Temperature sensitivity of soil net nitrogen mineralization rates across different grassland types

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2022.0346

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Soil available nitrogen (N), generated from a series of soil mineralization processes, is a major limiting factor of terrestrial ecosystem productivity. Soil N availability depends on soil microorganisms, vegetation types, and soil physical and chemical properties. Soil microorganisms are very sensitive to environmental changes, especially the temperature change, which is closely related with microbial growth and reproduction. Therefore, it is important to understand the temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of microbial regulation of N mineralization rates in a large spatial scale for predicting the impacts of global climate changes on terrestrial ecosystem productivity.
Methods Three types of grasslands (namely meadow steppe, typical steppe, and desert steppe) were selected in Nei Mongol Plateau, Loess Plateau, and Qingzang Plateau, respectively. Soil net N mineralization rates were measured at different temperatures in the laboratory, and then Q₁₀ of N mineralization rates were calculated across different grassland types. Relative parameters, including soil microbe, soil physical and chemical properties, were also analyzed.
Important findings (1) The highest Q₁₀ of soil net N mineralization rates was found in all of three grassland types of Loess Plateau than those of Nei Mongol and Qingzang Plateaus. (2) The Q₁₀ values of soil net N mineralization rates in the meadow steppes and typical steppes on the Loess Plateau and Nei Mongol Plateau were significantly higher than those in the desert steppes, while on the Qingzang Plateau, the values in the alpine meadow steppes were significantly lower than that in the alpine typical steppes and alpine desert steppes. (3) Q₁₀ values of soil net N mineralization rates was closely correlated with soil microbial biomass carbon content across different grassland types. (4) The spatial pattern of Q₁₀ is jointly regulated by microorganisms, soil texture and substrate. The results of this study provide important data for understanding of the response of soil N cycle to global change in different grassland types in China, which is valuable for optimization of N cycle models of terrestrial ecosystems in the future.

Key words: ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, net nitrogen mineralization rate, temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀)

WANG Ge, HU Shu-Ya, LI Yang, CHEN Xiao-Peng, LI Hong-Yu, DONG Kuan-Hu, HE Nian-Peng, WANG Chang-Hui. Temperature sensitivity of soil net nitrogen mineralization rates across different grassland types[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2024, 48(4): 523-533.

