C3和C4植物的氮素利用机制

提高植物的氮素利用效率(NUE)不仅有利于保障全球粮食安全, 也是实现农业可持续发展的重要途径。近半个世纪以来, 植物氮素利用机理研究已取得重要进展, 但NUE的调控机制仍不明确, NUE的提高仍然十分有限。高等植物集光合碳素同化和氮素同化于一体, 只有碳氮代谢相互协调, 才能维持植物体内的碳氮平衡, 保证植物正常生长发育。由于C₃和C₄植物的光合氮素利用率(PNUE)存在差异, 对氮素的利用效率也会存在差异。为了更有效地提高作物的NUE, 须更全面地了解C₃和C₄植物对氮素吸收、转运、同化和信号转导等关键因子的功能和调控机制。此外, 面对大气CO₂浓度增高和全球气候变暖条件下的植物碳氮同化及其机理的研究也不容忽视。该文综述了C₃和C₄植物氮素利用关键因素的差异及其调控机制, 并对提高C₃禾本科作物氮素利用效率的遗传改良途径进行了展望。     

不同水氮水平下小麦品种对光、水和氮利用效率的权衡

通过再裂区设计田间试验,以3个春小麦品种(和尚头、西旱2号和宁春4号)为材料,设置两个灌溉水平(充分灌水4500 m³·hm^-2和有限灌水3000 m³·hm^-2)和5个施氮水平(0、75、150、225、300 kg N·hm^-2),研究小麦光能利用效率(LUE)、水分利用效率(WUE)、氮素利用效率(NUE)对水氮的响应特性及其相互关系.结果表明: 3个小麦品种间LUE、WUE和NUE差异显著.在一定范围内增加灌水和施氮量则LUE升高,过量施氮则LUE下降.强抗旱和中等抗旱品种(和尚头和西旱2号)WUE受灌水量的影响比不抗旱品种(宁春4号)小.施氮可以调节小麦WUE,中等施氮水平(和尚头和西旱2号在150 kg N·hm^-2时,宁春4号在225 kg N·hm^-2时)有最高的WUE.随施氮量增加,植株氮素累积量先增后减,氮素干物质生产效率(NUE_b)、氮素收获指数(NHI)、氮肥农学利用效率(NAE)和氮肥偏生产力(PFP)均显著降低.灌溉水平对NHI无显著影响;随灌水量增加,小麦氮素积累量显著增加,强抗旱和中等抗旱品种NUE_b和NAE显著降低,不抗旱品种 NUE_b和PFP显著升高,对其他指标无显著影响.3个小麦品种氮素获取能力与氮素利用效率呈极显著负相关,NUE_b与LUE、WUE呈显著负相关,LUE与WUE呈显著正相关,春小麦氮素利用效率与光能利用效率、水分利用效率间存在明显的权衡关系.当灌水量为3000 m³·hm^-2,强抗旱和中等抗旱品种在150 kg N·hm^-2,不抗旱品种在225 kg N·hm^-2时,有较高的资源利用效率.     

中国东部南北样带森林优势植物叶片的水分利用效率和氮素利用效率

通过测定中国东部南北样带主要森林生态系统中10种优势植物(兴安落叶松、蒙古栎、水曲柳、紫椴、色木槭、红松、杉木、木荷、马尾松、锥栗)叶片的碳氮含量(Cmass、Nmass)、同位素丰度(δ13C、δ15N)以及光合响应曲线,分析了不同优势植物叶片的水分利用效率和氮素利用效率之间的差异及其相互关系.结果表明： 不同生活型植物叶片的Nmass和δ15N差异显著,表现为阔叶植物>针叶植物,落叶植物>常绿植物;最大光合速率(Pn max)表现为针叶植物>阔叶植物,落叶植物>常绿植物;植物叶片的瞬时水分利用效率(WUEi)和长期水分利用效率(WUE)均表现为阔叶植物>针叶植物,常绿植物>落叶植物;植物叶片的瞬时氮素利用效率(NUEi)和长期氮素利用效率(NUE)则表现出相反的规律,且常绿植物和落叶植物叶片的NUE差异显著;WUEi和WUE之间相关性不显著,而NUEi和NUE之间呈显著正相关.植物叶片的水分利用效率与氮素利用效率显著负相关.两种资源利用效率均受植物生活型的影响,并且存在一定的制约关系.     

