^(15)N Isotope Used for Study of Groundwater Nitrogen Pollution in Shijiazhuang City, China

Shijiazhuang City is the capital of Hebei province, China. Groundwater is the major water supply source for living and industry need of the city. Due to a rapid increase of population and development of industry and agriculture, a series of groundwater environmental problems are created. In the paper, the situation of groundwater pollution in Shijiazhuang city is reported. Based on the groundwater chemical data and ^(15)N measurement results both on groundwater and soils, the reason of groundwater nitra...

Application of ^15N Stable Isotope Labeling Technology in Sugarcane Nitrogen Research

Nitrogen is one of the essential nutrient elements for plant growth,which plays an important role in the growth and development of sugarcane. The whole growth cycle of sugarcane needs a large amount of nitrogen. Increasing the application of nitrogen can improve the yield of sugarcane,but it will also cause environmental pollution. Therefore,how to control or reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizer while continuously increasing sugarcane yield,reduce the increase of sugarcane production cost and environmental pollution caused by excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer has become an important scientific problem faced by sugarcane industry in China.^15N stable isotope labeling technology has been applied to many crops as a nitrogen research tool. In order to better understand the demand of nitrogen fertilizer in soil-cane system,this paper reviewed nitrogen allocation in plants,nitrogen loss,nitrogen recycling and endogenous nitrogen fixation of sugarcane based on^15N stable isotope labeling technology used in the nitrogen uptake and utilization,providing a theoretical basis for the improvement of sugarcane nitrogen use efficiency and the efficient nitrogen fertilizer management of sugarcane.

Investigation of Nitrite Production Pathway in Integrated Partial Denitrification/Anammox Process via Isotope Labelling Technique and the Relevant Microbial Communities

In this study,the nitrogen removal performance of partial denitrificaiton/anammox(PDA)process was investigated by using an UASB reactor.High total nitrogen(TN)removal efficiency(91.97%)was achieved at an influent nitrogen loading rate of 0.64 kg/(m3·d).Anammox bacteria did execute the function of converting nitrate to nitrite in PDA system according to ^(15)N isotope labeling experiments and the contribution was approximately 36.3%.Candidatus_Brocadia,Candidatus_Kuenenia and Thauera were functional strains for anammox and denitrification process,respectively.Thauera and Candidatus_Brocadia were more important for TN removal at high loading rates(0.64 kg/(m3·d)).This result can provide a theoretical and technical foundation for the application of the PDA process.

Trace element geochemistry and stable isotopic(δ^(13)C andδ^(15)N)records of the Paleocene coals,Salt Range,Punjab,Pakistan

The Paleocene coals of the Salt Range in the Punjab Province of Pakistan have great economic potential;however,their trace element and stable isotopic characteristics have not been studied in detail except for a few sporadic samples.In this study,a total of 59 coal samples of which 14 are obtained from open cast mines have been investigated for elemental composition andδ^(13)C-δ^(15)N isotopic signatures.Average contents of trace elements such as Co,Cr,Cu,Pb,Sr,Th,U,V,and Zn are 7.4,41.7,11.2,12.5,90.2,4.0,1.9,128,and 31.1 mg/kg,respectively.These values,when compared with the World Coal Clarke values,were relatively higher in low-rank coals in comparison with Clarke values for brown coals.Likewise,As(20.4 mg/kg),Co(6.6 mg/kg),Cr(22.4 mg/kg),Cu(^(13).3 mg/kg),Pb(19.2 mg/kg),Sr(^(15)4.7 mg/kg),Th(2.5 mg/kg),V(47.8 mg/kg),and Zn(75.1 mg/kg)were significantly higher in the sub-bituminous to bituminous coals of the Salt Range.Mineralogical analysis,based on X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy,revealed that the studied samples contain illite,kaolinite calcite,gypsum,pyrite,and quartz.Elemental affinity with organic and inorganic phases of coals calculated by an indirect statistical approach indicated a positive association of ash content with Ag,Al,Co,Cr,Cs,Cu,Mn,P,Rb,Pb,Th,U,and V,suggesting the presence of inorganic components in studied coals.However,As,Fe,Sr,and Zn exhibit negative correlations that imply their association with the organic fraction.Theδ^(13)C andδ^(15)N isotopic range and average−24.94‰to−25.86‰(−25.41‰)and−2.77‰to 3.22‰(0.96‰),respectively,reflecting 3C type modern terrestrial vegetation were common in the palaeomires of studied coal seams.In addition,the trivial variations of 0.92‰and 0.45‰among^(13)C and^(15)N values can be attributed to water level fluctuations and plant assemblies.

Tree-ring δ^(15)N of Qinghai spruce in the central Qilian Mountains of China:Is pre-treatment of wood samples necessary?

