Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide (N2O) efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the e...Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide (N2O) efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the emergence of N2O emitters in soil microbial communities remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to reveal the vertical distribution of N2O emission potential and its correlation with mineral nitrogen contents in reclaimed soils. Using a culture-based N2O emission assay, the N2O emission potentials of soil at various depths (0-450 cm) were investigated in two oil palm plantations in Sarawak, Malaysia, which had elapsed times of two years (E2Y) and 10 years (El 0Y) after deforestation, respectively. On the basis of the relationship between the vertical profiles of N2O emission potentials and the contents of mineralized nitrogen in the peat soils at various depths, the impact of land management on soil microbial communities was discussed. The peat soil at plantation site E2Y showed a trend of high N2O production in deep layers (200-400 cm), whereas the older plantation site E10Y showed considerably more active N2O emission in shallow soil (10-50 cm). N2O emission potentials among the soil microbial communities at different soil depths at the E10Y site showed positive correlations with NO3- and NH4+ contents, whereas, soils obtained from the E2Y site had N2O emission potentials that were inversely proportional to the contents of NO3-. This contrasting vertical correlation between N2O-emitting potentials and mineralized nitrogen contents in bulk soils suggests that active N2O emission in deep soil at the E2Y site has maintained the original carbon-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the peat soil, whereas at EIOY, such a regulatory system has been lost due to advanced soil degradation, leading to dynamic changes in the nitrogen cycle in shallow soil.展开更多
文摘Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide (N2O) efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the emergence of N2O emitters in soil microbial communities remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to reveal the vertical distribution of N2O emission potential and its correlation with mineral nitrogen contents in reclaimed soils. Using a culture-based N2O emission assay, the N2O emission potentials of soil at various depths (0-450 cm) were investigated in two oil palm plantations in Sarawak, Malaysia, which had elapsed times of two years (E2Y) and 10 years (El 0Y) after deforestation, respectively. On the basis of the relationship between the vertical profiles of N2O emission potentials and the contents of mineralized nitrogen in the peat soils at various depths, the impact of land management on soil microbial communities was discussed. The peat soil at plantation site E2Y showed a trend of high N2O production in deep layers (200-400 cm), whereas the older plantation site E10Y showed considerably more active N2O emission in shallow soil (10-50 cm). N2O emission potentials among the soil microbial communities at different soil depths at the E10Y site showed positive correlations with NO3- and NH4+ contents, whereas, soils obtained from the E2Y site had N2O emission potentials that were inversely proportional to the contents of NO3-. This contrasting vertical correlation between N2O-emitting potentials and mineralized nitrogen contents in bulk soils suggests that active N2O emission in deep soil at the E2Y site has maintained the original carbon-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of the peat soil, whereas at EIOY, such a regulatory system has been lost due to advanced soil degradation, leading to dynamic changes in the nitrogen cycle in shallow soil.