向日葵种群中植株个体大小对其氮素利用策略的影响

我们利用Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率(NUE)概念及原理研究了高密度一年生草本植物向日葵(Helianthus annuus L.)种群中植株个体大小对其氮素吸收利用的影响,并对种内竞争进行了分析.结果表明,植株对氮素的吸收与其个体大小不成线性关系,说明种群内不同植株个体对土壤氮素的竞争属于非对称竞争.植株的氮素损失随着个体大小的增加而增加.个体较大的植株具有较高的氮素输入率和较低的氮素输出率,因而具有较高的氮素净增加值.植株的氮素生产力(NP)和氮素平均滞留时间(MRT)均与植株个体大小呈正相关.较大的植物个体具有较高的NP和较长的MRT,由于NUE为NP和MRT二者的乘积,因而较大个体植株的NUE高于个体较小的植株.同种植物的不同个体的NP和MRT之间不存在协衡关系.氮素回收效率(NRE)与植株个体大小密切相关.在个体水平上,较大的植株个体具有较高的NUE与其较高的NRE有关.种群内植株个体对土壤氮素的非对称竞争主要由于植株对氮素的吸收和利用效率不同所致.因此,Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率概念不仅适用于研究种间的养分利用策略,对于种内不同植株的养分策略研究也同样适用.     

向日葵种群中植株个体大小对其氮素利用策略的影响

我们利用Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率(NUE)概念及原理研究了高密度一年生草本植物向日葵(Helianthus annuus L.)种群中植株个体大小对其氮素吸收利用的影响,并对种内竞争进行了分析。结果表明,植株对氮素的吸收与其个体大小不成线性关系,说明种群内不同植株个体对土壤氮素的竞争属于非对称竞争。植株的氮素损失随着个体大小的增加而增加。个体较大的植株具有较高的氮素输入率和较低的氮素输出率,因而具有较高的氮素净增加值。植株的氮素生产力(NP)和氮素平均滞留时间(MRT)均与植株个体大小呈正相关。较大的植物个体具有较高的NP和较长的MRT,由于NUE为NP和MRT二者的乘积,因而较大个体植株的NUE高于个体较小的植株。同种植物的不同个体的NP和MRT之间不存在协衡关系。氮素回收效率(NRE)与植株个体大小密切相关。在个体水平上,较大的植株个体具有较高的NUE与其较高的NRE有关。种群内植株个体对土壤氮素的非对称竞争主要由于植株对氮素的吸收和利用效率不同所致。因此,Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率概念不仅适用于研究种间的养分利用策略,对于种内不同植株的养分策略研究也同样适用。     

C_3和C_4植物的氮素利用机制

提高植物的氮素利用效率(NUE)不仅有利于保障全球粮食安全,也是实现农业可持续发展的重要途径。近半个世纪以来,植物氮素利用机理研究已取得重要进展,但NUE的调控机制仍不明确, NUE的提高仍然十分有限。高等植物集光合碳素同化和氮素同化于一体,只有碳氮代谢相互协调,才能维持植物体内的碳氮平衡,保证植物正常生长发育。由于C_3和C_4植物的光合氮素利用率(PNUE)存在差异,对氮素的利用效率也会存在差异。为了更有效地提高作物的NUE,须更全面地了解C_3和C_4植物对氮素吸收、转运、同化和信号转导等关键因子的功能和调控机制。此外,面对大气CO_2浓度增高和全球气候变暖条件下的植物碳氮同化及其机理的研究也不容忽视。该文综述了C_3和C_4植物氮素利用关键因素的差异及其调控机制,并对提高C_3禾本科作物氮素利用效率的遗传改良途径进行了展望。     

藜个体在高密度种群中的氮素利用效率

 氮素利用效率（NUE）是植物养分策略研究中的一项重要内容。该文利用Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率概念和原理研究了高密度的藜(Chenopodium album)种群中不同植物个体在种内竞争条件下的氮素利用效率。结果表明,由于植株的氮素吸收速率与其个体大小成非线性关系,说明不同植株个体对氮素的竞争属于非对称竞争。个体较大的植株氮素输入较高,而个体较小的植株氮素输出较高,因而较大个体植株的氮素净增加也较高。植株的氮素损失随着个体大小的增加而增加,较大植株个体的氮素浓度随着生长而下降,而较小植株个体的氮素浓度随时间的变化不大,说明个体较小的植株的生长受光照的限制比受氮素的限制更大,而对较大的植株个体而言,它们的生长受氮素的限制更大。高密度藜种群中的不同植物个体具有不同的养分策略,氮素利用效率及其组成部分氮素生产力（NP）和氮素滞留时间（MRT）均不同。植株的NP和MRT与其个体大小正相关,较大的植物个体具有较高的NP和较长的MRT,因而氮素利用效率也高于个体较小的植株。在个体水平上,种内不同植株的NP与MRT不存在权衡关系（Trade-off）。因此,Berendse和Aerts提出的氮素利用效率概念不仅适用于研究种间的养分策略,对于研究种内不同植株的养分策略也同样适用。     

