Effect of Long-Term Fertilization on Organic Nitrogen Forms in a Calcareous Alluvial Soil on the North China Plain

In order to illustrate the change of nitrogen （N） supply capacity after long-term application of manure and chemical fertilizer, as well as to properly manage soil fertility through fertilizer application under the soil-climatic conditions of the North China Plain, organic N forms were quantified in the topsoil with different manure and chemical fertilizer treatments in a 15-year fertilizer experiment in a Chinese calcareous alluvial soil. Soil total N （TN） and various organic N forms were significantly influenced by long-term application of chemical fertilizer and manure. TN, total hydrolysable N, acid-lnsoluble N, amino acid N and ammonium N in the soil increased significantly （P 〈 0.05） with increasing manure and fertilizer N rates, but were not influenced by increasing P rates. Also, application of manure or N fertilizer or P fertilizer did not significantly influence either the quantity of amino sugar N or its proportion of TN. Application of manure significantly increased （P 〈 0.05） hydrolysable unknown N, but adding N or P did not. In addition, application of manure or N fertilizer or P fertilizer did not significantly influence the proportions of different soil organic N forms.

Nitrogen forms and decomposition of organic carbon in the southern Bohai Sea core sediments

Study on form characteristics of nitrogen in marine sediments is the primary method to research its biogeochemical cycling and nitrogen form characteristics in core sediments can reflect the process and results of early diagenesis in a certain degree. In this paper, Sequential extraction process in natural grain size was used for studying the existent forms of nitrogen in five core sediments of the southern Bohai Sea for the first time. Nitrogen was divided into two parts - transferable and fixed based on whether it could be extracted by the reagent. Distributions and early diagenesis of transferable nitrogen forms in the southern Bohai Sea were researched integratedly. Results indicate that IEF - N and OSF-N are predominant forms in transferable part in the studied core sediments. Contents of different nitrogen forms vary differently with depth, and have different diagenesis process. Decomposition constant of organic nitrogen (ON) and OC are about 15.51 -× 10^(-3)a^(-3)and 4.79× 10^(-3)a^(-1) respectively, and the decomposition content of biogenic elements C, N, P, Si has the sequence N>P>CSi. OC/TN (simplified as C/N in the following) ratio is much lower than OC/ON, which indicates that sediment preserves plenty of inorganic nitrogen (IN) and/or fixed nitrogen, and the decrease of OC/ON ratio with depth is due to ON reservation in sediments. Generally, transferable nitrogen accounts for more proportion of TN in the surface layer than in the deep layer of core sediments, whereas, some stable forms of nitrogen can activate and become transferable under appropriate environment, which induces the proportion of transferable nitrogen in TN in the deep layer to be almost the same as that in the surface layer.

Changes in Phosphorus Fractions and Nitrogen Forms During Composting of Pig Manure with Rice Straw

The study was conducted to reveal P fractions and N forms changing characters during composting of pig manure with rice straw.During composting,the NH 4 ＋-N concentration decreased and reached at a relatively low value（〈400 mg kg-1） in the final compost,while the NO 3--N concentration increased.Total N losses mainly occurred during thermophilic phase due to the high temperature,the high NH 4 ＋-N concentration and the increase of pH value.Labile inorganic P was dominated in the pig manure and initial compost mixture.During composting,the proportion of labile inorganic P of total extracted P decreased,while the proportion of Fe＋Al-bound P,Ca＋Mg-bound P and residual P increased.The evolutions of the proportion of labile inorganic P,Fe＋Al-bound P and Ca＋Mg-bound P were well correlated with the changes of pH value,organic matter and C/N ratio.Therefore,composting could increase the concentration of N and P and decrease the presence of NH 4 ＋-N and labile P fractions which might cause environmental issues following land application.

Nitrogen Forms in Humic Substances

In this paper,the nitrogen forms in newly-formed humic substances,including humic acid (HA),fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid in humin (HAI),were studied by using the ^15N CP-MAS NMR technique in combination with chemical approaches.Results show that the majority of nitrogen in HA,FA and HAI was in the amide form with some presented as aliphatic and/ or aromatic amines and some as pyrrole type nitrogen,although the contents of nonhydrolyzable nitrogen in them differed greatly from each other (15-55%).

Characteristics of nitrogen forms in the surface sediments of southwestern Nansha Trough,South China Sea

The area of the southwestern Nansha Trough is one of the most productive areas of the southern South China Sea.It is a typical semi-deep sea area of transition from shoal to abyssal zone.To understand distributions and roles of nitrogen forms involved in biogeochemical cycling in this area,contents of nitrogen in four extractable forms:nitrogen in ion exchangeable form(IEF-N),nitrogen in weak acid extractable form(WAEF-N),nitrogen in strong alkali extractable form(SAEF-N) and nitrogen in strong oxidation extractable form(SOEF-N),as well as in total nitrogen content(TN) in surface sediments were determined from samples collected from the cruise in April-May 1999.The study area was divided into three regions(A,B and C) in terms of clay sediment(<4 μm) content at <40%,40%-60% and >60%,respectively.Generally,region C was the richest in the nitrogen of all forms and region A the poorest,indicating that the finer the grain size is,the richer the contents of various nitrogen are.The burial efficiency of total nitrogen in surface sediments was 28.79%,indicating that more than 70% of nitrogen had been released and participated in biogeochemical recycling through sediment-water interface.

Characteristics of nitrogen forms in the southern Huanghai Sea surface sediments

The distributions of different forms of nitrogen in the surface sediments of the southern Huanghai Sea are different and affected by various factors. The contents of IEF-N, SOEF-N and TN gradually decrease eastward, and those of SAEF-N northward, while those of WAEF-N westward. Around the seaport of the old Huanghe (Yellow) River, the contents of both SOEF-N and TN are the highest. Among all the factors, the content of fine sediment is the predominant factor to affect the distributions of different forms of nitrogen. The contents of IEF-N, SOEF-N, and TN have visibly positive correlation with the content of fine sediments, and the correlative coefficient is 0.68, 0.58 and 0.71 respectively, showing that the contents of the three forms of nitrogen increase with those of fine sediments. The content of WAEF-N is related to that of fine sediments to a certain extent, with a correlative coefficient of 0.35; while the content of SAEF-N is not related to that of fine sediments, showing that the content of SAEF-N is not controlled by fine grain-size fractions of sediments. In addition, the distributions of different forms of nitrogen are also interacted one another, and the contents of IEF-N and SOEF-N are obviously affected by TN, while those of inorganic nitrogen (WAEF-N, SAEF-N and IEF-N) are not affected by SOEF-N and TN obviously, although they are interacted each other.

Effects of different nitrogen forms and concentrations on seedling growth traits and physiological characteristics of Populus simonii × P. nigra

Numerous growth and physiological variables of 3-week-old Populus simonii × P.nigra seedlings were assessed after treatment with either nitrate nitrogen(NO_(3)^(−)--N)(0.1,0.5,1,5,or 10 mmol·L^(−1)) or ammonium nitrogen(NH_(4)^(+)+-N)(0.1,0.5,1,5,or 10 mmol·L^(−1)) to determine the best nitrogen form and concentration to optimize growth,biomass allocation,pigment content,and photosynthetic capacity.The results of combining membership function and an evaluation index suggested that,5 mmol·L^(−1) nitrogen,regardless of the form,yielded the highest comprehensive evaluation index and good growth.In addition,a Pearson correlation analysis and network visualization revealed that the total mass,shoot mass,root mass,leaf dry mass,plant height,leaf area,chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll had a physiological index connectivity degree≥15 for both nitrogen forms.Net photosynthetic rate,stomatal conductance,transpiration rate,maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII,total nitrogen content,ground diameter,chlorophyll b,and carotenoid were unique indices for evaluating NH_(4)^(+)+-N-based nutrition,which could provide a theoretical basis for evaluating the effects of nitrogen fertilizer on seedlings,cultivation periods,and stress tolerance in P.simonii× P.nigra.

Nitrogen Forms of Maillard Polymers Derived from Xylose and ^(15)N-Labelled Glycine

Water-soluble, nondialyzable Maillard polymers were prepared by reacting D-xylose with 15N-glycine (and/or glycine) at 68 ℃ and pH 8.0 at equimolar concentrations of 1, 0.5 and 0.1 mol L-1, respectively,for 13 days and partitioned into acid-insoluble (MHA) and acid-soluble (MFA) fractions. The nitrogen forms in these polymers were studied by using the 15N cross polarization-magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS NMR) technique in combination with chemical methods. The 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data showed that while the yield, especially the MHA/MFA ratio, varied considerably with the concentrations of the reactants, the nitrogen distribution patterns of these polymers were quite similar.From 65% to 70% of nitrogen in them was in the secondary amide and/or indole form with 24%~25% present as aliphatic and/or aromatic ammes and 5% to 11% as pyrrole and/or pyrrole-like nitrogen. More than half (50%~77%) of the N in these polymers were nonhydrolyzable. The role of Maillard reaction in the formation of nonhydrolyzable nitrogen in soil organic matter is discussed.

