Active ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea in intensive vegetable agricultural soils

Year-round high nitrogen (N) fertilization in greenhouse-based intensive vegetable agricultural soils in eastern China has resulted in lower N use efficiency, nitrate accumulation in topsoil, and soil secondary salinization and acidification. N fertilization rates can alter the abundance and composition of AOB and AOA, and the NH3 oxidation. The study goals are to investigate which specific ammonia oxidizers undertake the major part of the NH3 oxidation, and what the effects of N fertilization rates are on the active ammonia oxidizers in these vegetable soils.