The Global Nitrogen Cycle, and Linkages Between C, N, and P Cycles

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1 OCN 401 The Global Nitrogen Cycle, and Linkages Between C, N, and P Cycles ( ) The Contemporary N Cycle - Basic Facts - Reservoirs and Fluxes Global N and P Budgets - balance between N-fixation and denitrification sets the level of bioavailable N - anthropogenic impacts - temporal changes, paleoceanography Linking the Global N Cycle to Global Cycles of C and P

2 Basic Nitrogen Facts An essential (limiting) nutrient: - enzymes - amino acids, proteins - pigments (e.g., Chlorophyll) Range of valance states: NH 3 (-3) to NO 3 - (+5) - microbes capitalize on potential transformations of N - use energy released by changes in redox potential Microbial reactions drive the N cycle - Nitrogen fixation: N 2 + 8H + + 8e ATP -> 2NH 3 + H ADP + 16 P i (2.12) - Denitrification: 5CH 2 O + 4H + + 4NO 3 - -> 2N 2 + 5CO 2 + 7H 2 O (2.18) - Anammox: NH NO 2 - -> 2N 2 + 2H 2 O

3 Microbial Transformations in the N Cycle Fig. 12.1

4 Role of N in Biogeochemistry Bioavailability of N (and/or P) can limit NPP on land/oceans; controls size of biomass N has multiple oxidation states: -3 in NH 3 ammonia 0 in N 2 nitrogen +1 in N 2 O nitrous oxide +2 in NO nitric oxide +3 in NO - 2 nitrite ion +4 in NO 2 nitrogen dioxide +5 in NO - 3 nitrate ion Microbial processes exploit redox gradients (for energy purposes) and thereby mediate fluxes Most abundant form of N is atmospheric N 2 - N 2 is fixed (oxidized) by bacteria and plants in N-poor regions - Denitrifying bacteria reverse process.

5 Nitrogen Reservoirs Atmosphere Soil organic matter Terrestrial biomass Total oceans (NO 3- ) Ocean dissolved N 2 gas Oceanic biota 3.5 x g x g 3.5 x g 570 x g 1.1 x g 4.7 x g Soil inorganic N pool (NO 3-, NH 4+ ) small, but annual flux large Annual terrestrial N requirement 1200 x g N yr -1-12% from N fixation - Most N from recycling

6 The Global Nitrogen Cycle: Fluxes Between Reservoirs Fig Units are g N/yr (Tg)

7 N-bioavailability: fixed N Balance of fixation and denitrification affects global N bioavailability Pool of available inorganic N is always small. Like P bioavailable N is rapidly taken up All biologically available N originally came from atmospheric N, via lightning, meteorite impacts etc., or by biological fixation Current rates are dominated by biological fixation: - Lightning <3-5 x N yr -1 - Biological fixation 140 x yr -1

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9 Nitrogen Fixaton Total terrestrial biological N fixation 140 x g N yr x g N yr -1 from leguminous crops (enzymemediated) and > 80 x g N yr -1 from fertilizer addition Haber process: natural gas (CH 4 ) is burned to produce H 2 H 2 + N 2 (under high T and P) = NH 3 20 x g N yr -1 from fossil fuel combustion N N, triple bond takes massive energy to break In total, 240 x g N yr -1 of newly fixed N is delivered from the atmosphere to the Earth s land surface: 40% via natural processes 60 % via human-derived sources

10 Terrestrial Nitrogen cycle Terrestrial N fixation 240 x g N yr -1 Rivers carry ~ 36 x g N yr -1 to the oceans Denitrification in soils approximately balances N inputs Global terrestrial denitrification: x g N yr -1 - Wetlands account for ~50% - Pre-industrial denitrification 70 x g yr -1 Denitrification produces N 2 and N 2 O in a ratio of 22:1 Can calculate increase in denitrification from increase in atmospheric N 2 O: 90 x g N yr -1 Biomass burning causes denitrification: ~ 50 x g N yr -1 (as N 2 )

11 Oceanic Nitrogen Cycle Rivers to oceans ~ 36 x g dissolved N yr -1 Biological fixation ~ 15 x g N yr -1 Precipitation ~30 x10 12 g N yr -1 (recycled NH 3 ; but ignores DON) Deep water N pool 570 x g N yr -1 Most NPP supported by recycling Little burial of N in marine sediments Oceanic N cycle closed by denitrification in low O 2 environments ~ 110 x g N yr -1

