and nitrification rates observed in the treatments of increased or decreased precipitation for one year and no manipulation for one year (+PY1 or -PY1). This indicates that the high precipitation intensity and longer precipitation may have negative effects on soil net N mineralization and nitrification rates, while the moderate soilmoisture and temperature may stimulate soil mineralization. 2) The soil net N mineralization and nitrification rates, soil cumulative N mineralization, and nitrification in the fenced site in 1999 were higher than those in the site fenced in 2013, implying that a long-term enclosure may have promoted nutrient storage and soil quality restoration. 3) The long-term treatments of increased or decreased precipitation had significant effects on soil water content and temperature, whereas the short-term, discontinuous precipitation produced minor effects on soil moisture and temperature. Moreover, the controlling factors for soil N mineralization were different between the two fields. Soil moisture had a major effect on soil inorganic N content and net N mineralization rate in the site fenced in 2013, while soil temperature played a dominant role in the site fenced in 1999, with the net N mineralization rate depressed by higher soil moisture. Our findings suggest that the precipitation intensity and temporal distribution had important impacts on soil N mineralization in the Inner Mongolia grassland; these effects was site-dependent and particularly related to soil texture, community composition, and disturbance, and other factors.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201709002

Key words: precipitation intensity, precipitation temporal distribution, soil N mineralization, soil water content, soil temperature, Leymus chinensis steppe, fenced site

Zhi-Cheng ZHU, Yin HUANG, Feng-Wei XU, Wen XING, Shu-Xia ZHENG, Yong-Fei BAI. Effects of precipitation intensity and temporal pattern on soil nitrogen mineralization in a typical steppe of Nei Mongol grassland[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2017, 41(9): 938-952.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2017.0056

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2017/V41/I9/938

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 Seasonal changes in soil NH4+-N, NO3--N and inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations at different precipitation intensity and temporal distribution treatments (mean ± SE, n = 5). Different lowercase letters indicate the significant differences among different months for a given precipitation treatment. Precipitation treatments: -PY3, decreased precipitation for three years; -PY2, decreased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; -PY1, decreased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY1, increased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY2, increased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; +PY3, increased precipitation for three years.

Table 1 F values of repeated measures analysis of variance for soil inorganic nitrogen (N) concentrations, net N mineralization rate (Rmin) and net nitrification rate (Rnit), soil temperature and water content, using precipitation treatment (PT), sampling time (ST), and their interactions (PT × ST) as fixed-effects

土壤指标 Soil properties	2013年围封样地 Fenced site in 2013			1999年围封样地 Fenced site in 1999
土壤指标 Soil properties	PT	ST	PT × ST	PT	ST	PT × ST
硝态氮 NO₃^--N (g·m^-2)	3.80^**	38.71^**	2.44^ns	1.19^ns	45.91^**	1.09^ns
铵态氮 NH₄⁺-N (g·m^-2)	2.22^ns	112.13^**	1.92*	3.54^**	63.46^**	2.18^**
无机氮 Inorganic N (g·m^-2)	3.68^**	113.56^**	1.82*	3.50*	95.29^**	1.54^ns
净氮矿化速率 R_min (mg·m^-2·d^-1)	0.53^ns	0.25^ns	1.16^ns	0.82^ns	28.48^**	3.15^**
净硝化速率 R_nit (mg·m^-2·d^-1)	0.90^ns	6.04^**	1.33^ns	1.05^ns	8.71^**	2.62*
土壤温度 Soil temperature (℃)	1.85^ns	1 275.85^**	3.11^**	6.80^**	1 878.65^**	2.45^ns
土壤含水量 Soil water content (v/v, %)	11.81^**	288.70^**	2.70^**	5.21^**	195.01^**	3.10^**

Fig. 2 Seasonal changes in soil temperature and water content at different precipitation intensity and temporal distribution treatments (mean ± SE, n = 5). Different lowercase letters indicate the significant differences among different months for a given precipitation treatment. Precipitation treatments: -PY3, decreased precipitation for three years; -PY2, decreased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; -PY1, decreased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY1, increased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY2, increased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; +PY3, increased precipitation for three years.

Fig. 3 Effects of precipitation intensity and temporal distribution on soil water content (mean ± SE, n = 5). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among precipitation treatments for a given month; ns indicates no significant difference among precipitation treatments for a given month. Precipitation treatments: -PY3, decreased precipitation for three years; -PY2, decreased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; -PY1, decreased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY1, increased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY2, increased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; +PY3, increased precipitation for three years.

Fig. 4 Effects of precipitation intensity and temporal distribution on soil net N mineralization (Rmin) and net nitrification rates (Rnit) (mean ± SE, n = 5). Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among precipitation treatments for a given month; ns indicates no significant difference among precipitation treatments for a given month. Precipitation treatments: -PY3, decreased precipitation for three years; -PY2, decreased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; -PY1, decreased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY1, increased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY2, increased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; +PY3, increased precipitation for three years.