A knowledge of the tree-ring stable nitrogen isotope ratio(δ^(15)N)can deepen our understanding of forest ecosystem dynamics by indicating the long-term availability,cycling and sources of nitrogen(N).However,the radial mobility of N blurs the interannual variations in the long-term N records.Previous studies of the chemical extraction of tree rings before analysis had produced inconsistent results and it is still unclear whether it is necessary to pre-treat wood samples from specific tree species to remove soluble N compounds before determining theδ^(15)N values.We compared the effects of pre-treatment with organic solvents and hot ultrapure water on the N concentration andδ^(15)N of tree rings from endemic Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)growing in the interior of the central Qilian Mountains,China,during the last 60 a.We assessed the effects of different preparation protocols on the removal of the labile N compounds and investigated the need to pre-treat wood samples before determining theδ^(15)N values of tree rings.Increasing trends of the tree-ring N concentration were consistently observed in both the extracted and unextracted wood samples.The total N removed by extraction with organic solvents was about 17.60%,with a significantly higher amount in the sapwood section(P<0.01).Theδ^(15)N values of tree rings decreased consistently from 1960 to 2019 in both the extracted and unextracted wood samples.Extraction with organic solvents increased theδ^(15)N values markedly by about 5.2‰and reduced the variations in theδ^(15)N series.However,extraction with hot ultrapure water had little effect,with only a slight decrease in theδ^(15)N values of about 0.5‰.Our results showed that the radial pattern in the inter-ring movement of N in Qinghai spruce was not minimized by extraction with either organic solvents or hot ultrapure water.It is unnecessary to conduct hot ultrapure water extraction for the wood samples from Qinghai spruce because of its negligible effect on the removal of the labile N.Theδ^(15)N variation trend of tree rings in the unextracted wood samples was not influenced by the heartwood-sapwood transition zone.We suggest that theδ^(15)N values of the unextracted wood samples of the climate-sensitive Qinghai spruce could be used to explore the ecophysiological dynamics while focusing on the long-term variations.

N2 fixation rate and diazotroph community structure in the western tropical North Pacific Ocean

In the present study, we report N2 fixation rate(15N isotope tracer assay) and the diazotroph community structure(using the molecular method) in the western tropical North Pacific Ocean(WTNP)(13°–20°N, 120°–160°E). Our independent evidence on the basis of both in situ N2 fixation activity and diazotroph community structure showed the dominance of unicellular N2 fixation over majority of the WTNP surface waters during the sampling periods.Moreover, a shift in the diazotrophic composition from unicellular cyanobacteria group B-dominated to Trichodesmium spp.-dominated toward the western boundary current(Kuroshio) was also observed in 2013. We hypothesize that nutrient availability may have played a major role in regulating the biogeography of N2 fixation.In surface waters, volumetric N2 fixation rate(calculated by nitrogen) ranged between 0.6 and 2.6 nmol/(L·d) and averaged(1.2±0.5) nmol/(L·d), with <10 μm size fraction contributed predominantly(88%±6%) to the total rate between 135°E and 160°E. Depth-integrated N2 fixation rate over the upper 200 m ranged between 150 μmol/(m^2·d)and 480 μmol/(m^2·d)average(225±105) μmol/(m^2·d). N2 fixation can account for 6.2%±3.7% of the depthintegrated primary production, suggesting that N2 fixation is a significant N source sustaining new and export production in the WTNP. The role of N2 fixation in biogeochemical cycling in this climate change-vulnerable region calls for further investigations.

Use of ^(15)N stable isotope to quantify nitrogen transfer between mycorrhizal plants

Aims Mycorrhizas(fungal roots)play vital roles in plant nutrient acquisition,performance and productivity in terrestrial ecosystems.Arbuscular mycorrhizas(AM)and ectomycorrhizas(EM)are mostly important since soil nutrients,including NH+4,NO
3 and phosphorus,are translocated from mycorrhizal fungi to plants.Individual species,genera and even families of plants could be interconnected by mycorrhizal mycelia to form common mycorrhizal networks(CMNs).The function of CMNs is to provide pathways for movement or transfer of nutrients from one plant to another.In the past four decades,both ^(15)N external labeling or enrichment(usually expressed as atom%)and ^(15)N naturally occurring abundance(d^(15)N,&)techniques have been employed to trace the direction and magnitude of N transfer between plants,with their own advantages and limitations.Important Findings The heavier stable isotope ^(15)N is discriminated against 14N during biochemical,biogeochemical and physiological processes,due to a greater atomic mass.In general,non-N2-fixing plants had greater d^(15)N values than N2-fixing(;0&)ones.Foliar d^(15)N often varied by 5 to 10&in the order:non-mycorrhizas/AMs>EMs>ericoid mycorrhizas.Differences in d^(15)N(&)or ^(15)N(atom%)values could thus provide N transfer information between plants.A range of between 0 to 80%of one-way N transfer had been observed from N2-fixing mycorrhizal to non-N2-fixing mycorrhizal plants,but generally less than or around 10%in the reverse direction.Plant-to-plant N transfer may provide practical implications for plant performance in N-limited habitats.Considering that N translocation or cycling is crucial,and the potential benefits of N transfer are great in both agricultural and natural ecosystems,more research is warranted on either oneway or two-way N transfers mediated by CMNs with different species and under field conditions.