Effects of Long-Term Fertilization on Different Nitrogen Forms in Paddy along Soil Depth Gradient

The combined application of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer is an effective measure to increase nutrient content of soil plough layer, which must have a profound impact on the deep soil nutrients, especially the contents of nitrogen forms. The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of soil nitrogen forms in plough layer and along depth gradient in different fertilization treatments, so as to evaluate the soil quality in spatial dimension, further providing a theoretical basis for scientific fertilization and improvement of paddy soil fertility. Here, a 34-year field experiment was conducted with three treatments: without any fertilizer (CK), pure chemical fertilizer (NPK) and chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer (NPKM). We analyzed the content of nitrogen forms in 0 - 100 cm soil depth and their ratios to total nitrogen (TN), and discussed the correlation between nitrogen forms contents and pH, CEC. Results showed that, compared with CK, both NPK and NPKM significantly increased the contents of nitrogen forms in topsoil (soil layer of 0 - 20 cm), especially nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N) content increased by 70% (NPK) and 111% (NPKM), respectively. Although the contents of different nitrogen forms decreased gradually along soil depth gradient, NPKS slowed down the decline rate of TN and alkali-hydrolysable nitrogen (AN) in 0 - 60 cm soil layer, compared to CK. Compared to NPK, NPKM significantly increased the NO3--N/TN ratio in 0 - 20 cm soil layer, but also decreased the content of -N in 20 - 40 cm, which was beneficial to reduce the risk of nitrogen leaching caused by nitrate leaching into deep layer. The increase of soil pH in NPKM treatment obviously alleviated the problem of soil acidification caused by long-term application of chemical fertilizer. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between soil nitrogen forms and cation exchange capacity (CEC), but no significant correlation with soil pH. In conclusion, NPKM ensured the nutrients of soil plough layer (0 - 20 cm), also reduced the risk of nitrogen infiltration and nitrogen loss, thus ensuring the fertility of soil profile.

Effects of Nitrogen Forms on the Growth and Development of Trees

Nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen are the main nitrogen forms absorbed by trees from soil,and they have significantly different physiological regulation effects on trees;trees can also absorb some soluble organic nitrogen compounds,such as urea and amino acids.Trees supplied with single ammonium nitrogen or nitrate nitrogen will have higher photosynthesis,and the promotion effect of mixed nitrogen sources on tree photosynthesis is stronger.Enzymes play an important role in the metabolism of trees.The key enzymes of nitrogen metabolism include nitrate reductase,etc.,which affect the metabolism of trees through different responses of key enzymes to various nitrogen forms.The input of different nitrogen forms changes the content of mineral elements in trees and then affects the growth of trees.Different nitrogen forms have significant differences in the growth and metabolic processes of trees,which in turn have different physiological effects on plants.Several key issues in the future research on nitrogen nutrition and physiology of trees are discussed.

Effect of Nitrogen Application on Contents of Different Forms of Nitrogen in Rice Plants

[Objective]The paper was to study the effect of different nitrogen application levels and modes on contents of different forms of nitrogen in rice plants.[Method] Using Guichao 2 and Diejiazhan as test materials,with total nitrogen,protein nitrogen,chlorophyll nitrogen,soluble protein nitrogen,Rubisco nitrogen,free amino acid nitrogen as indicators,the effect of nitrogen application on contents of different forms of nitrogen in rice plants were studied.[Result] The contents of total nitrogen,protein nitrogen,chlorophyll nitrogen,soluble protein nitrogen,Rubisco-N,free amino nitrogen of rice plant during heading and maturity stage increased with the increasing application amount of nitrogen,and their contents would be high under heavy application of spike fertilizer when the application amount of nitrogen was the same.However,application of nitrogen had different impact on different forms of nitrogen,which showed obvious impact on the contents of Rubisco-N and free amino nitrogen.The differences of Rubisco-N and free amino nitrogen content of two varieties during heading and maturity stage under different nitrogen application modes all reached significant or extremely significant level.Correlation analysis showed that total nitrogen content of rice plant had extremely significant correlation with protein nitrogen content during heading and maturity stage in both early and late seasons.[Conclusion] The study provided a theoretical basis for clarifying the regulatory role of nitrogen application on nitrogen absorption and utilization.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition affects forest plant and soil system carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus stoichiometric flexibility:A meta-analysis

