Biogenic Nitric Oxide Emission of Mountain Soils Sampled from Different Vertical Landscape Zones in the Changbai Mountains, Northeastern China

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important component in nitrogen biogeochemical cycling produced through biological processes of nitrification and denitrification in soils, but the production and the consumption processes of NO in temperate mountain soil are less understood. Through laboratory experiments focusing on NO biogenic emissions from six kinds of mountain soils sampled from different vertical landscape zones, that is, coniferous and broadleaf mixed forest (CBF), fir forest (FF), spruce forest (SF), Erman’s birch forest (EBF), alpine tundra (AT), and volcanic ash (VA), in the Changbai Mountains, northeastern China, we found that the optimum water-filled pore space (WFPS) for NO production varies between 22.5% and 35% for a range of mountain soils. The optimum soil moisture for the maximum NO emission for a certain soil type, however, was constant and independent of soil temperature. The NO emission potential for forest soils was about 7−50-fold higher than tundra soil and volcanic ash, indicating that it is strongly influenced by nutrient contents in soils. On the basis of laboratory results and field monitoring data, the average NO fluxes from these mountain soils were estimated to be 0.14−29.56 ng N m−2 s−1 for an entire plant growth period. NO emissions mainly occur in wet season for CBF and FF, but in dry season for other soil types.

Eddy covariance fluxes and vertical concentration gradient measurements of NO and NO<sub>2</sub> over a ponderosa pine ecosystem: observational evidence for within-canopy chemical removal of NO<sub>x</sub>

“…For example, Norby et al (2010) found that the availability of nitrogen was a major limiting factor for the CO 2 fertilization effect in the FACE (Free-Air CO 2 Enrichment) experiment. However, excess nitrogen deposition may impair ecosystem health (Hessen et al, 1997;Herman et al, 2001) by causing dehydration, chlorosis, or membrane damage from peroxy acetal nitrate (PAN) (Ordin et al, 1971; K.-E. Min et al: Eddy covariance fluxes and vertical concentration gradient measurement Oka et al, 2004), or by inducing soil acidification and eutrophication (Makarov and Kiseleva, 1995;Pawlowski, 1997;Gbondo-Tugbawa and Driscoll, 2002;Zapletal et al, 2003;Chen et al, 2004).…”

“…A comprehensive understanding of NO x exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere does not yet exist. Experimental studies have primarily focused on NO emissions from soils to the atmosphere (e.g., Butterbach-Bahl et al, 2002;Gasche and Papen, 2002;Gut et al, 2002a, b;Rummel et al, 2002;van Dijk et al, 2002;Dorsey et al, 2004;Duyzer et al, 2004;Feig et al, 2008;Bargsten et al, 2010;Yu et al, 2010) or on the leaf-level transfer of NO and NO 2 using branch enclosures (Hereid and Monson, 2001;Chaparro-Suarez et al, 2011;Breuninger et al, 2013;and references therein). Studies at the canopy-scale often assume a simple flux-gradient similarity relationship, meaning molecular movement is always along the gradient of high to low concentration, to infer the rate of exchange from vertically resolved observations (Mayer et al, 2011 and references therein).…”

Eddy covariance fluxes and vertical concentration gradient measurements of NO and NO<sub>2</sub> over a ponderosa pine ecosystem: observational evidence for within canopy removal of NO<sub>x</sub>

“…A comprehensive understanding of NO x exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere does not yet exist. Experimental studies have primarily focused on NO emissions from soils to the atmosphere (e.g., Butterbach-Bahl et al, 2002;Gasche and Papen, 2002;Gut et al, 2002a, b;Rummel et al, 2002;van Dijk et al, 2002;Dorsey et al, 2004;Duyzer et al, 2004;Feig et al, 2008;Bargsten et al, 2010;Yu et al, 2010) or on the leaf-level transfer of NO and NO 2 using branch enclosures (Hereid and Monson, 2001;Chaparro-Suarez et al, 2011;Breuninger et al, 2013;and references therein). Studies at the canopy-scale often assume a simple flux-gradient similarity relationship, meaning molecular movement is always along the gradient of high to low concentration, to infer the rate of exchange from vertically resolved observations (Mayer et al, 2011 and references therein).…”