Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Benthic nitrogen metabolism in a macrophyte meadow (Vallisneria spiralis L.) under increasing sedimentary organic matter loads

Soana, Elisa ; Naldi, Mariachiara ; Bonaglia, Stefano LU ; Racchetti, Erica ; Castaldelli, Giuseppe ; Bruchert, Volker ; Viaroli, Pierluigi and Bartoli, Marco (2015) In Biogeochemistry 124(1-3). p.387-404
Abstract
Organic enrichment may deeply affect benthic nitrogen (N) cycling in macrophyte meadows, either promoting N loss or its recycling. This depends upon the plasticity of plants and of the associated microbial communities, as those surrounding the rhizosphere. Rates of denitrification, dissolved inorganic N fluxes and N uptake were measured in sediments vegetated by the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis L. under increasing organic matter loads. The aim was to investigate how the combined N assimilation and denitrification, which subtract N via temporary retention and permanent removal, respectively, do vary along the gradient. Results showed that V. spiralis meadows act as regulators of benthic N cycling even in organic enriched... (More)
Organic enrichment may deeply affect benthic nitrogen (N) cycling in macrophyte meadows, either promoting N loss or its recycling. This depends upon the plasticity of plants and of the associated microbial communities, as those surrounding the rhizosphere. Rates of denitrification, dissolved inorganic N fluxes and N uptake were measured in sediments vegetated by the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis L. under increasing organic matter loads. The aim was to investigate how the combined N assimilation and denitrification, which subtract N via temporary retention and permanent removal, respectively, do vary along the gradient. Results showed that V. spiralis meadows act as regulators of benthic N cycling even in organic enriched sediments, with negative feedbacks for eutrophication. A moderate organic load stimulates N uptake and denitrification coupled to nitrification in the rhizosphere. This is due to a combination of weakened competition between macrophytes and N cycling bacteria and enhanced radial oxygen loss by roots. An elevated organic enrichment affects N uptake due to hostile conditions in pore water and plant stress and impairs N mineralisation and its removal via denitrification coupled to nitrification. However, the loss of plant performance is almost completely compensated by increased denitrification of water column nitrate, resulting in a shift between the relative relevance of temporary and permanent N removal processes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
N fluxes, Radial oxygen loss, Vallisneria spiralis, Organic enrichment, N uptake, Denitrification
in
Biogeochemistry
volume
124
issue
1-3
pages
387 - 404
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000355620200025
  • scopus:84930272786
ISSN
1573-515X
DOI
10.1007/s10533-015-0104-5
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
70d8283b-efb9-4d28-beae-775764e18b78 (old id 8522757)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:10:41
date last changed
2022-03-04 08:56:48
@article{70d8283b-efb9-4d28-beae-775764e18b78,
  abstract     = {{Organic enrichment may deeply affect benthic nitrogen (N) cycling in macrophyte meadows, either promoting N loss or its recycling. This depends upon the plasticity of plants and of the associated microbial communities, as those surrounding the rhizosphere. Rates of denitrification, dissolved inorganic N fluxes and N uptake were measured in sediments vegetated by the submerged macrophyte Vallisneria spiralis L. under increasing organic matter loads. The aim was to investigate how the combined N assimilation and denitrification, which subtract N via temporary retention and permanent removal, respectively, do vary along the gradient. Results showed that V. spiralis meadows act as regulators of benthic N cycling even in organic enriched sediments, with negative feedbacks for eutrophication. A moderate organic load stimulates N uptake and denitrification coupled to nitrification in the rhizosphere. This is due to a combination of weakened competition between macrophytes and N cycling bacteria and enhanced radial oxygen loss by roots. An elevated organic enrichment affects N uptake due to hostile conditions in pore water and plant stress and impairs N mineralisation and its removal via denitrification coupled to nitrification. However, the loss of plant performance is almost completely compensated by increased denitrification of water column nitrate, resulting in a shift between the relative relevance of temporary and permanent N removal processes.}},
  author       = {{Soana, Elisa and Naldi, Mariachiara and Bonaglia, Stefano and Racchetti, Erica and Castaldelli, Giuseppe and Bruchert, Volker and Viaroli, Pierluigi and Bartoli, Marco}},
  issn         = {{1573-515X}},
  keywords     = {{N fluxes; Radial oxygen loss; Vallisneria spiralis; Organic enrichment; N uptake; Denitrification}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-3}},
  pages        = {{387--404}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Biogeochemistry}},
  title        = {{Benthic nitrogen metabolism in a macrophyte meadow (Vallisneria spiralis L.) under increasing sedimentary organic matter loads}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0104-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10533-015-0104-5}},
  volume       = {{124}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}