Removal efficacy and mechanism of nitrogen and phosphorus by biological aluminum-based P-inactivation agent (BA-PIA)

In this study,aluminum-based P-inactivation agent(Al-PIA)was used as a high-efficiency microbial carrier,and the biological Al-PIA(BA-PIA)was prepared by artificial aeration.Laboratory static experiments were conducted to study the effect of BA-PIA on reducing nitrogen and phosphorus contents in water.Physicochemical characterization and isotope tracing method were applied to analyze the removal mechanism of nitrogen and phosphorus.High-throughput techniques were used to analyze the characteristic bacterial genus in the BA-PIA system.The nitrogen and phosphorus removal experiment was conducted for 30 days,and the removal rates of NH_(4)^(+)-N,TN and TP by BA-PIA were 81.87%,66.08%and 87.97%,respectively.The nitrogen removal pathways of BA-PIA were as follows:the nitrification reaction accounted for 59.0%(of which denitrification reaction accounted for 56.4%),microbial assimilation accounted for 18.1%,and the unreacted part accounted for 22.9%.The characteristic bacteria in the BA-PIA system were Streptomyces,Nocardioides,Saccharopolyspora,Nitrosomonas,and Marinobacter.The loading of microorganisms only changed the surface physical properties of Al-PIA(such as specific surface area,pore volume and pore size),without changing its surface chemical properties.The removal mechanism of nitrogen by BA-PIA is the conversion of NH_(4)^(+)-N into NO_(2)^(−)-N and NO_(3)^(−)-N by nitrifying bacteria,which are then reduced to nitrogen-containing gas by aerobic denitrifying bacteria.The phosphorus removal mechanism is that metal compounds(such as Al)on the surface of BA-PIA fix phosphorus through chemisorption processes,such as ligand exchange.Therefore,BA-PIA overcomes the deficiency of Al-PIA with only phosphorus removal ability,and has better application prospects.

Combined application of biochar with fertilizer promotes nitrogen uptake in maize by increasing nitrogen retention in soil

Combined application of biochar with fertilizers has been used to increase soil fertility and crop yield.However,the coupling mechanisms through which biochar improves crop yield at field scale and the time span over which biochar affects carbon and nitrogen transformation and crop yield are still little known.In this study,a long-term field trial(2013-2019)was performed in brown soil planting maize.Six treatments were designed:CK-control;NPK-application of chemical fertilizers;C1PK-low biochar without nitrogen fertilizer;C1NPK,C_(2)NPK and C_(3)NPK-biochar at 1.5,3 and 6 t ha^(−1),respectively,combined with chemical fertilizers.Results showed that theδ^(15)N value in the topsoil of 0-20 cm layer in the C_(3)NPK treat-ment reached a peak of 291‰at the third year(2018),and demonstrated a peak of 402‰in the NPK treatment in the initial isotope trial in 2016.Synchronously,SOC was not affected until the third to fourth year after biochar addition,and resulted in a significant increase in total N of 2.4 kg N ha^(−1) in 2019 in C_(3)NPK treatment.During the entire experiment,the ^(15)N recovery rates of 74-80%were observed highest in the C_(2)NPK and C_(3)NPK treatments,resulting in an annual increase in yields significantly.The lowest subsoilδ^(15)N values ranged from 66‰to 107‰,and the ^(15)N residual rate would take 70 years for a complete decay to 0.001%in the C_(3)NPK.Our findings suggest that biochar compound fertilizers can increase C stability and N retention in soil and improve N uptake by maize,while the loss of N was minimized.Biochars,therefore,may have an important potential for improving the agroecosystem and ecological balance.

The effect of biochar on mycorrhizal fungi mediated nutrient uptake by coconut(Cocos nucifera L.)seedlings grown on a Sandy Regosol

Biochar amendment of soil may ameliorate inherently infertile soils,such as in the typical coconut(Cocos nucifera L.)growth areas along tropical coasts,where,moreover,temporary moisture stress commonly occurs.We conducted a pot experiment to evaluate the effects of biochar soil amendment(1%w/w)produced from Gliricidia sepium stems(BC-Gly)and rice husks(BC-RiH)on the growth of coconut seedlings and on N and P uptake mediated by mycorrhizae under wet or dry conditions in a Sandy Regosol.The pots were divided into root and hyphal zones by a nylon mesh,where 15N labelled N and P nutrients were only provided in the hyphal zone.Under wet conditions,biochar applica-tion did not affect plant growth,while under dry conditions,the BC-Gly increased root and plant growth similar to that under wet conditions.BC-Gly increased the acidic pH of the soil to a neutral level,and the microbial community shifted towards a higher fungal abundance.The P accumulated(Pacc)in roots was higher with BC-Gly and BC-RiH under dry and wet conditions,respectively.Pacc weakly correlated with the abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)in the hyphal zone.With BC-Gly roots showed lower N derived from fertilizer.We conclude that biochar application has no impact on crop growth under wet conditions,while under dry conditions,BC-Gly stimulates crop growth and P uptake,probably through liming induced P availability but also possibly by some enhancement of AMF growth.The shift in the fungal-oriented microbial community and reduced plant fertilizer N uptake suggested that BC-Gly acted as an additional N source.