Fig. 5 Effects of precipitation intensity and temporal distribution on total cumulative net nitrogen (N) mineralization and nitrification (mean ± SE, n = 5). No significant difference among precipitation treatments. Precipitation treatments: -PY3, decreased precipitation for three years; -PY2, decreased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; -PY1, decreased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY1, increased precipitation for one year and no treatment for one year; +PY2, increased precipitation for two years and no treatment for one year; +PY3, increased precipitation for three years.

Table 2 Pearson correlation coefficients of soil inorganic nitrogen (N), net N mineralization (Rmin) and nitrification (Rnit) rates, cumulative net N mineralization (Cmin) and nitrification (Cnit) with soil temperature and water content

土壤指标 Soil properties	2013年围封样地 Fenced site in 2013		1999年围封样地 Fenced site in 1999
土壤指标 Soil properties	土壤温度 Soil temperature (℃)	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)	土壤温度 Soil temperature (℃)	土壤含水量 Soil water content (%)
硝态氮 NO₃^--N (g·m^-2)	0.446^***	0.130^ns	0.125^ns	0.089^ns
铵态氮 NH₄⁺-N (g·m^-2)	0.383^**	0.344^***	0.509^***	-0.379^***
无机氮 Inorganic N (g·m^-2)	0.030^ns	0.347^***	0.393^***	-0.189^ns
净氮矿化速率 R_min (mg·m^-2·d^-1)	0.005^ns	0.317^***	0.410^***	-0.214^*
净硝化速率 R_nit (mg·m^-2·d^-1)	0.257^*	0.064^ns	0.130^ns	0.027^ns
累积氮矿化含量 C_min (g·m^-2)	0.414^ns	0.071^ns	0.065^ns	0.455^*
累积硝化量 C_nit (g·m^-2)	0.491^ns	0.018^ns	0.137^ns	0.539^**

