Methanotrophy induces nitrogen fixation during peatland development

Nitrogen (N) accumulation rates in peatland ecosystems indicate significant biological atmospheric N ₂ fixation associated with Sphagnum mosses. Here, we show that the linkage between methanotrophic carbon cycling and N ₂ fixation may constitute an important mechanism in the rapid accumulation of N...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2014-01, Vol.111 (2), p.734-739
Main Authors: Larmola, Tuula, Leppänen, Sanna M., Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina, Aarva, Maija, Merilä, Päivi, Fritze, Hannu, Tiirola, Marja
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alphaproteobacteria - metabolism
Analysis of Variance
Atmospherics
Biological Sciences
Bogs
carbon
Carbon Cycle - physiology
Carbon Isotopes - metabolism
Ecological succession
ecosystems
Fens
Finland
Meadows
Methane
Methane - metabolism
Mosses
mosses and liverworts
Nitrogen
Nitrogen Cycle - physiology
nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen Isotopes - metabolism
Oxidation
Peatlands
Phosphorus
primary succession
Soil Microbiology
Sphagnopsida - growth & development
Sphagnopsida - metabolism
Sphagnopsida - microbiology
Sphagnum
stable isotopes
vegetation
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Summary:Nitrogen (N) accumulation rates in peatland ecosystems indicate significant biological atmospheric N ₂ fixation associated with Sphagnum mosses. Here, we show that the linkage between methanotrophic carbon cycling and N ₂ fixation may constitute an important mechanism in the rapid accumulation of N during the primary succession of peatlands. In our experimental stable isotope enrichment study, previously overlooked methane-induced N ₂ fixation explained more than one-third of the new N input in the younger peatland stages, where the highest N ₂ fixation rates and highest methane oxidation activities co-occurred in the water-submerged moss vegetation.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1314284111