C, N, and P cycles in ecological research

C, N, and P cycles are key topics in ecological research. Natural abundance of 13C and 15N of environmental samples can indicate the cycles of C and N, respectively.

Scientists in south China botanical garden explored the relationships between plant and soil δ13C and δ15N and key ecosystem functions and processes in mature subtropical forests, and demonstrated that δ13C and δ15N of most plant and soil samples can indicate local variations in community biomass, litter production, and litter turnover rate in mature subtropical forests (Plant Ecology, 2015, 216: 859-872).

Phosphatase-mediated phosphorus (P) mineralization is one of the critical processes in biogeochemical cycling of P in forest ecosystems. We investigated how the potential extracellular activities of acid phosphomonoesterase (AcPME) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) were related to key edaphic properties in the L horizon, F/H horizon, and the 0–15 cm mineral soil in mature subtropical forests, and demonstrated that both AcPME and PDE activities were positively related to microbial biomass C, moisture content and water-holding capacity in the L horizon, and were positively related to soil C:P, N:P and C:N ratios and fine root (diameter ≤ 2mm) biomass in the mineral soil horizon (Science of the Total Environment, 2015, 515-516: 83-91).

Figure:Acid phosphomonoesterase (AcPME) and phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities as a function of soil C:P and N:P ratios in the 0–15 cm mineral soil horizon