氮素和水分添加对贝加尔针茅草原植物多样性及生物量的影响

为了解草原植物群落物种多样性和植物地上生物量对氮沉降增加和降水变化的响应,在内蒙古贝加尔针茅(Stipa baicalensis)草原,分别设置对照(N0)、1.5 g/m2(N15)、3.0 g/m2(N30)、5.0 g/m2(N50)、10.0 g/m2(N100)、15.0 g/m2(N150)、20.0g/m2(N200)和30.0 g/m2(N300)(不包括大气沉降的氮量)8个氮素(NH4NO3)添加梯度和模拟夏季增加降水100mm的水分添加交互试验,研究氮素和水分添加对草原群落植物物种多样性和几种常见植物地上生物量的影响。结果表明:(1)氮素和水分的添加降低了草原群落植物物种多样性,且氮素和水分有显著的互作效应。在水分添加的条件下,随着施氮水平的增加,群落植物物种多样性减小;在无水分添加的条件下,随着施氮水平的增加,群落植物物种多样性呈先增加后减小的"单峰"变化趋势。(2)不同植物对氮素和水分添加的响应不同,随着施氮水平的增加,羊草地上生物量显著增加;贝加尔针茅、羽茅、糙隐子草、寸草苔和冷蒿先增加后减少,呈单峰曲线;星毛委陵菜、牧马豆、扁蓄豆和线叶菊地上生物量则逐渐减少。而且氮素和水分对贝加尔针茅、羽茅、扁蓄豆地上生物量有显著的交互作用。     

青藏高原东部高山植物的水分利用效率与氮素利用效率研究

对生长在青藏高原东部隶属于23科、49属的71种高山植物(包括多年生和一年生植物)的稳定碳同位素比值、氮含量以及碳/氮比率进行了分析,并以稳定碳同位素比值及碳/氮比率来分别指示植物的水分利用效率和氮素利用效率.结果表明:(1)多年生植物稳定碳同位素比值显著高于一生年植物,而碳/氮比率显著低于一年生植物(P<0.01),氮含量两者无显著性差异.(2)多年生植物和一年生植物的稳定碳同位素比值均与碳/氮比率呈显著负相关(-0.643**和-0.707),而与氮含量均无明显相关性.研究证实,在自然条件下多年生植物的水分利用效率比一年生植物更高,而氮素利用效率却更低;高山植物水分利用效率和氮素利用效率存在明显的权衡",即植物不能同时提高水分利用效率和氮素利用效率,高水分利用效率的代价是降低氮素利用效率,青藏高原不同植物即使在相同环境条件下具有不同适应对策.     

氮素减施对茶树光合作用和氮肥利用率的影响

为探讨当前茶园施肥水平下氮素减施对茶树的生长与氮肥利用率的影响,在大田条件下设置不施氮(空白对照CK),纯氮16 kg·667 m^-2(减氮55.6%,处理A)、纯氮26kg·667 m^-2(减氮27.8%,处理B)、纯氮36 kg·667 m^-2(常规施氮CF)4个施氮处理,研究氮素用量减施对茶树光合作用、产量、氮素吸收及其利用效率的影响。结果表明:与CF比较,处理B能提高茶树的叶绿素含量、净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾速率(Tr),降低胞间CO2浓度(Ci)和水分利用率(WUE);各施氮肥处理中以处理B的产量最高,氮肥农学效率最高,土壤养分剩余较少,氮素的利用效率较高;CF产量较处理B增加不显著,氮肥农学效率降低,土壤未利用养分较多。因此,减氮27.8%的施肥能保证与常规施肥的茶叶产量,氮素利用率明显提升,有利于茶业的可持续发展。     

