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Abstract

The response of terrestrial ecosystems to elevated atmospheric CO₂ is related to the availability of other nutrients and in particular to nitrogen (N). Here we present results on soil N transformation dynamics from a N-limited temperate grassland that had been under Free Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) for six years. A N-15 labelling laboratory study (i.e. in absence of plant N uptake) was carried out to identify the effect of elevated CO₂ on gross soil N transformations. The simultaneous gross N transformation rates in the soil were analyzed with a N-15 tracing model which considered mineralization of two soil organic matter (SOM) pools, included nitrification from NH4+ and from organic-N to NO₃- and analysed the rate of dissimilatory NO₃- reduction to NH4+ (DNRA). Results indicate that the mineralization of labile organic-N became more important under elevated CO₂. At the same time the gross rate of NH4+ immobilization increased by 20%, while NH4+ oxidation to NO₃- was reduced by 25% under elevated CO₂. The NO₃- dynamics under elevated CO₂ were characterized by a 52% increase in NO₃- immobilization and a 141% increase in the DNRA rate, while NO₃- production via heterotrophic nitrification was reduced to almost zero. The increased turnover of the NH4+ pool, combined with the increased DNRA rate provided an indication that the available N in the grassland soil may gradually shift towards NH4+ under elevated CO₂. The advantage of such a shift is that NH4+ is less prone to N losses, which may increase the N retention and N use efficiency in the grassland ecosystem under elevated CO₂. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.