Nitrification along a grassland gradient: Inhibition by matgrass sward not confirmed

Based on potential ammonia-oxidizing activities (PAA), it had been concluded in a former study that nitrification was suppressed by a matgrass sward vegetation halfway along a grassland gradient. The communities of ammonia-oxidizing betaproteobacteria were dominated by one species notwithstanding the large difference in soil pH along the grassland gradient. The present study sought to reexamine the suppression of nitrification under a matgrass sward vegetation zone with special emphasis on the community compositions of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms.