Effects of Solidago canadensis L. on mineralization-immobilization turnover enhance its nitrogen competitiveness and invasiveness

Wenjie Wang; Qinying Zhu; Shenyan Dai; Lei Meng; Mengqiu He; Shending Chen; Chang Zhao; Xiaoqian Dan; Zucong Cai; Jinbo Zhang; Christoph Müller

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163641

Effects of Solidago canadensis L. on mineralization-immobilization turnover enhance its nitrogen competitiveness and invasiveness

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jul 15:882:163641. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163641. Epub 2023 Apr 18.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
² College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
³ School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for Soil Utilization & Sustainable Agriculture, Nanjing 210023, China.
⁴ School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, Justus Liebig University, Germany. Electronic address: zhangjinbo@njnu.edu.cn.
⁵ Liebig Centre for Agroecology and Climate Impact Research, Justus Liebig University, Germany; Institute of Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany; School of Biology and Environmental Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.

PMID: 37080304
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163641

Abstract

The effects of exotic plants on soil nitrogen (N) transformations may influence species invasion success. However, the complex interplay between invasive plant N uptake and N transformation in soils remains unclear. In the present study, a series of ¹⁵N-labeled pot experiments were carried out with Solidago canadensis L. (S. canadensis), an invasive plant, and the Ntrace tool was used to clarify the preferred inorganic N form and its effects on soil N transformation. According to the results, nitrate-N (NO₃^--N) uptake rates by S. canadensis were 2.38 and 2.28 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in acidic and alkaline soil, respectively, which were significantly higher than the ammonium-N (NH₄⁺-N) uptake rates (1.76 and 1.56 mg N kg^-1 d^-1, respectively), indicating that S. canadensis was a NO₃^--N-preferring plant, irrespective of pH condition. Gross N mineralization rate was 0.41 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in alkaline soil in the presence of S. canadensis L., which was significantly lower than that in the control (no plant, CK, 2.44 mg N kg^-1 d^-1). Gross autotrophic nitrification rate also decreased from 5.95 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in the CK to 0.04 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 in the presence of S. canadensis in alkaline soil. However, microbial N immobilization rate increased significantly from 1.09 to 2.16 mg N kg^-1 d^-1, and from 0.02 to 2.73 mg N kg^-1 d^-1 after S. canadensis planting, in acidic and alkaline soil, respectively. Heterotrophic nitrification rate was stimulated in the presence of S. canadensis to provide NO₃^--N to support the N requirements of plants and microbes. The results suggested that S. canadensis can influence the mineralization-immobilization turnover (MIT) to optimize its N requirements while limiting N supply for other plants in the system. The results of the present study enhance our understanding of the competitiveness and mechanisms of invasion of alien plants.

Keywords: (15)N tracing study; N transformation; NO(3)(−) preference plant; Solidago canadensis L..

MeSH terms

Nitrates / analysis
Nitrification
Nitrogen / analysis
Soil
Solidago*

Substances

Nitrogen
Soil
Nitrates