12 Temporal variations in global N cycle Early atmosphere dominated by N 2 and CO 2 N fixation by lightning and meteor shock waves (6 % of current rate); May have been important for origin of life Lack of N may have lead to early evolution of N fixers MRT of N in atmosphere wrt fixation by lightning ~ 1.3 x 10 9 y Add in biological fixation MRT decreases to ~ 20 x 10 6 y Denitrification important for maintaining atm N level Unclear whether denitrification evolved before or after O 2 in atmosphere; since denitrifiers tolerate low O 2, perhaps after Nitrification evolved after O 2 in atmosphere--process requires it Both processes at least 1 x 10 9 yrs old

13 N isotopes in Paleoceanography 15 N/ 14 N in sedimentary organic N and forams is useful for assessing paleo N chemistry Denitrification preferentially removes 14 NO 3 - from the ocean, increases 15 N/ 14 N in DOM, residual NO 3 - is heavy (enriched in 15 N) MRT of N in ocean water is ~ 8000 yrs N may not be in steady state: - High N inputs during LGM supported high NPP during LGM - Low 15 N/ 14 N in LGM sediment OM supports this notion - Denitrification rates today exceed inputs, a re-adjustment to the perturbation to the N-cycle during the LGM - Changes in N cycling may accompany climatic changes

14 Anthropogenic activity Planting of N fixing crops and fertilizer production (from N+H at high T) >80 x g yr -1 Fossil fuel combustion produces NO x ~ 20 x g yr -1 - Some NO x transported long distances -- seen in Greenland ice Total flux of fixed N = 240 x g yr -1-40% natural - 60% anthropogenic Groundwater N increasing from fertilizer leaching: 11 x g yr -1 From Holland et al., 2005 EOS 86, 254

15 Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) N 2 O is a by-product of nitrogen fixation and denitrification N 2 O is an important greenhouse gas; has 300x the impact of CO 2, also destroys O 3 N 2 O sink: stratospheric destruction via photolysis 80% N 2 20% NO, which destroys O 3 MRT N 2 O in atmosphere ~ 120 yrs -- uniformly distributed Seawater is a source of N 2 O to the atmosphere, but some N 2 O is denitrified within water column

16 Global Nitrous Oxide Cycle

17 Anthropogenic Impact on N 2 O Cycle Soils are main source of N 2 O to atmosphere, Cultivation increases N 2 O production rate as increases nitrification and denitrification rates From Holland et al., 2005 EOS 86, 254 Manure production tracks N 2 O increases But NOAA says Sinks exceed identified sources, yet we observe an increase in atmospheric N 2 O -- more research needed

18 Global Budget of Atmospheric Ammonia NH 4 + sources: 70% anthropogenic 30% natural Natural inputs: 22.8 Natural sinks: 57

19 The Global Ammonia Cycle

20 Global Emissions of NOx

21 Global Nitrogen Oxides (NO 2 and NO) Cycle

22 Relationship between NO 3 - in Ice Cores and NO x Emissions

23 N versus P Biogeochemistry N occurs in valance states ranging from (-3) to (+5), and microbes capitalize on transformations of N from one state to another for energy P is almost always at a valance of (+5) as PO 4 3-

24 N versus P Biogeochemistry (cont d.) Reservoir Atmosphere Soil Organic Matter Terrestrial Biomass Total oceans (NO 3-, DIP) Ocean dissolved N 2 gas Oceanic biota Mass N (in grams) 3.5 x x x x x g 4.7 x Mass P (in grams) x x x x N/A x Major Differences in Reservoirs & Fluxes: - No gaseous forms of P, whereas N 2 (g) is largest pool - Ultimate N Bioavailability via microbial transformations, whereas ultimate P bioavailability via weathering - N more enriched than P in organic matter, relative to C N:P ratio in marine (16:1) primary producer biomass

25 Linked N-, P-, and Carbon-Cycling P as ATP important in all biochemical processes, including C fixation, protein production Primary production requires both N & P, both tend to be present at low - limiting levels Redfield C:N:P used to predict biomass production N-fixation rates inversely related to N:P in soil N-Fixation Rates N:P

26 Linked N-, P-, and Carbon-Cycling High demand for P by N-fixing organisms links global C- N-P cycles, with P being the ultimate limiting nutrient Despite this, NPP often shows an immediate response to N additions It continues to be a puzzle, and source of debate

27 Lecture Summary Microbial reactions drive the N cycle, taking advantage of the various valences in which N occurs in the environment Atmospheric N 2 (gas) is the largest N-reservoir, but inaccessible to organisms unless converted to fixed-n Unclear whether the global N budget is balanced: Denitrification is used to balance N-fixation, but global estimates of both are not well constrained 15 N/ 14 N in sedimentary organic N and forams is useful for assessing paleo N chemistry Anthropogenic impacts on the global N cycle have been substantial Nature of N & P reservoirs and processes that impact their bioavailability are fundamentally different