Background:Nitrogen(N)deposition affects forest stoichiometric flexibility through changing soil nutrient availability to influence plant uptake.However,the effect of N deposition on the flexibility of carbon(C),N,and phosphorus(P)in forest plant-soil-microbe systems remains unclear.Methods:We conducted a meta-analysis based on 751 pairs of observations to evaluate the responses of plant,soil and microbial biomass C,N and P nutrients and stoichiometry to N addition in different N intensity(050,50–100,>100 kg·ha^(-1)·year^(-1)of N),duration(0–5,>5 year),method(understory,canopy),and matter(ammonium N,nitrate N,organic N,mixed N).Results:N addition significantly increased plant N:P(leaf:14.98%,root:13.29%),plant C:P(leaf:6.8%,root:25.44%),soil N:P(13.94%),soil C:P(10.86%),microbial biomass N:P(23.58%),microbial biomass C:P(12.62%),but reduced plant C:N(leaf:6.49%,root:9.02%).Furthermore,plant C:N:P stoichiometry changed significantly under short-term N inputs,while soil and microorganisms changed drastically under high N addition.Canopy N addition primarily affected plant C:N:P stoichiometry through altering plant N content,while understory N inputs altered more by influencing soil C and P content.Organic N significantly influenced plant and soil C:N and C:P,while ammonia N changed plant N:P.Plant C:P and soil C:N were strongly correlated with mean annual precipitation(MAT),and the C:N:P stoichiometric flexibility in soil and plant under N addition connected with soil depth.Besides,N addition decoupled the correlations between soil microorganisms and the plant.Conclusions:N addition significantly increased the C:P and N:P in soil,plant,and microbial biomass,reducing plant C:N,and aggravated forest P limitations.Significantly,these impacts were contingent on climate types,soil layers,and N input forms.The findings enhance our comprehension of the plant-soil system nutrient cycling mechanisms in forest ecosystems and plant strategy responses to N deposition.

Differential Expression of Rice Genes Under Different Nitrogen Forms and Their Relationship with Sulfur Metabolism

Microarray analysis was initially performed to screen for differentially expressed genes between nitrate-and ammonium-fed rice （Oryza sativa L.） leaves, in total, 198 genes were shown to have a unique expression response to each treatment and most of the genes for which function is known were involved in signal transduction, plant stress resistance, transcriptional regulation, and basic metabolism. Northern blotting analysis confirmed that expression of the MT and PCS genes was highly upregulated in ammonium-fed leaves compared with expression in nitrate-fed leaves and it was further revealed that ammonium-fed leaves accumulated more cysteine and glutathione. The upregulated expressions of the MTand PCS genes and the higher levels of cysteine and glutathione in ammonium-fed leaves indicate that ammonium may be able to accelerate sulfur assimilation metabolism in rice leaves. Unexpectedly, Northern blotting analysis showed that the expression of the two key enzymes in the sulfur assimilation pathway, namely adenosine 5＇-phosphosulfate reductase and O-acetylserine（thiol）lyase, was not upregulated by ammonium treatment. It was found that the total content of free amino acids was much higher in ammonium-fed leaves compared with nitrate-fed leaves, mainly resulting from an increase in several amino acids such as serine, asparagine, glutamine, and arginine. The increased amino acids, in particular serine （as a central substrate for the synthesis of the thioi metabolites）, may have promoted sulfur assimilation metabolism under conditions of ammonium nutrition.

