Advances in nitrogen-15 use for environmental studies in the soil-plant system

Abstract

A review is being presented of the latcst results in the use of nitrogen-15 in the soil-plant system. The literature covers the period from 1991 to early April 1993. The increase in environmentally related experiments shows that the stable nitrogen isotope technique, applied either as tracer or as the natural isotope tracing approach, is well suited particularly to ecosystem studies. This trend is supported by convenient analytical systems. An important challenge to scientists in the field of environmental research is to contrive ways and means of permitting the plants to utilize the available nitrogen in the soil more efficiently. Examples of research areas needing more attention are pointed out.

A new mathematical approach for calculating the contribution of anammox, denitrification and atmosphere to an N2 mixture based on a 15N tracer technique

“…During the last four decades a 15 N tracer technique14 has been evolved as the most suitable tool for the investigations of N 2 formation by denitrification or anammox 8, 11, 15–18. However, only three 15 N‐aided approaches have been developed to estimate simultaneous N 2 formation by anammox and denitrification 7, 9, 19.…”