氮素形态对黄檗幼苗生长及氮代谢相关酶类的影响

通过改变水培溶液中NH4^＋-N和NO3^--N的比例,研究了不同氮素形态对黄檗（Phellodendron amurense）幼苗生长及氮代谢相关酶类的影响。结果表明,硝态氮比例较高的营养供给比铵态氮比例较高的营养供给有利于黄檗幼苗的生长,叶片叶绿素含量和可溶性蛋白含量也高。在NH4^＋-N／NO3^--N为25／75时黄檗幼苗具有最大生物量。在铵态氮比例大的营养供给下,黄檗幼苗的谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）活性增强,而在硝态氮比例大的营养供给下幼苗的硝酸还原酶（NR）活性则较高,叶片中的硝态氮较低。营养液的氮素形态及其组成通过影响GS与NR的活性而调控黄檗幼苗的氮素代谢。     

Nitrogen Dynamics in Ice Storm-Damaged Forest Ecosystems: Implications for Nitrogen Limitation Theory

Despite the widely recognized importance of disturbance in accelerating the loss of elements from land, there have been few empirical studies of the effects of natural disturbances on nitrogen (N) dynamics in forest ecosystems. We were provided the unusual opportunity for such study, partly because the intensively monitored watersheds at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), New Hampshire, experienced severe canopy damage following an ice storm. Here we report the effects of this disturbance on internal N cycling and loss for watershed 1 (W1) and watershed 6 (W6) at the HBEF and patterns of N loss from nine other severely damaged watersheds across the southern White Mountains. This approach allowed us to test one component of N limitation theory, which suggests that N losses accompanying natural disturbances can lead to the maintenance of N limitation in temperate zone forest ecosystems. Prior to the ice storm, fluxes of nitrate (NO₃ ^–) at the base of W1 and W6 were similar and were much lower than N inputs in atmospheric deposition. Following the ice storm, drainage water NO₃ ^– concentrations increased to levels that were seven to ten times greater than predisturbance values. We observed no significant differences in N mineralization, nitrification, or denitrification between damaged and undamaged areas in the HBEF watersheds, however. This result suggests that elevated NO₃ ^- concentrations were not necessarily due to accelerated rates of N cycling by soil microbes but likely resulted from decreased plant uptake of NO₃ ^-. At the regional scale, we observed high variability in the magnitude of NO₃ ^- losses: while six of the surveyed watersheds showed accelerated rates of NO₃ ^– loss, three did not. Moreover, in contrast to the strong linear relationship between NO₃ ^– loss and crown damage within HBEF watersheds [r ²: (W1 = 0.91, W6 = 0.85)], stream water NO₃ ^– concentrations were weakly related to crown damage (r ² = 0.17) across our regional sites. The efflux of NO₃ ^– associated with the ice storm was slightly higher than values reported for soil freezing and insect defoliation episodes, but was approximately two to ten times lower than NO₃ ^– fluxes associated with forest harvesting. Because over one half of the entire years worth of N deposition was lost following the ice storm, we conclude that catastrophic disturbances contribute synergistically to the maintenance of N limitation and widely observed delays of N saturation in northern, temperate zone forest ecosystems. Present address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Guyot Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.     

Nitrogen yields from undisturbed watersheds in the Americas

Yields of total fixed nitrogen and nitrogen fractions are summarized for thirty-one watersheds in which anthropogenic disturbance of the nitrogen cycle, either through land use or atmospheric deposition, is negligible or slight. These yields are taken as representative of background conditions over a broad range of watershed areas, elevations, and vegetation types. The data set focuses on watersheds of the American tropics, but also includes information on the Gambia River (Africa) and some small watersheds in the Sierra Nevada of California. For the tropical watersheds, total nitrogen yield averages 5.1 kg ha^–1 y^–1. On average, 30% of the total is particulate and 70% is dissolved. Of the dissolved fraction, an average of 50% is organic and 50% is inorganic, of which 20% is ammonium and 80% is nitrate. Yields are substantially lower than previously estimated for background conditions. Yields of all nitrogen fractions are strongly related to runoff, which also explains a large percentage of variance in yield of total nitrogen (r²=0.85). For total nitrogen and nitrogen fractions, yield increases at about two-thirds the rate of runoff; concentration decreases as runoff increases. There is a secondary but significant positive relationship between elevation and yield of DIN. Ratios DON/TDN and PN/TN both are related to watershed area rather than runoff; DON/TDN decreases and PN/TN increases toward higher stream orders. The analysis suggests for tropical watersheds the existence of mechanisms promoting strong homeostasis in the yield of N and its fractions for a given moisture regime, as well as predictable downstream change in proportionate representation N fractions. Yields and concentrations for small tropical watersheds are much larger than for the few temperate ones with which comparisons are possible.     