References 47

[1]	Amundson R, Austin AT, Schuur EA, Yoo K, Matzek V, Kendall C, Uebersax A, Brenner D, Baisden WT (2003). Global patterns of the isotopic composition of soil and plant nitrogen.Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 17, 1031, doi: 10.1029/2002GB001903.
[2]	Andersson P, Berggren D, Nilsson I (2002). Indices for nitrogen status and nitrate leaching from Norway spruce (Picea abies(L.) Karst.) stands in Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management, 157, 39-53.
[3]	Aranibar JN, Otter L, Macko SA, Feral CW, Epstein HE, Dowty PR, Eckardt F, Shugart HH, Swap RJ (2004). Nitrogen cycling in the soil-plant system along a precipitation gradient in the Kalahari sands.Global Chang Biology, 10, 359-373.
[4]	Auyeung DSN, Suseela V, Dukes JS (2013). Warming and drought reduce temperature sensitivity of nitrogen transformations.Global Change Biology, 19, 662-676.
[5]	Bai YF, Han XG, Wu JG, Chen ZZ, Li LH (2004). Ecosystem stability and compensatory effects in the Inner Mongolia grassland.Nature, 431, 181-184.
[6]	Borken W, Matzner E (2009). Reappraisal of drying and wetting effects on C and N mineralization and fluxes in soils.Global Change Biology, 15, 808-824.
[7]	Burke IC, Lauenroth WK, Vinton MA, Hook PB, Kelly RH, Epstein HE, Aguiar MR, Robles MD, Aguilera MO, Murphy KL (1998). Plant-soil interactions in temperate grasslands.Biogeochemistry, 42, 121-143.
[8]	Chapin FS III, Matson PA, Vitousek PM (2011). Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. 2nd edn. Springer, New York
[9]	Chen QH, Feng Y, Zhang YP, Zhang QC, Shamsi IH, Zhang YS, Lin XY (2012). Short-term responses of nitrogen mineralization and microbial community to water content regimes in greenhouse vegetable soils.Pedosphere, 22, 263-272.
[10]	Cregger MA, Mcdowell NG, Pangle RE, Pockman WT, Classen AT, Niu SL (2014). The impact of precipitation change on nitrogen cycling in a semi-arid ecosystem.Functional Ecology, 28, 1534-1544.
[11]	D’odorico P, Laio F, Porporato A, Rodriguez-Iturbe I (2003). Hydrologic controls on soil carbon and nitrogen cycles. II. A case study.Advances in Water Resources, 26, 45-58.
[12]	Delgado Baquerizo M, Maestre FT, Escolar C, Gallardo A, Ochaoa V, Gozalo B, Prado A, Wardle D (2014). Direct and indirect impacts of climate change on microbial and biocrust communities alter the resistance of the N cycle in a semiarid grassland.Journal of Ecology, 102, 1592-1605.
[13]	Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinar,General Station of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary of Ministry of Agriculture of China (1996). Rangeland Resources of China. China Science and Technology Press, Beijing. (in Chinese)[中华人民共和国农业部畜牧兽医司, 全国畜牧兽医总站 (1996).中国草地资源. 中国科学技术出版社, 北京.]
[14]	Frank DA, Groffman PM, Evans RD, Tracy BF (2000). Ungulate stimulation of nitrogen cycling and retention in Yellowstone Park grasslands.Oecologia, 123, 116-121.
[15]	Goodale CL, Aber JD (2001). The long-term effects of land-use history on nitrogen cycling in northern hardwood forests.Ecological Applications, 11, 253-267.
[16]	Hu R, Wang XP, Pan YX, Zhang YF, Zhang H (2014). The response mechanisms of soil N mineralization under biological soil crusts to temperature and water content in temperate desert regions.European Journal of Soil Biology, 62, 66-73.
[17]	IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (2014). Contribution of working group III to the fifth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. In: Edenhofer O, Pichsmadruga R, Sokana Y eds. Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
[18]	Jackson LE, Burger M, Cavagnaro TR (2008). Roots, nitrogen transformations, and ecosystem services.Annual Review of Plant Biology, 59, 341-363.
[19]	Jiang S, Li B, Wang YF (1988). Methology of Grassland Ecology. Agricultural Press, Beijing. 32-38. (in Chinese)[姜恕, 李博, 王义凤 (1988). 草地生态研究方法. 农业出版社, 北京. 32-38.]
[20]	Knapp AK, Briggs JM, Koelliker JK (2001). Frequency and extent of water limitation to primary production in a mesic temperate grassland.Ecosystems, 4, 19-28.
[21]	Knapp AK, Smith MD (2001). Variation among biomes in temporal dynamics of aboveground primary production.Science, 291, 481-484.
[22]	Lado Monserrat L, Lull C, Bautista I, Lidón A, Herrera R (2014). Soil water content increment as a controlling variable of the “Birch effect”. Interactions with the pre-wetting soil water content and litter addition.Plant and Soil, 379, 21-34.
[23]	Li YL, Chen J, Cui D, Wang XY, Zhao XY (2013). Effects of warming on Soil nitrogen mineralization under different soil water content conditions in the Horqin sandy grassland.Journal of Desert Research, 33, 1775-1781. (in Chinese with English abstract)[李玉霖, 陈静, 崔夺, 王新源, 赵学勇 (2013). 不同含水量条件下模拟增温对科尔沁沙质草地土壤氮矿化的影响. 中国沙漠, 33, 1775-1781.]
[24]	Liao X, Inglett PW, Inglett KS (2016). Seasonal patterns of nitrogen cycling in subtropical short-hydroperiod wetlands: Effects of precipitation and restoration.Science of the Total Environment, 556, 136-145.
[25]	Liu JP, Yang Q, Lü XG (2005). Studies on the soil temperature gradient in annular wetlands in the Sanjing Plain, China.Wetland Science, 3, 42-47. (in Chinese with English abstract)[刘吉平, 杨青, 吕宪国 (2005). 三江平原环型湿地土壤温度梯度的研究. 湿地科学, 3, 42-47.]
