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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Effects of straw and biochar addition on soil nitrogen,carbon,and super rice yield in cold waterlogged paddy soils of North China

The additions of straw and biochar have been suggested to increase soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and crop produc- tivity of agricultural lands. To our knowledge, there is little information on the effects of straw and biochar addition on soil nitrogen form, carbon storage, and super rice yield in cold waterlogged paddy soils. We performed field trials with four treatments including conventional fertilization system （CK）, straw amendment 6 t ha^-1 （S）, biochar amendment 2 t ha^-1 （C1）, and biochar amendment 40 t ha^-1 （C2）. The super japonica rice variety, Shennong 265, was selected as the test Crop. The results showed that the straw and biochar amendments improved total nitrogen and organic carbon content of the soil, reduced N2O emissions, and had little influence on nitrogen retention, nitrogen density, and CO2 emissions. The S and C1 increased NH4^＋-N content, and C2 increased NO3^--N content. Both S and C1 had little influence on soil organic carbon density （SOCD） and C/N ratio. However, C2 greatly increased SOCD and C/N ratio. C1 and C2 significantly improved the soil carbon sequestration （SCS） by 62.9 and 214.0% （P〈0.05）, respectively, while S had no influence on SCS. C1 and C2 maintained the stability of super rice yield, and significantly reduced CH4 emissions, global warming potential （GWP）, and greenhouse gas intensity （GHGI）, whereas S had the opposite and negative effects. In summary, the biochar amendments in cold waterlogged paddy soils of North China increased soil nitrogen and carbon content, improved soil carbon sequestration, and reduced GHG emission without affecting the yield of super rice.

Accumulation Pattern of Gliadin Fractions α, β, γ, ω and Regulation of Nitrogen

Gliadin, the major storage protein in endosperm, affects grain quality in spring wheat by its content and composition. Eighteen cultivars differing in HMW-GS were used in the study to approach the accumulation pattern of gliadin fractions α, β, γ, ω and regulation of three kinds of nitrogen source. The results showed that the content of gliadin in grains increased gradually along with the process of grain-filling, but the accumulation intensity and final content differed evidently among cultivars with different HMW-GS composition. Of all the subunit types used here, cultivars with subunits 7＋9 and 2＋12 had smaller accumulation intensity and lower final content. During grain-filling, 4 gliadin fractions had the same increase trend, but differed in accumulation course. The dynamic trends of gliadin accumulation were similar in different nitrogen treatments whose effects on initial amount, accumulation intensity and final level of accumulation varied with cultivars. Of three nitrogen fertilizer types, the amide-form nitrogen source was better to the formation and accumulation of gliadin as well as its four fractions.

Form Distribution Characteristics of Nitrogen in a Reservoir as Drinking Water Source

Based on field detected water quality data, the distribution characteristics of different forms of nitrogen in a reservoir as drinking water source in Dongguan, which locates at the Pearl River Delta of China, have been analyzed in order to provide theoretical bases for prevention and reduction of eutrophication. The analyzed results show that nitrogen forms in the influent area of the reservoir are given priority to ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen, whose proportion is more than 45% respectively, and this is probably caused by the pollution of inflow water quality;but in the effluent area, the forms are given priority to nitrate nitrogen, whose proportion is as high as 96% and above;also the proportion of ammonia nitrogen drops by more than 80% during the process from the influent area to the effluent area, and this shows that the natural process of nitrification and denitrification can be well accomplished in the reservoir. We recommend here that to reduce the input amount of ammonia nitrogen and organic nitrogen into the reservoir is the most efficient way to prevent or mitigate eutrophication of water body.

A Summary of the Homogeneous 5D Universe Creation Model: Expressed in the Dirac Second-Order Quantization Representation

A summary of the homogeneous 5D universe model is expressed in the Dirac second-order quantized representation for the magnetic monopoles, identified in terms of the Higgs Bosons, and through systematic ordered excitations of the Higgs vacuum obtained the non-homogeneous 4D Lorentz manifolds filled with masses, corresponding to making space dimension reduction projections, and thus realization of Newtonian gravity, followed by the 3D space symmetry breaking into 2D × 1D that produces the Perelmann-entropy and Ricci-Flow mappings, resulting in the realization of Poincare spheres, represented by nucleus such as Carbon 12, all the way to stars, and matter filled discs, such as stars in galaxies and 2D carbon-based molecular structures like nitrogenous bases. Finally, the forming of RNAs and DNAs, then life forms.