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Figures/Tables 10

References 33

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采样点 Sample site	草原类型 Steppe type	纬度 Latitude (° N)	经度 Longitude (° E)	海拔 Altitude (m)	年平均气温 Mean annual air temperature (℃)	年降水量 Mean annual precipitation (mm)	土壤pH Soil pH	优势物种 Dominant species
黄土高原 Loess Plateau	山地草甸草原 Mountain meadow steppe	35.99-36.29	111.64-113.36	843.67 ± 7.82^c	10.82 ± 0.16^a	573.73 ± 2.58^a	8.05 ± 0.02^a	白羊草、兴安胡枝子、薹草 Bothriochloa ischaemum, Lespedeza davurica, Carex spp.
	山地典型草原 Mountain typical steppe	36.07-37.58	107.19-110.18	1 288.00 ± 37.47^b	8.23 ± 0.37^b	466.37 ± 9.60^b	8.09 ± 0.02^a	白羊草、兴安胡枝子、铁杆蒿 Bothriochloa ischaemum, Lespedeza davurica, Artemisia gmelinii
	山地荒漠草原 Mountain desert steppe	37.42-37.46	104.44-105.78	1 461.67 ± 37.90^a	7.05 ± 0.82^c	256.58 ± 9.53^c	8.23 ± 0.13^a	红砂、糙隐子草、阿尔泰狗娃花 Reaumuria songarica, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Aster altaicus
内蒙古高原 Nei Mongol Plateau	草甸草原 Meadow steppe	44.52-45.11	120.33-123.51	357.67 ± 45.83^c	4.87 ± 0.18^a	405.78 ± 6.29^a	8.18 ± 0.15^a	羊草、狗尾草、芦苇 Leymus chinensis, Setaria viridis, Phragmites australis
	典型草原 Typical steppe	43.55-44.77	116.52-118.36	1 111.00 ± 18.46^a	0.96 ± 0.12^c	362.39 ± 6.19^b	7.59 ± 0.05^b	羊草、针茅、薹草 Leymus chinensis, Stipa capillata, Carex spp.
	荒漠草原 Desert steppe	43.63-44.01	112.15-114.89	1 026.00 ± 12.44^b	2.09 ± 0.31^b	220.88 ± 9.68^c	7.05 ± 0.02^c	猪毛菜、蒙古韭、蒺藜 Kali collinum, Allium mongolicum, Tribulus terrestris
青藏高原 Qingzang Plateau	高寒草甸草原 Alpine meadow steppe	31.46-32.48	92.01-95.45	4 400.00 ± 44.15^b	-1.82 ± 0.41^a	552.67 ± 10.35^a	6.92 ± 0.07^b	薹草、高山嵩草、钉柱委陵菜 Carex spp., Carex parvula, Potentilla saundersiana
	高寒典型草原 Alpine typical steppe	31.38-31.92	85.84-90.74	4 678.25 ± 27.10^a	-4.04 ± 0.29^c	433.99 ± 10.66^b	8.16 ± 0.03^a	紫花针茅、薹草、针茅 Stipa purpurea, Carex spp., Stipa capillata
	高寒荒漠草原 Alpine desert steppe	32.30-32.48	80.15-83.34	4 488.00 ± 23.65^b	-2.89 ± 0.24^b	266.75 ± 11.28^c	8.23 ± 0.05^a	针茅、薹草、戈壁针茅 Stipa capillata, Carex spp., Stipa tianschanica var. gobica

采样点 Sample site	草原类型 Steppe type	纬度 Latitude (° N)	经度 Longitude (° E)	海拔 Altitude (m)	年平均气温 Mean annual air temperature (℃)	年降水量 Mean annual precipitation (mm)	土壤pH Soil pH	优势物种 Dominant species
黄土高原 Loess Plateau	山地草甸草原 Mountain meadow steppe	35.99-36.29	111.64-113.36	843.67 ± 7.82^c	10.82 ± 0.16^a	573.73 ± 2.58^a	8.05 ± 0.02^a	白羊草、兴安胡枝子、薹草 Bothriochloa ischaemum, Lespedeza davurica, Carex spp.
	山地典型草原 Mountain typical steppe	36.07-37.58	107.19-110.18	1 288.00 ± 37.47^b	8.23 ± 0.37^b	466.37 ± 9.60^b	8.09 ± 0.02^a	白羊草、兴安胡枝子、铁杆蒿 Bothriochloa ischaemum, Lespedeza davurica, Artemisia gmelinii
	山地荒漠草原 Mountain desert steppe	37.42-37.46	104.44-105.78	1 461.67 ± 37.90^a	7.05 ± 0.82^c	256.58 ± 9.53^c	8.23 ± 0.13^a	红砂、糙隐子草、阿尔泰狗娃花 Reaumuria songarica, Cleistogenes squarrosa, Aster altaicus
内蒙古高原 Nei Mongol Plateau	草甸草原 Meadow steppe	44.52-45.11	120.33-123.51	357.67 ± 45.83^c	4.87 ± 0.18^a	405.78 ± 6.29^a	8.18 ± 0.15^a	羊草、狗尾草、芦苇 Leymus chinensis, Setaria viridis, Phragmites australis
	典型草原 Typical steppe	43.55-44.77	116.52-118.36	1 111.00 ± 18.46^a	0.96 ± 0.12^c	362.39 ± 6.19^b	7.59 ± 0.05^b	羊草、针茅、薹草 Leymus chinensis, Stipa capillata, Carex spp.
	荒漠草原 Desert steppe	43.63-44.01	112.15-114.89	1 026.00 ± 12.44^b	2.09 ± 0.31^b	220.88 ± 9.68^c	7.05 ± 0.02^c	猪毛菜、蒙古韭、蒺藜 Kali collinum, Allium mongolicum, Tribulus terrestris
青藏高原 Qingzang Plateau	高寒草甸草原 Alpine meadow steppe	31.46-32.48	92.01-95.45	4 400.00 ± 44.15^b	-1.82 ± 0.41^a	552.67 ± 10.35^a	6.92 ± 0.07^b	薹草、高山嵩草、钉柱委陵菜 Carex spp., Carex parvula, Potentilla saundersiana
	高寒典型草原 Alpine typical steppe	31.38-31.92	85.84-90.74	4 678.25 ± 27.10^a	-4.04 ± 0.29^c	433.99 ± 10.66^b	8.16 ± 0.03^a	紫花针茅、薹草、针茅 Stipa purpurea, Carex spp., Stipa capillata
	高寒荒漠草原 Alpine desert steppe	32.30-32.48	80.15-83.34	4 488.00 ± 23.65^b	-2.89 ± 0.24^b	266.75 ± 11.28^c	8.23 ± 0.05^a	针茅、薹草、戈壁针茅 Stipa capillata, Carex spp., Stipa tianschanica var. gobica