氮素营养水平对冬小麦碳氮运转的影响

在大田试验条件下,研究了不同施氮水平对2种穗型冬小麦品种花后干物质和氮素积累与运转的影响及其与产量和品质的关系,以探讨氮素营养水平对冬小麦碳氮运转的影响.结果显示,适宜的施氮量（180 kg·hm^-2）能够极显著增加2种穗型冬小麦品种叶片、茎鞘等营养器官花前贮藏物质及花前贮藏氮素的再运转量和运转率以及总再运转量和运转率,也能够极显著增加成熟期籽粒氮素含量和花前贮藏氮素总运转量对籽粒氮素含量的贡献率.各施氮处理对2种穗型小麦品种花后氮素积累量对籽粒氮素含量贡献率的影响效应不明显.结果表明,适宜的施氮量有利于小麦籽粒和蛋白质产量的提高.     

氮处理对大豆根瘤固氮能力及GmLbs基因表达的影响

共生根瘤的固氮效率受外界氮素的严格调控。除固氮酶活性外, 豆血红蛋白(Lb)浓度亦是反应固氮能力的重要指标。为明确氮水平对生物固氮作用的影响, 以大豆(Glycine max)为材料, 在低氮(0.53 mmol·L^-1)条件下接种根瘤菌, 30天后再进行高氮(5.3、10、20、30和40 mmol·L^-1)处理7天, 分析Lb浓度、固氮酶活性及类菌体发育状态。结果表明, 随着外界氮浓度的增加, 根瘤由红变绿, 且红色Lb明显减少而绿色Lb急剧增加; 固氮酶活性显著被抑制, 类菌体中侵染细胞数目和面积显著下降, 表明高氮引起Lb形态的改变与固氮能力关系密切。利用生物信息学及公开表达谱等数据进行分析, 发现大豆根瘤中主要含有4个共生Lb基因, 即GmLb1、GmLb2、GmLb3和GmLb4。4个GmLbs亲缘关系很近且位于进化树的同一分支。进一步分析GmLb1-4转录水平对氮的响应, 结果表明, GmLb1-4的表达显著受高氮抑制。研究结果可为揭示氮介导根瘤衰老机制及生物固氮的应用提供依据。     

Optimization of Dynamic Plant Nitrogen Uptake,Using Apriori Information of Plant Nitrogen Content

Emphasizing that model development should be in accordance with the context under consideration, a model for plant nitrogen uptake is developed for use in connection with soil nitrogen models. The aim of the modeling is to improve the accuracy in model simulations of plant nitrogen uptake by application of optimization theory and apriori information of plant nitrogen content. A simple soil nitrogen model is coupled to the plant nitrogen uptake model, and solutions, obtained by two different methods, are presented. Suggestion for how to use the modeling principles in connection with a more complex plant nitrogen uptake model, and apriori information of plant dry weight, is given. It is believed that the modeling principles can also be used on other types of dynamic models with given apriori information.     

Effect of Nitrogen Supply on the Nitrogen Use Efficiency of an Annual Herb, Helianthus annuus L.

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is the product of nitrogen productivity (NP) and the mean residence time of nitrogen (MRT). Theory suggests that there should be a trade-off between both components,but direct experimental evidence is still scarce. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the effect of varying nitrogen supply levels on NUEand its two components (NP, MRT) in Helianthus annuus L., an annual herb.The plants investigated were subjected to six nitrogen levels (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 g N/m2). Total plant production increased substantially with increasing nitrogen supply. Nitrogen uptake and loss also in creased with nitrogen supply. Nitrogen influx (rin) and outflux (rout) were defined as the rates of nitrogen uptake and loss per unit aboveground nitrogen, respectively. Both rin and rout increased with increasing nitrogen supply. In addition, rin was far higher than rout. Consequently, the relative rate of nitrogen incre ment (rin- rout) also increased with nitrogen supply. There were marked differences between treatments with respect to parameters related to the stress resistance syndrome: nitrogen pool size, leaf nitrogen concentration,and net aboveground productivity increased with nitrogen supply. Plants at high nitrogen levels showed a higher NP (the growth rate per unit aboveground nitrogen) and a shorter MRT (the inverse of rout), whereas plants at low nitrogen levels displayed the reverse pattern. Shorter MRT for plants at high nitrogen levels was caused by the abscission of leaves that contained relatively large fractions of total plant nitrogen. We found a negative relationship between NP and MRT, the components of NUE, along the gradient of nitrogen availability, suggesting that there was a trade-off between NP and MRT. The NUE increased with increasing nitrogen availability, up to a certain level, and then decreased. These results offer support for the hypoth esis that adaptation to infertile habitats involves a low nitrogen loss (long MRT in the plant) rather than a high NUE per se. The higher NUE at the plant level was a result, in part, of greater nitrogen resorption during senescence. We suggest that a long MRT (an index of nitrogen conservation) is a potentially successful strategy in nitrogen-poor environments.     

