A field method of determining NH 4 + and NO 3 - uptake kinetics in intact roots: Effects of CO2 enrichment on trees and crop species

Abstract

Models describing plant and ecosystem N cycles require an accurate assessment of root physiological uptake capacity for NH4/+ and NO3/- under field conditions. Traditionally, rates of ion uptake in field-grown plants are determined by using excised root segments incubated for a short period in an assay solution containing N either as a radioactive or stable isotope tracer (e.g., 36ClO3 as a NH4/+ analogue, 14CH3NH3 as an NO3/- analogue or 15NH4/+ and 15NO3/-). Although reliable, this method has several drawbacks. For example, in addition to radioactive safety issues, purchase and analysis of radioactive and stable isotopes is relatively expensive and can be a major limitation. More importantly, because excision effectively interrupts exchange of compounds between root and shoot (e.g., carbohydrate supply to root and N transport to shoot), the assay must be conducted quickly to avoid such complications. Here we present a novel field method for simultaneous measurements of NH4/+ and NO3/- uptake kinetics in intact root systems. The application of this method is demonstrated using two tree species; red maple (Acer rubrum) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) and two crop species soybean (Glycine max) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Plants were grown in open-top chambers at either ambient or elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 at two separate US national sites involved in CO2 research. Absolute values of net uptake rates and the kinetic parameters determined by our method were found to be in agreement with the literature reports. Roots of the crop species exhibited a greater uptake capacity for both N forms relative to tree species. Elevated CO2 did not significantly affect kinetics of N uptake in species tested except in red maple where it increased root uptake capacity, V(max), for NH4/+. The application, reliability, advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed in detail.