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Intermediate soil acidification induces highest nitrous oxide emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Yunpeng Qiu

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Yi Zhang

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Kangcheng Zhang

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Xinyu Xu

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Yunfeng Zhao

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Tongshuo Bai

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Yexin Zhao

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Hao Wang

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Xiongjie Sheng

    (Nanjing Agricultural University
    Yunnan University)

  • Sean Bloszies

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Christopher J. Gillespie

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Tangqing He

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Yang Wang

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Huaihai Chen

    (School of Ecology, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen)

  • Lijin Guo

    (College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University)

  • He Song

    (Anhui Agricultural University)

  • Chenglong Ye

    (Nanjing Agricultural University)

  • Yi Wang

    (Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Alex Woodley

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Jingheng Guo

    (College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University)

  • Lei Cheng

    (College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University)

  • Yongfei Bai

    (Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yongguan Zhu

    (Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences
    CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun)

  • Sara Hallin

    (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Mary K. Firestone

    (Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley
    Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Shuijin Hu

    (North Carolina State University)

Abstract

Global potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from soil are accelerating, with increases in the proportion of reactive nitrogen emitted as N2O, i.e., N2O emission factor (EF). Yet, the primary controls and underlying mechanisms of EFs remain unresolved. Based on two independent but complementary global syntheses, and three field studies determining effects of acidity on N2O EFs and soil denitrifying microorganisms, we show that soil pH predominantly controls N2O EFs and emissions by affecting the denitrifier community composition. Analysis of 5438 paired data points of N2O emission fluxes revealed a hump-shaped relationship between soil pH and EFs, with the highest EFs occurring in moderately acidic soils that favored N2O-producing over N2O-consuming microorganisms, and induced high N2O emissions. Our results illustrate that soil pH has a unimodal relationship with soil denitrifiers and EFs, and the net N2O emission depends on both the N2O/(N2O + N2) ratio and overall denitrification rate. These findings can inform strategies to predict and mitigate soil N2O emissions under future nitrogen input scenarios.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunpeng Qiu & Yi Zhang & Kangcheng Zhang & Xinyu Xu & Yunfeng Zhao & Tongshuo Bai & Yexin Zhao & Hao Wang & Xiongjie Sheng & Sean Bloszies & Christopher J. Gillespie & Tangqing He & Yang Wang & Huaiha, 2024. "Intermediate soil acidification induces highest nitrous oxide emissions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-46931-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46931-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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