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Denitrification rates in tidal marsh soils: The roles of soil texture, salinity and nitrogen enrichment
Author(s) -
Hu Minjie,
Peñuelas Josep,
Sardans Jordi,
Huang Jiafang,
Xu Kang,
Tong Chuan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
european journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 1351-0754
DOI - 10.1111/ejss.12956
Subject(s) - denitrification , loam , estuary , marsh , environmental science , soil texture , salinity , soil water , salt marsh , wetland , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , ecology , nitrogen , chemistry , geology , oceanography , biology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
The denitrification rates of freshwater and oligohaline tidal marsh soils with different textures (loam and sandy soils) in a subtropical estuary, and their responses to nitrogen (N) loading, were investigated. In both marshes, the denitrification rates varied significantly with the season only in loam soil. The denitrification rates were highest in oligohaline marsh loam soil and lowest in freshwater marsh sandy soil. NH 4 NO 3 addition significantly increased the denitrification rates of all the marsh soils. Our findings suggest that soil texture, soil organic matter (OM) content and low‐level increases in salinity all had large effects on denitrification, indicating that the dynamics of denitrification rates in estuarine marshes with low‐level salinity were controlled by the interaction of salinity and soil texture but mainly depended on OM content. We propose that denitrification in tidal marshes plays an important role in regulating current and future N loading into estuary and inshore coastal waters, especially for tidal freshwater marshes, which introduces great uncertainty into the N dynamics of estuaries under global changes. HighlightsDenitrification rates were higher in loam than sandy soil, independent of salinity. Denitrification rates were higher in oligohaline marsh loam than freshwater marsh loam. Exogenous N input enhanced denitrification in estuarine marsh soil. Loam with high N enhanced N removal, especially in freshwater environments.