Premium
Nitrogen Fertilization Changes Abundance and Community Composition of Ammonia‐Oxidizing Bacteria
Author(s) -
Shen Weishou,
Lin Xiangui,
Gao Nan,
Shi Weiming,
Min Ju,
He Xinhua
Publication year - 2011
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/sssaj2010.0459
Subject(s) - cucumis , human fertilization , abundance (ecology) , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , biology , soil water , composition (language) , microbial population biology , agronomy , botany , horticulture , ecology , bacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , linguistics , philosophy , genetics
The effects of N fertilization rates on the abundance and community composition of NH 3 –oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are poorly understood, particularly in greenhouse‐based high‐N‐input vegetable soils. The abundance and community composition of AOB from these vegetable soils under five N (urea) rates in eastern China were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). These rates were: the conventional high N rate (N4) as 270 or 300 kg N ha −1 season −1 for cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) or tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.), respectively, and 80% (N3), 60% (N2), 40% (N1), and 0% (N0) of the N4 rate. After 2 yr of a cucumber–tomato rotation, N fertilization had significant effects on the abundance and community composition of AOB. The abundance of AOB amoA gene was significantly higher under the N2 (2.08 × 10 10 kg −1 dry weight soil) than under the N0 or N4 (8.74 or 8.75 × 10 9 kg −1 soil). The DGGE patterns were more diverse under N1 and N2 than under N3 and N4, with the greatest DGGE band numbers (15) under N2. Phylogenetic analyses of amoA gene fragments showed that AOB sequences from different N fertilization rates were affiliated with Nitrosospira species and grouped into Clusters 2, 3, 8, and 12. Our results indicate that a reduction to 40% of the conventional high N rate (N4) is practical to reduce N inputs while maintaining the abundance and community composition of AOB in such greenhouse‐based vegetable soils.