Differential Effects of Ammonium and Nitrate on Growth Performance of Glechoma longituba under Heterogeneous Cd Stress

Water,minerals,nutrients,etc.,can be shared by physiological integration among inter-connected ramets of clonal plants.Nitrogen plays an important role in alleviating cadmium(Cd)stress for clonal plants.But how different forms of nitrogen affect growth performance of clonal plants subjected to heterogeneous Cd stress still remains poorly understood.A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the differential effects of ammonium and nitrate on growth performance of Glechoma longituba under heterogeneous Cd stress.In the experiment,parent ramets of Glechoma longituba clonal fragments were respectively supplied with modified Hoagland solution containing 7.5 mM ammonium,7.5 mM nitrate or the same volume of nutrient solution without nitrogen.Cd solution with different concentrations(0,0.1 or 2.0 mM)was applied to offspring ramets of the clonal fragments.Compared with control(N-free),nitrogen addition to parent ramets,especially ammonium,significantly improved antioxidant capacity[glutathione(GSH),proline(Pro),peroxidase(POD,)superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase(CAT)],PSII activity[maximum quantum yield of PSII(F_(v)/F_(m))and effective quantum yield of PSII(ΦPSII)],chlorophyll content and biomass accumulation of the offspring ramets suffering from Cd stress.In addition,negative effects of nitrate on growth performance of whole clonal fragments were observed under Cd stress with high concentration(2.0 mM).Transportation or sharing of nitrogen,especially ammonium,can improve growth performance of clonal plants under heterogeneous Cd stress.The experiment provides insight into transmission mechanism of nitrogen among ramets of clonal plants suffering from heterogeneous nutrient supply.Physiological integration might be an important ecological strategy for clonal plants adapting to heterogeneous environment stress conditions.

Study on Chemical Characteristics of Rainfall in Tobacco-Growing Regions of Chenzhou, Hunan Province

In order to clarify the chemical properties of rainfall in typical tobacco areas in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, and analyze its potential for soil and flue-cured tobacco planting, rainfall samples in 2020 were collected by rainfall instruments in Fangyuan Town and Aoquan Town of Guiyang County, and the chemical properties that are closely related to the quality of flue-cured tobacco were determined, such as pH, EC, total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (), ammonium nitrogen () and ion concentrations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, , Al3+, , Cl−,). The results show that the pH values of rainfall samples at Fangyuan and Aoquan monitoring sites are in the range of 4.92 - 6.17 and 4.93 - 5.69 respectively, with an average of 5.27 and 5.27 respectively. The acid rain characteristic is very obvious, which is mainly dominated by . The variation of rainfall EC has seasonal characteristics. EC is low from January to September, in the range of 6.09 - 56.72 and 11.83 - 30.93 μS/cm respectively, besides, it is high from October to December, in the range of 102.63 - 174.60 and 25.05 - 86.37 μS/cm respectively. The annual deposition of TN was 22.19 and 20.76 kg/hm2/yr respectively, which were higher than that in the western regions with less human disturbance, but lower than or equal to that in the developed agricultural regions in eastern China. The proportion of in the annual deposition of TN was higher than that of at two monitoring sites, with an average of 56.51% and 38.86% respectively. Ammonia volatilization from agricultural activities contributed more to rainfall nitrogen content. The ratios of ammonium nitrogen to nitrate nitrogen deposition at two monitoring points were 1.84, 1.81, 1.86 and 1.34, 1.46, and 1.29 during the whole year, summer and autumn, winter and spring respectively. The ratio is higher in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. The weighted average equivalent concentrations of the main ions at two monitoring sites were 238.88 μeq/L and 211.21 μeq/L respectively, and the orders of the ion concentrations were slightly different. Both the concentrations of and are higher, while Mg2+, and Al3+ are lower. , and are mainly from human activities with a contribution rate between 91.90% and 99.35%. Ca2+ mainly comes from soil and ground dust, besides, Cl− and Mg2+ mainly come from marine sources and K+ mainly comes from terrestrial sources. In general, the acidic rainfall and higher concentration are beneficial to reducing the high pH value of soil in Aoquan tobacco area and improving the quality of flue-cured tobacco. Higher concentrations of and in rainfall are not conducive to the improvement of flue-cured tobacco quality, because of the high content of soil available sulfur in Chenzhou tobacco area and the characteristics of flue-cured tobacco’s preference for ammonium.

