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Direct biological fixation provides a freshwater sink for N2O

Author

Listed:
  • Yueyue Si

    (Queen Mary, University of London)

  • Yizhu Zhu

    (Queen Mary, University of London)

  • Ian Sanders

    (Queen Mary, University of London)

  • Dorothee B. Kinkel

    (Queen Mary, University of London)

  • Kevin J. Purdy

    (University of Warwick)

  • Mark Trimmer

    (Queen Mary, University of London)

Abstract

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent climate gas, with its strong warming potential and ozone-depleting properties both focusing research on N2O sources. Although a sink for N2O through biological fixation has been observed in the Pacific, the regulation of N2O-fixation compared to canonical N2-fixation is unknown. Here we show that both N2O and N2 can be fixed by freshwater communities but with distinct seasonalities and temperature dependencies. N2O fixation appears less sensitive to temperature than N2 fixation, driving a strong sink for N2O in colder months. Moreover, by quantifying both N2O and N2 fixation we show that, rather than N2O being first reduced to N2 through denitrification, N2O fixation is direct and could explain the widely reported N2O sinks in natural waters. Analysis of the nitrogenase (nifH) community suggests that while only a subset is potentially capable of fixing N2O they maintain a strong, freshwater sink for N2O that could be eroded by warming.

Suggested Citation

  • Yueyue Si & Yizhu Zhu & Ian Sanders & Dorothee B. Kinkel & Kevin J. Purdy & Mark Trimmer, 2023. "Direct biological fixation provides a freshwater sink for N2O," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-42481-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42481-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Malte Meinshausen & S. Smith & K. Calvin & J. Daniel & M. Kainuma & J-F. Lamarque & K. Matsumoto & S. Montzka & S. Raper & K. Riahi & A. Thomson & G. Velders & D.P. Vuuren, 2011. "The RCP greenhouse gas concentrations and their extensions from 1765 to 2300," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 109(1), pages 213-241, November.
    2. Yizhu Zhu & Kevin J. Purdy & Özge Eyice & Lidong Shen & Sarah F. Harpenslager & Gabriel Yvon-Durocher & Alex J. Dumbrell & Mark Trimmer, 2020. "Disproportionate increase in freshwater methane emissions induced by experimental warming," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(7), pages 685-690, July.
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