Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil

Many pristine humid tropical forests show simultaneously high nitrogen (N) richness and sustained loss of bioavailable N forms. To better understand this apparent upregulation of the N cycle in tropical forests, process-based understanding of soil N transformations, in geographically diverse locatio...

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Autores principales: Ruttink, T., Cizungu-Ntaboba, L., Roobroeck, D., Bauters, M., Huygens, D., Boeckx, P.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2015
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76290
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author Ruttink, T.
Cizungu-Ntaboba, L.
Roobroeck, D.
Bauters, M.
Huygens, D.
Boeckx, P.
author_browse Bauters, M.
Boeckx, P.
Cizungu-Ntaboba, L.
Huygens, D.
Roobroeck, D.
Ruttink, T.
author_facet Ruttink, T.
Cizungu-Ntaboba, L.
Roobroeck, D.
Bauters, M.
Huygens, D.
Boeckx, P.
author_sort Ruttink, T.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Many pristine humid tropical forests show simultaneously high nitrogen (N) richness and sustained loss of bioavailable N forms. To better understand this apparent upregulation of the N cycle in tropical forests, process-based understanding of soil N transformations, in geographically diverse locations, remains paramount. Field-based evidence is limited and entirely lacking for humid tropical forests on the African continent. This study aimed at filling both knowledge gaps by monitoring N losses and by conducting an in situ 15N labeling experiment in the Nyungwe tropical montane forest in Rwanda. Here we show that this tropical forest shows high nitrate (NO3−) leaching losses, confirming findings from other parts of the world. Gross N transformation rates point to an open soil N cycle with mineralized N nitrified rather than retained via immobilization; gross immobilization of NH4+ and NO3− combined accounted for 37% of gross mineralization, and plant N uptake is dominated by ammonium (NH4+). This study provided new process understanding of soil N cycling in humid tropical forests and added geographically independent evidence that humid tropical forests are characterized by soil N dynamics and N inputs sustaining bioavailable N loss.
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spelling CGSpace762902024-05-01T08:16:57Z Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil Ruttink, T. Cizungu-Ntaboba, L. Roobroeck, D. Bauters, M. Huygens, D. Boeckx, P. tropical forests nitrogen cycle mineralization Many pristine humid tropical forests show simultaneously high nitrogen (N) richness and sustained loss of bioavailable N forms. To better understand this apparent upregulation of the N cycle in tropical forests, process-based understanding of soil N transformations, in geographically diverse locations, remains paramount. Field-based evidence is limited and entirely lacking for humid tropical forests on the African continent. This study aimed at filling both knowledge gaps by monitoring N losses and by conducting an in situ 15N labeling experiment in the Nyungwe tropical montane forest in Rwanda. Here we show that this tropical forest shows high nitrate (NO3−) leaching losses, confirming findings from other parts of the world. Gross N transformation rates point to an open soil N cycle with mineralized N nitrified rather than retained via immobilization; gross immobilization of NH4+ and NO3− combined accounted for 37% of gross mineralization, and plant N uptake is dominated by ammonium (NH4+). This study provided new process understanding of soil N cycling in humid tropical forests and added geographically independent evidence that humid tropical forests are characterized by soil N dynamics and N inputs sustaining bioavailable N loss. 2015-10 2016-07-27T12:46:56Z 2016-07-27T12:46:56Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76290 en Limited Access Wiley Rütting, T., Cizungu Ntaboba, L., Roobroeck, D., Bauters, M., Huygens, D. & Boeckx, P. (2015). Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 29(10), 1754-1762.
spellingShingle tropical forests
nitrogen cycle
mineralization
Ruttink, T.
Cizungu-Ntaboba, L.
Roobroeck, D.
Bauters, M.
Huygens, D.
Boeckx, P.
Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title_full Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title_fullStr Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title_full_unstemmed Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title_short Leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine African montane rainforest soil
title_sort leaky nitrogen cycle in pristine african montane rainforest soil
topic tropical forests
nitrogen cycle
mineralization
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76290
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AT bautersm leakynitrogencycleinpristineafricanmontanerainforestsoil
AT huygensd leakynitrogencycleinpristineafricanmontanerainforestsoil
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