Quantitative importance of denitrification and N2O emission in an N-saturated subtropical forest catchment, southwest China

Anthropogenic emission of nitrogen in the environment has increased rapidly, due to fast economic growth. This has resulted in increased deposition rates of reactive nitrogen, primarily as NOx (from fossil fuel combustion) and NH3 (from fertilizer production and animal husbandry). In response, temperate and boreal forests may develop nitrogen saturation, characterized by increased leaching of nitrate. In addition, elevated emission of N2 and N2O, due to nitrification and denitrification, may occur. To date, few studies exist quantifying the nitrogen balance, including N2 and N2O production, in nitrogen-saturated, monsoonal, sub-tropical forest ecosystems in south-west China. Since nitrate contributes to the eutrophication of stream water, and N2O is a potent greenhouse gas, it is important to quantitatively understand the role of nitrification and denitrification in the nitrogen cycle. Several subtropical forests in southwest China, receiving elevated nitrogen deposition (30-73 kg N ha-1 a-1; Zhang. et al., 2008), are characterized by high temperature and soil moisture content in much of the growing season. This may cause a much stronger intensity of denitrification compared with that in temperate and boreal forests. In turn this may lead to decreased nitrate leaching and a higher potential of N2O emission. In my PhD project, I will investigate the nitrogen cycle in a forest catchment (TieShanPing; TSP), which is near one of the biggest cities, Chongqing, in southwest China. Previous research suggests high nitrogen deposition (3.52 gN m-2 a-1), but low nitrogen flux (0.57 gN m-2 a-1) in runoff (Chen & Mulder, 2007). Tre