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ATMOSPHERIC NITRATE DEPOSITION AND ENHANCED DISSOLVED ORGANIC CARBON LEACHING
Author(s) -
DeForest Jared L.,
Zak Donald R.,
Pregitzer Kurt S.,
Burton Andrew J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2004.0283
Subject(s) - chemistry , dissolved organic carbon , environmental chemistry , lignin , leaching (pedology) , nitrate , deposition (geology) , decomposition , phenol , soil carbon , soil water , soil science , organic chemistry , environmental science , geology , paleontology , sediment
Atmospheric NO 3 − deposition has the potential to disrupt litter decomposition in temperate forests by suppressing enzymes responsible for lignin degradation. A reduction in phenol oxidase activity could potentially trigger an increase in soluble phenolic compounds, which in turn are known to decrease the activity of cellulolytic enzymes like β‐glucosidase. Our study investigated whether the inhibition of lignin degradation by experimental NO 3 − deposition could increase soluble phenolics in soil, suppress β‐glucosidase activity, and potentially explain a greater export of dissolved organic C (DOC) from northern hardwood ecosystems. We found no evidence that the suppression of phenol oxidase by NO 3 − additions increased soluble phenolics in mineral soil, nor did we find a strong inverse relationship between soluble phenolics and β‐glucosidase activity. It appears that reductions in mineral soil lignolytic activity induced by experimental deposition are not responsible for greater DOC export from soil.