Combining the 15N Gas flux method and N2O isotopocule data for the
determination of soil microbial N2O sources
Abstract
The analysis of natural abundance isotopes in biogenic N
2O molecules can give precious information such as the
nature of their precursor. However, many uncertainties exist and further
validations are necessary to confirm this method as a reliable tracer of
biogeochemical cycles. In particular, current methodologies (such as the
isotopocule map approach) can only estimate the combined contributions
of several processes at once. In this study, we aimed to develop a new
methodology capable of individually discriminating the main sources of N
2O production in soil by combining natural abundance
isotopes with the use of a 15N tracer (
15N Gas Flux method). To achieve this, we conducted
parallel laboratory incubations of an agricultural soil, during which we
optimized the denitrification conditions through increase of moisture
and amendment of nitrate; where this nitrate was either labelled or
unlabeled with 15N atoms. A new linear system combined
with Monte Carlo simulation enabled the determination of N
2O source partitioning, where bacterial denitrification
was identified as the dominant process (87.6%), compared to fungal
denitrification (9.4%), nitrification (1.5%) and nitrifier
denitrification (1.6%). This new system has been compared to a recently
developed stable isotope modelling tool applying Bayesian statistics
(FRAME). The results agreed generally well at the exception of lower
bacterial denitrification (80%) and higher nitrifier-denitrification
(9%) contributions found with the FRAME model. This new approach
provides a perspective for a wider application, potentially enabling the
source partitioning of nitrous oxide emissions in agroecosystems.