[26]	Liu RT, Zhu F, Chen L (2015). Effects of simulated summer rainfall increases on soil temperature in sandy grassland.Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 2, 348-354. (in Chinese with English abstract)[刘任涛, 朱凡, 陈林 (2015). 降雨增加对沙质草地土壤温度的影响. 土壤通报, 2, 348-354.]
[27]	Liu XR, Dong YS, Qi YC, Domroes M (2007). Soil net nitrogen mineralization in the typical temperate grassland.Environmental Science, 28, 633-639. (in Chinese with English abstract)[刘杏认, 董云社, 齐玉春, Domroes M (2007). 温带典型草地土壤净氮矿化作用研究. 环境科学, 28, 633-639.]
[28]	Luo CY, Wang S, Zhao L, Xu SX, Xu BY, Zhang ZH, Yao BQ, Zhao XQ (2012). Effects of land use and management on ecosystem respiration in alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau.Soil & Tillage Research, 124, 161-169.
[29]	Moreira WH, Tormena CA, Karlen DL, Da Silva P, Keller T, Betioli E (2016). Seasonal changes in soil physical properties under long-term no-tillage.Soil and Tillage Research, 160, 53-64.
[30]	Prieto LH, Bertiller MB, Carrera AL, Olivera NL (2011). Soil enzyme and microbial activities in a grazing ecosystem of Patagonian Monte, Argentina.Geoderma, 162, 281-287.
[31]	Schimel JP, Gulledge JM, Clein Curley JS, Lindstrom JE, Braddock JF (1999). Water content effects on microbial activity and community structure in decomposing birch litter in the Alaskan taiga.Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 31, 831-838.
[32]	Schwinning S, Sala OE (2004). Hierarchy of responses to resource pulses in arid and semi-arid ecosystems.Oecologia, 141, 211-220.
[33]	Shan YM, Chen DM, Guan XX, Zheng SX, Chen HJ, Wang MJ, Bai YF (2011). Seasonally dependent impacts of grazing on soil nitrogen mineralization and linkages to ecosystem functioning in Inner Mongolia grassland.Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 43, 1943-1954.
[34]	Tang SM, Qi ZP (1997). The relationship between soil water contents and nitrogen mineralization.Chinese Journal of Tropical Agriculture, 4, 54-60. (in Chinese with English abstract)[唐树梅, 漆智平 (1997). 土壤水含量与氮矿化的关系. 热带农业科学, 4, 54-60.]
[35]	Templer PH, Groffman PM, Flecker AS, Power AG (2005). Land use change and soil nutrient transformations in the Los Haitises region of the Dominican Republic.Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 37, 215-225.
[36]	Tong XJ, Tao B, Cao MK (2005). The responses of soil respiration and nitrogenmineralization to global warming in terrestrial ecosystems.Progress in Geography, 24, 84-96. (in Chinese with English abstract)[同小娟, 陶波, 曹明奎 (2005). 陆地生态系统土壤呼吸、氮矿化对气候变暖的响应. 地理科学进展, 24, 84-96.]
[37]	Tracy BF, Frank DA (1998). Herbivore influence on soil microbial biomass and nitrogen mineralization in a northern grassland ecosystem: Yellowstone National Park.Oecologia, 114, 556-562.
[38]	Wang CH, Wan SQ, Xing XR, Zhang L, Han XG (2006). Temperature and soil water content interactively affected soil net N mineralization in temperate grassland in Northern China.Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 38, 1101-1110.
[39]	Wang R (2014). Coupled response of soil carbon and nitrogen pools and enzyme activities to nitrogen and water addition in a semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia.Plant and Soil, 381, 323-336.
[40]	Weber KT, Gokhale BS (2011). Effect of grazing on soil-water content in semiarid rangelands of southeast Idaho.Journal of Arid Environments, 75, 464-470.
[41]	Weltzin JF, Loik ME, Schwinning S, Williams DG, Fay PA, Haddad BM, Hsrte John, Huxman TE, Knapp AK, Lin GH, Pockman WT, Shaw MR, Small EE, Smith MD, Smith SD, Tissue DT, Zak JC (2009). Assessing the response of terrestrial ecosystems to potential changes in precipitation.Bioscience, 53, 941-952.
[42]	Wu DD, Jing X, Lin L, Yang XY, Zhang ZH, He JS (2016). Responses of soil inorganic nitrogen to warming and altered precipitation in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Pekinensis, 52, 959-966. (in Chinese with English abstract)[武丹丹, 井新, 林笠, 杨新宇, 张振华, 贺金生 (2016). 青藏高原高寒草甸土壤无机氮对增温和降水改变的响应. 北京大学学报(自然科学版), 52, 959-966.]
[43]	Wu JG, Han M, Chang W, Ai L, Chang XX (2007). The mineralization of soil nitrogen and its influenced factors under alpine meadows in Qilian Mountains.Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 16, 39-46. (in Chinese with English abstract)[吴建国, 韩梅, 苌伟, 艾丽, 常学向 (2007). 祁连山中部高寒草甸土壤氮矿化及其影响因素研究. 草业学报, 16, 39-46.]
[44]	Yahdjian L, Sala OE (2002). A rainout shelter design for intercepting different amounts of rainfall.Oecologia, 133, 95-101.
[45]	Yin YT, Hou XY, Yun XJ (2011). Advances in the climate change influencing grassland ecosystems in Inner Mongolia.Pratacultural Science, 28, 1132-1139. (in Chinese with English abstract)[尹燕亭, 侯向阳, 运向军 (2011). 气候变化对内蒙古草原生态系统影响的研究进展. 草业科学, 28, 1132-1139.]
[46]	Zhang YF, Wang XP, Hu R, Pan YX (2013). Effects of shrubs and precipitation on spatial-temporal variation of soil temperature at the microhabitats induced by desert shrubs.Journal of Desert Research, 33, 536-542. (in Chinese with English abstract)[张亚峰, 王新平, 虎瑞, 潘颜霞 (2013). 荒漠灌丛微生境土壤温度的时空变异特征——灌丛与降水的影响. 中国沙漠, 33, 536-542.]
[47]	Zhou XQ, Chen CR, Wang YF, Xu ZH, Han HY, Li LH, Wan SQ (2012). Effects of warming and increased precipitation on soil carbon mineralization in an Inner Mongolian grassland after 6 years of treatments.Biology and Fertility of Soils, 48, 859-866.