Effects of Fertilization Patterns on Chemical Forms of Nitrogen in Dark Brown Soil and Its Distribution in Different Aggregates

[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate the effects of tradition-al fertilization and formula fertilization by soil testing on the chemical forms of nitro-gen in dark brown soil and its distribution in different aggregates. [Method] A physi-co-chemistry method was adopted in a comparative study on the chemical forms of nitrogen and their distribution in different-sized aggregates of dark brown soil under traditional fertilization and formula fertilization by soil testing respectively. [Result] Compared with traditional fertilization in spring and autumn, the formula fertilization by soil testing averagely decreased, the total nitrogen in soil by 23.2% in spring and by 20% in autumn in the soil layer of 0-20 cm, by 48.8% in the layer of 20-40 cm. Ammonium nitrogen was so sensitive to the methods of fertilization that the content of ammonium nitrogen was reduced much more under formula fertitization by soil testing in autumn than under traditional fertilization. Nitrogen in soil under traditional fertilization pattern was mainly distributed in the aggregates of 0-0.25 and 0.5-1 mm, while in formula fertilization by soil testing it was mainly distributed in the aggregates of 0.25-0.5 and 0-0.25 mm. [Conclusion] The study proved that for-mula fertilization by soil testing helped to reduce the risk of nitrogen pol ution and had huge effects on the chemical forms and distribution of nitrogen in different ag-gregates in dark brown soil.

Oxalate Accumulation as Regulated by Nitrogen Forms and Its Relationship to Photosynthesis in Rice （Oryza sativa L.）

: Four-leaf rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.), which had been cultivated in Kimura B complete nutrient solution, were treated with two nitrogen forms by replacing the nitrogen element in the complete solution with sole nitrate or ammonium (2.86 mmol/L). Nitrate-N nutrition tended to increase oxalate content in all parts of the plant, including the leaves, stems, roots, and root exudates, whereas ammonium had the opposite effect. Consequently, marked differences in oxalate content were observed between the two treatments throughout the time tested (0-12 d), with maximal differences of approximately 12-fold at 6 d after treatment. Photosynthetic/respiratory parameters were examined over time simultaneously with changes in oxalate content. Net photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (i.e. maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and photochemical quantum yields of photosystem (PS)II (φPSII)), and respiratory rate were not significantly different between plants treated with the two nitrogen forms, although ammonium-fed plants had apparently higher leaf chlorophyll content than nitrate-fed plants. Leaf glucose content was altered little, but the content of fructose, sucrose, and total soluble sugar was significantly higher in the leaves of ammonium-fed plants than nitrate-fed plants. The results indicate that nitrate/ammonium may serve as efficient regulators of oxalate accumulation owing to regulation of metabolism in rice leaves rather than oxalate downward transfer and root excretion, and that photosynthetic metabolism is not directly correlated with the regulation of oxalate accumulation in rice plants.

Sex-specifically responsive strategies to phosphorus availability combined with different soil nitrogen forms in dioecious Populus cathayana

Aims Phosphorus(P)availability and efficiency are especially important for plant growth and productivity.However,the sex-specific P acquisition and utilization strategies of dioecious plant species under different N forms are not clear.Methods This study investigated the responsive mechanisms of dioecious Populus cathayana females and males based on P uptake and allocation to soil P supply under N deficiency,nitrate(NO3−)and ammonium(NH4+)supply.Important Findings Females had a greater biomass,root length density(RLD),specific root length(SRL)and shoot P concentration than males under normal P availability with two N supplies.NH4+supply led to higher total root length,RLD and SRL but lower root tip number than NO3−supply under normal P supply.Under P deficiency,males showed a smaller root system but greater photosynthetic P availability and higher leaf P remobilization,exhibiting a better capacity to adaptation to P deficiency than females.Under P deficiency,NO3−supply increased leaf photosynthesis and P use efficiency(PUE)but reduced RLD and SRL in females while males had higher leaf P redistribution and photosynthetic PUE than NH4+supply.Females had a better potentiality to cope with P deficiency under NO3−supply than NH4+supply;the contrary was true for males.These results suggest that females may devote to increase in P uptake and shoot P allocation under normal P availability,especially under NO3−supply,while males adopt more efficient resource use and P remobilization to maximum their tolerance to P deficiency.

