Bedrock Nitrogen Weathering Stimulates Biological Nitrogen Fixation

Dynarski, Katherine A.; Morford, Scott L.; Mitchell, Scott A.; Houlton, Benjamin Z.

doi:10.1002/bes2.1562

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Moreover, from a preindustrial perspective, both rock N and weathering fluxes have been important over geo‐evolutionary time scales, and so future studies attempting to dissect the impacts of the two N inputs will need to carry out simulations in long model spin‐up cycles. Although much more work is needed, there is evidence that increased supply of N from bedrock weathering stimulates biological N fixation through feedbacks in the C cycle (Dynarski et al., 2019).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ecosystem models have highlighted the potential for progressive nitrogen limitations of plant productivity to emerge; yet studies have found mixed results and the terrestrial CO 2 sink continues to occur at ∼2 Gt C/yr, or ∼25% of global C emissions from human activities. Past studies have identified an important role for rock nitrogen weathering in nutrient cycles, ecological interactions, and regional carbon sequestration patterns across forests (Dynarski et al., 2019; Houlton & Morford, 2015; Morford et al., 2011), which could affect the nature and pattern of N limitation. Despite the evidence that rock weathering accounts for 26% of preindustrial N inputs, at the scale of the ecosystem, region and global, (Houlton et al., 2018), this pathway of N input has not been examined in global carbon‐climate‐nutrient models.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bedrock Weathering Controls on Terrestrial Carbon‐Nitrogen‐Climate Interactions

Dass

Houlton

Wang

et al. 2021

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles are coupled from molecular to biosphere scales, with strong feedbacks on Earth's climate system (Galloway et al., 2004;Gruber & Galloway, 2008). Carbon sequestration, which is driven by net primary production (NPP), displays symptoms of N scarcity although 78% of the atmosphere is N (Vitousek & Howarth, 1991). Since bioavailable forms of N are mobile and readily lost from ecosystems, N inputs are needed to maintain C sinks (Cleveland et al., 2013). Consequently, an emerging view proposes that efforts aimed at reducing anthropogenic N deposition (originating primarily from agricultural and industrial activities) will reduce terrestrial C sinks, thereby obfuscating climate mitigation strategies (Gu

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bedrock Weathering Controls on Terrestrial Carbon‐Nitrogen‐Climate Interactions

Dass

Houlton

Wang

et al. 2021

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

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“…For example, low rates of rock N weathering can select for symbioses between plants and mycorrhizal fungi, which secrete enzymes to obtain organic N as well as stimulate rock weathering (Koele, Dickie, Blum, Gleason, & Graaf, ). Recent work by Dynarski, Morford, Mitchell, and Houlton () has shown that low rates of rock N weathering in locations with N‐poor parent materials are associated with reduced C storage and soil P retention, which thereby impedes BNF and potentially in the long term reinforces selection for symbioses between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. Conversely, C gains in forests residing on N‐rich geological substrates can enhance BNF rates via free‐living microbes in litter, a result that contrasts with natural and simulated anthropogenic N deposition (Dynarski et al, ).…”

Section: Ecological and Evolutionary Significance Of Rock N Weatheringmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent work by Dynarski, Morford, Mitchell, and Houlton () has shown that low rates of rock N weathering in locations with N‐poor parent materials are associated with reduced C storage and soil P retention, which thereby impedes BNF and potentially in the long term reinforces selection for symbioses between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. Conversely, C gains in forests residing on N‐rich geological substrates can enhance BNF rates via free‐living microbes in litter, a result that contrasts with natural and simulated anthropogenic N deposition (Dynarski et al, ). Thus, N‐rich geological substrates should select for plants that have high capacities for N uptake and use, both directly through increased rock N weathering and indirectly through enhanced BNF.…”

