Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Litter and Soil Decomposition: Microbial Biomass

The influence of inorganic nitrogen (N) inputs on decomposition is poorly understood. Some prior studies suggest that N may reduce the decomposition of substrates with high concentrations of lignin via inhibitory effects on the activity of lignin-degrading enzymes, although such inhibition has not always been demonstrated. The purpose of E145 was to study the effects of nitrogen (N) addition on decomposition of seven substrates ranging in initial lignin concentrations (from 7.4 - 25.6%) over five years in eight different grassland and forest sites in central Minnesota.

无机氮（inorganic nitrogen, N）输入对有机质分解过程的影响机制尚未得到充分阐明。既往部分前期研究表明，氮素可通过抑制木质素（lignin）降解酶（lignin-degrading enzymes）的活性，降低高木质素浓度分解底物的分解速率，但此类抑制效应并非总能被实验证实。本数据集E145旨在于明尼苏达州中部的8处不同草地与森林样地中，开展为期5年的实验，探究氮（N）添加对7种初始木质素浓度介于7.4%至25.6%的分解底物的分解过程的影响。