Species-specific phenological responses to long-term nitrogen fertilization in an alpine meadow

Aims Long-term nitrogen(N)fertilization has profound impacts on com-munity structure and ecosystem function,but little is known about its effects on plant phenology.Furthermore,no published study has examined effects of N chemical forms on plant phenology.Methods in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau,we monitored reproductive phenology of six common plant species after 8 years of fertilization with different N chemical forms(addition of 7.5 g N m^(−2) yr^(−1) in the forms of ammonium,nitrate and ammonium nitrate),with no N addition as the control.Important Findings Eight years of N fertilization affected plant reproductive phenology,and such effects depended on the species,N form and phenological phase.Fertilization with ammonium generally delayed,advanced or did not change flowering and fruiting phases of the alpine plants.Furthermore,fertilization with ammonium affected the temporal dispersion of reproductive phenology among the six species,espe-cially among the late-flowering species.This could reduce the overlap of flowering and fruiting and increase phenological com-plementarity.Fertilization with nitrate only delayed the senescence phase of Elymus nutans,and fertilization with ammonium nitrate did not affect reproductive phenology of the six alpine plants.N fertilization with any form increased the overlap in senescence among the six species.We conclude that long-term N fertilization can cause shifts in plant phenology and such effects depend on N chemical forms.Our results also suggest that phenological comple-mentarity could be a mechanism underlying resource partitioning and thus species coexistence in the face of changing N availability with different chemical forms.

EFFECTS OF SUBSTITUTION OF MINERAL NITROGEN WITH ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON NITROGEN LOSS FROM SLOPING CROPLAND OF PURPLE SOIL

Nitrogen loss from purple soil can lead to large negative impacts to the environment considering the wide distribution of this soil type in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.Therefore,nitrogen loss patterns from sloping cropland of purple soil in the Sichuan Basin with the following fertilization regimes were studied in a wheat-maize rotation system:100%organic fertilizer(OM),using pig manure to replace 30%of mineral N(OMNPK)and crop residue to replace 15%of the mineral N(CRNPK)plus standard mineral fertilization(NPK)and no fertilizer control.The cumulative hydrological N loss could be as high as 45 kg·ha^(−1) N.The interflow accounted for up to 90%of the total N loss followed by sediment and overland flow losses.The high N loss via interflow found in this study highlighting that sloping cropland of purple soil may be one of the hot spots of N leaching.Compared to the NPK regime,organic substitution regimes(i.e.,OM,OMNPK and CRNPK)decreased total hydrological N loss loadings by 30%−68%.In addition,they can maintain annual crop yields and decrease yield-scaled total hydrological N losses by 18%−71%.In conclusion,long-term substitution of mineral N with organic amendments can maintain high crop productivity and reduce environmental N loss loadings,and thereby recommended as good N management practices to minimize the risk of agricultural non-point source pollution in the purple soil region of China.

Effects of Local Nitrogen Supply on Water Uptake of Bean Plants in a Split Root System

To study the effects of local nitrogen supply on water and nutrient absorption, French bean （Phaseolus vulgaris L.） plants were grown in a split root system. Five treatments supplied with different nitrogen forms were compared： homogeneous nitrate （NN） and homogenous ammonium （AA） supply, spatially separated supply of nitrate and ammonium （NA）, half of the root system supplied with N-free nutrient solution, the other half with either nitrate （NO） or ammonium （AO）. The results showed that 10 d after onset of treatments, root dry matter （DM） in the nitratesupplied vessels treated with NA was more than two times higher than that in the ammonium-supplied vessels. Water uptake from the nitrate-supplied vessels treated with NA was 281% higher than under ammonium supply. In treatments NO and AO, the local supply of N resulted in clearly higher root DM, and water uptake from the nitratesupplied vessels was 82% higher than in the -N vessels. However, in AO plants, water uptake from the -N nutrient solution was 129% higher than from the ammonium-supplied vessels. This indicates a compensatory effect, which resulted in almost identical rates of total water uptake of treatments AA and AO, which had comparable shoot DM and leaf area. Ammonium supply reduced potassium and magnesium absorption. Water uptake was positively correlated with N, Mg and K uptake.