扩增基因 Amplification gene	引物 Primer	引物序列(5′-3′) Primer sequence (5′-3′)	片段长度 Fragment length	扩增条件 Amplification procedure
氨氧化古菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOA-amoA	Arch-amoAF	STAATGGTCTGGCTTAGACG	635 bp	94 ℃预变性3 min; 94 ℃变性30 s, 55 ℃退火30 s, 72 ℃延伸1 min, 共30个循环; 72 ℃延伸10 min Pre-denaturation at 94 °C for 3 min; follow by 30 cycles of denaturation at 94 °C for 30 s, annealing at 55 °C for 30 s, extension at 72 °C for 1 min; extension at 72 °C for 10 min
氨氧化古菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOA-amoA	Arch-amoAR	GCGGCCATCCATCTGTATGT	635 bp
氨氧化细菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOB-amoA	AmoA-1F	GGGGTTTCTACTGGTGGT	491 bp
氨氧化细菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOB-amoA	AmoA-2R	CCCCTCKGSAAAGCCTTCTTC	491 bp

扩增基因 Amplification gene	引物 Primer	引物序列(5′-3′) Primer sequence (5′-3′)	片段长度 Fragment length	扩增条件 Amplification procedure
氨氧化古菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOA-amoA	Arch-amoAF	STAATGGTCTGGCTTAGACG	635 bp	94 ℃预变性3 min; 94 ℃变性30 s, 55 ℃退火30 s, 72 ℃延伸1 min, 共30个循环; 72 ℃延伸10 min Pre-denaturation at 94 °C for 3 min; follow by 30 cycles of denaturation at 94 °C for 30 s, annealing at 55 °C for 30 s, extension at 72 °C for 1 min; extension at 72 °C for 10 min
氨氧化古菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOA-amoA	Arch-amoAR	GCGGCCATCCATCTGTATGT	635 bp
氨氧化细菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOB-amoA	AmoA-1F	GGGGTTTCTACTGGTGGT	491 bp
氨氧化细菌-氨单加氧酶基因 AOB-amoA	AmoA-2R	CCCCTCKGSAAAGCCTTCTTC	491 bp

因子 Factor	Q₁₀	微生物生物量碳含量 MBC content	微生物生物量氮含量 MBN content	微生物生物量碳氮含量比 MBC:MBN	氨氧化古菌丰度 AOA abundance	氨氧化细菌丰度 AOB abundance	氨氧化细菌与古菌丰度比 AOA:AOB
样带 Transect (T)	32.82^**	59.60^**	44.31	30.13^**	58.20^**	48.71^**	36.46^**
草地类型 Steppe type (S)	21.96^**	63.05^**	14 910.07^**	0.82	81.76^**	18.64^**	12.37^**
T × S	14.79^**	3.64^**	2 246.00^**	3.62^**	17.33^**	6.26^**	4.87^**