Effect of forest conversion on nitrous oxide reducing microorganisms

Large areas of natural forests have been transformed into plantations or secondary forest in subtropical regions, which have strong impacts on soil physicochemical properties, microbial communities and microbially-mediated processes including nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. However, how forest conversion affects soil N2O reduction, and the abundance and community structure of N2O reducing microorganisms remain largely unclear. Here, we investigated how conversion of a natural forest to secondary forest, Chinese fir plantation and Pinus massoniana plantation influence the abundance and community structure of N2O reducing microorganisms in bulk soils and aggregates from a subtropical forest. The long-term forest conversion experimental site was located at the Chenda Town (26° 19' N, 117° 36' E), Fujian province, southeastern China. The region experiences a subtropical monsoonal climate, with an average annual temperature of 19.1 °C and a relative humidity of 81%. An approximately average precipitation of 1749 mm occurs each year, most of which happens between March and August. The soils in the study site were developed from granite and can be classified as a red soil according to Chinese soil classification, and a Hapludult based on USDA Soil Taxonomy.