Nitrogen use scenario in India

Nitrogen is one of the major plant nutrients without which the agricultural production is not possible. Nitrogen use in Indian agriculture was nearly 55000 tons in 1950-1951 that increased to 11.31 million tons in 2001-2002. The total food production of the country has also experienced the similar increase from 50.83 to 222 million tons in the respective years. Interestingly the N fertilizer consumption of India remained almost constant during the last six years indicating the possibility of reducing N consumption. The highest N consumption is in North zone owing to the introduction of rice-wheat cropping system followed by West, South and East.The N use efficiency has been reported to be varying between 30% to 50% depending on the crops and the management. But in most of the cases, N use efficiency has been calculated based on the total N removed by the crops (above ground part only) ignoring the N content left in the roots. It has been observed in controlled experiments that the total N uptake by roots varied from 18% to 44% of the total N removed by the above ground parts, i.e. grain and straw. If the root N is also accounted, the N use efficiency will be higher than reported. The management of other organic sources has to be improved so as to increase the fertilizer use efficiency as well as to check the direct release of N in the atmosphere. In this review all these issues will be dealt.     

施氮对不同品种冬小麦植株硝态氮和硝酸还原酶活性的影响

以黄土高原南部半湿润区土垫旱耕人为土为供试土壤进行盆栽试验,以NR 9405、9430、偃师9号、小偃6号、陕229号和西农2208冬小麦品种为供试材料,研究施氮对不同品种冬小麦植株硝态氮含量和硝酸还原酶活性(NRA)的影响.结果表明,施氮能明显增加叶片NRA.不施氮时除小偃6号和偃师9号外,其余品种NRA在全生育时期的动态变化均呈双峰曲线,2个高峰期分别在返青期和开花期,且开花期高峰值(36.17 NO2-μg.-g 1FW.h-1)明显比返青期峰值(15.407 NO2-μg.-g 1FW.h-1)大;施氮时不同品种叶片NRA在全生育期呈单峰曲线变化,最高峰在开花期,平均峰值为80.93 NO2-μg.-g 1FW.h-1),比同期不施氮处理增加1倍以上.施氮后地上部硝态氮含量在各时期均显著提高,在小麦生育前期(出苗到拔节)表现最为显著.氮肥对不同品种硝态氮含量的影响程度基本上与对NRA的影响程度相反,即施氮后硝态氮增加幅度小的品种,NRA却增加幅度大.     

Nitrogen mineralization by bacterial-feeding nematodes: verification and measurement

Bacterial feeding nematodes excrete N assimilated in excess of that required for growth. Because metabolic and developmental rates differ among nematode species, we hypothesized that their contribution to N mineralization in soil would differ. Sand-column microcosms amended with an organic substrate, bacteria, and with or without bacterial-feeding nematodes, were leached at 3-d intervals. Cumulative N, as NH ₄ ⁺ or NO ₃ ^- , leached from columns containing nematodes was consistently greater than from columns without nematodes. Maximum N-mineralization rates for populations of rhabditid nematodes, which predominated in field soils early in the summer were at lower temperatures than those for cephalobid nematodes, which predominated later in the summer. For an organic substrate with C-to-N ratio of 11:1, rates of N mineralization among species of different body size were similar, ranging between 0.0012 and 0.0058 g-N nematode^-1 d^-1, mainly as NH ₄ ⁺ . Smaller nematodes mineralized more N per unit of body weight than larger nematodes. We hypothesized that at low C-to-N ratios of the organic substrate, bacterial growth is C-limited and N-immobilization will be minimal; at high C-to-N ratios bacterial growth will be N-limited and there may be rapid immobilization of newly-mineralized N. Consequently, net N mineralization in the presence of nematodes will be lower when the organic substrate has a high C-to-N ratio. In experiments with different nematode species, net mineralization and the nematode contribution to mineralization generally decreased with increasing C-to-N ratio, consistent with the hypothesis; however, there were exceptions.