Effects of Nitrogen Amount and Nitrogen Form on 1-deoxynojimycin Content in Mulberry Leaf

[Objective] Effects of nitrogen amount and nitrogen form on 1-deoxynojimycin（DNJ）content in mulberry leaf was explored in order to provide a reference for improving DNJ content in mulberry leaf and its medicinal value.[Method] Effects of nitrogen amount（NO-3-N and NH＋4-N）and nitrogen form（NO-3-N/NH＋4-N）on DNJ content in mulberry leaf were studied by changing nitrogen amount and nitrogen form in water culture solution.[Result] DNJ contents in mulberry leaf both increased at first and then decreased with the increase of nitrogen amount,furthermore compared with NH＋4-N,NO-3-N was more beneficial to the accumulation of DNJ;DNJ content in mulberry leaf obviously increased at first and then decreased with the decrease of NO-3-N/NH＋4-N,among them when its rate was 25/75,DNJ content reached the highest.[Conclusion] Proper nitrogen amount and nitrogen form could effectively improve the DNJ content in mulberry leaf.

Effect of Nitrogen Form on the Activity of Tonoplast Pyrophosphatase in Tomato Roots

Effect of nitrate and ammonium on the activity of tonoplast pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) was investigated in the roots of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum L.). The results showed that the activity of V-PPase was increased by ammonium nutrition, compared with nitrate nutrition. The H+ transport of tonoplast vesicles by V-PPase was also stimulated by ammonium nutrition. The result of Western blot indicated that the protein amount of V-PPase was increased by ammonium nutrition.

Release Characteristics of Different N Forms in an Uncoated Slow/Controlled Release Compound Fertilizer

This study examined the release characteristics of different N forms in an uncoated slow/controlled-release compound fertilizer （UCRF） and the N uptake and N-use efficiency by rice plants. Water dissolution, soil leaching, and pot experiments were employed. The dynamics of N release from the UCRF could be quantitatively described by three equations： the first-order kinetics equation [N1=N0 （1-e^-kt）], Elovich equation （N1=a ＋ blnt）, and parabola equation （N1=a ＋ bt^0.5）, with the best fitting by the first-order kinetics equation for different N （r= 0.9569^＊＊-0.9999^＊＊）. The release potentials （No values estimated by the first-order kinetics equation） of different N in the UCRF decreased in the order of total N 〉 DON 〉 urea-N 〉 NH4^＋-N 〉 NO3^-N in water, and total N 〉 NH4^＋-N 〉 DON 〉 urea-N 〉 NO3^--N in soil, respectively, being in accordance with cumulative amounts of N release. The constants of N release rate （k values and b values） for different N forms were in decreasing order of total N 〉 DON 〉 NH4^＋-N 〉 NO3^--N in water, whereas the k values were urea- N 〉DON 〉 NH4^＋-N 〉 total N 〉 NO3^--N, and the b values were total N 〉 NH4^＋-N 〉 DON 〉 NO3^--N 〉 urea-N in soil. Compared with a common compound fertilizer, the N-use efficiency, N-agronomy efficiency, and N-physiological efficiency of the UCRF were increased by 11.4%, 8.32 kg kg^-1, and 5.17 kg kg^-1, respectively. The ratios of different N to total N in the UCRF showed significant correlation with N uptake by rice plants. The findings showed that the first-order kinetics equation [Nt=N0 （l-e^kt）] could be used to describe the release characteristics of different N forms in the fertilizer. The UCRF containing different N forms was more effective in facilitating N uptake by rice compared with the common compound fertilizer containing single urea-N form.

Variation of bacterial community associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum in response to different inorganic nitrogen concentrations

Specific bacterial communities interact with phytoplankton in laboratory algal cultures. These communities influence phytoplankton physiology and metabolism by transforming and exchanging phytoplankton-derived organic matter. Functional bacterial groups may participate in various critical nutrients fluxes within these associations, including nitrogen(N) metabolism. However, it is unclear how bacterial communities and the associated algae respond to changes of phycosphere N conditions. This response may have far-reaching implications for global nutrient cycling, algal bloom formation, and ecosystem function. Here, we identified changes in the bacterial communities associated with Phaeodactylum tricornutum when co-cultured with different forms and concentrations of N based on the Illumina HiSeq sequencing of 16 S rRNA amplicons.Phylogenetic analysis identified Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes as the dominant phyla, accounting for 99.5% of all sequences. Importantly, bacterial abundance and community structure were more affected by algal abundance than by the form or concentration of inorganic N. The relative abundance of three gammaproteobacterial genera(Marinobacter, Algiphilus and Methylophaga) markedly increased in N-deficient cultures. Thus, some bacterial groups may play a role in the regulation of N metabolism when co-cultured with P.tricornutum.