Section: Ecological and Evolutionary Significance Of Rock N Weatheringmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing perspectives on terrestrial nitrogen cycling: The importance of weathering and evolved resource‐use traits for understanding ecosystem responses to global change

et al. 2019

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Our understanding of terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycling is changing as new processes are uncovered, including the sources, turnover and losses of N from ecosystems. We integrate recent insights into an updated N‐cycling framework and discuss how a new understanding integrates eco‐evolutionary dynamics with nutrient cycling. These insights include (a) the significance of rock weathering as a biologically meaningful N source to plants and microbes; (b) the lack of consistent N limitation of organic matter decomposition by soil microbes; (c) species‐specific variation in plant N limitation; and (d) how fire effects on soil N shift with ecosystem properties. Using an eco‐evolutionary framework and revised knowledge of N cycling, we describe how (a) rock N weathering could have contributed more strongly to gradients in soil N availability than previously recognized, (b) evolution and co‐evolution of plant and soil microbial resource‐use traits underlie whether decomposition and production are N‐limited, and (c) the effects of fire on soil N pools are mediated by composition of plant species and time‐scale. Our revised framework of N cycling provides a way forward for improving biogeochemical models to more accurately estimate rates of plant production and decomposition, and total soil N. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

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“…N inputs are mainly from Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) and atmospheric deposition with little addition from rock weathering (Du et al , 2020) There are two types of nitrogen deposition from the atmosphere: wet (precipitation) and dry (particles). Among the two, wet deposition represents most of the atmospheric nitrogen input (Fowler et al , 2013;Dynarski et al , 2019). In contrast, the main input of P comes from rock weathering (mainly apatite) with lesser inputs from atmospheric deposition as dust particles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the terrestrial nitrogen and phosphorus cycle in the UVic ESCM version 2.10

Sisto

MacDougall

Mengis

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Abstract. Nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical dynamics are crucial for the regulation of the terrestrial carbon cycle. In Earth System Models (ESMs) the implementation of nutrient limitations has been shown to improve the carbon cycle feedback representation and hence, improve the fidelity of the response of land to simulated atmospheric CO2 rise. Here we aimed to implement a terrestrial nitrogen and phosphorus cycle in an Earth system model of intermediate complexity to improve projections of the future CO2 fertilization feedbacks. The nitrogen cycle is an improved version of the Wania et al. (2012) Nitrogen (N) module, with enforcement of N mass conservation and the merger with a deep land-surface and wetland module that allows for the estimation of N2O and NO fluxes. The N cycle module estimates fluxes from three organic (litter, soil organic matter and vegetation) and two inorganic (NH4+ and NO3-) pools, accounts for inputs from biological nitrogen fixation and N deposition. The P cycle module contains the same organic pools with one inorganic P pool, it estimates influx of P from rock weathering and losses from leaching and occlusion. Two historical simulations are carried for the different nutrient limitation setups of the model: carbon and nitrogen (CN) and carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (CNP), with a baseline carbon only simulation. The improved N cycle module now conserves mass and the added fluxes (NO and N2O), along with the N and P pools are within the range of other studies and literature. The implementation of nutrient limitation resulted in a reduction of GPP from the Carbon-Nitrogen (133 Pg yr-1) and Carbon-Nitrogen-Phosphorus (129 Pg yr-1) simulations by the year 2020, which implies that the model efficiently represents a nutrient limitation over the CO2 fertilization effect. CNP simulation resulted in a reduction of 10 % of the mean GPP and a reduction of 23 % of the vegetation biomass compared to baseline C simulation. These results are in better agreement with observations, particularly in tropical regions where P limitation is known to be important. In summary, the implementation of the nitrogen and phosphorus cycle have successfully enforced a nutrient limitation in the terrestrial system, which now have reduced the primary productivity and the capacity of land to uptake atmospheric carbon better matching observations.

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Bedrock Nitrogen Weathering Stimulates Biological Nitrogen Fixation

Cited by 5 publications

References 32 publications

Bedrock Weathering Controls on Terrestrial Carbon‐Nitrogen‐Climate Interactions

Bedrock Weathering Controls on Terrestrial Carbon‐Nitrogen‐Climate Interactions

Changing perspectives on terrestrial nitrogen cycling: The importance of weathering and evolved resource‐use traits for understanding ecosystem responses to global change

Modelling the terrestrial nitrogen and phosphorus cycle in the UVic ESCM version 2.10

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