Nitrogen addition reduced carbon mineralization of aggregates in forest soils but enhanced in paddy soils in South China

Abstract

Background: Despite the crucial role of nitrogen (N) availability in carbon (C) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, soil organic C (SOC) mineralization in different sizes of soil aggregates under various land use types and their responses to N addition is not well understood. To investigate the responses of soil C mineralization in different sized aggregates and land use types to N addition, an incubation experiment was conducted with three aggregate-size classes (2000, 250, and 53 μm) and two land use types (a Chinese fir plantation and a paddy land). Results: Cumulative C mineralization of the < 53-μm fractions was the highest and that of microaggregates was the lowest in both forest and paddy soils, indicating that soil aggregates enhanced soil C stability and reduced the loss of soil C. Cumulative C mineralization in all sizes of aggregates treated with N addition decreased in forest soils, but that in microaggregates and the < 53-μm fraction increased in paddy soils treated with 100 μg N g−1. Moreover, the effect sizes of N addition on C mineralization of forest soils were below zero, but those of paddy soils were above zero. These data indicated that N addition decreased SOC mineralization of forest soils but increased that of paddy soils. Conclusions: Soil aggregates play an important role in soil C sequestration, and decrease soil C loss through the increase of soil C stability, regardless of land use types. N addition has different effects on soil C mineralization in different land use types. These results highlight the importance of soil aggregates and land use types in the effects of N deposition on the global terrestrial ecosystem C cycle.