Soil Gross Nitrogen Transformations in Typical Karst and Nonkarst Forests, Southwest China

Abstract Soil gross nitrogen (N) transformations are crucial for assessing forest N status. Although there is evidence suggesting that the N cycle is open in the karst forest, southwest China, process‐based investigation of gross soil N transformations is limited. In the current study, gross soil N transformations were investigated using 15 N isotope dilution and 15 N tracer techniques in a typical karst forest with calcareous soil (Calcareous lithosols) in comparison with an adjacent nonkarst forest with red soil (Haplic acrisol).The gross rates of N mineralization, nitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and nitrate immobilization were significantly greater in the karst forest. Ammonium immobilization was comparable to gross N mineralization, so that ammonium could be efficiently conserved in the nonkarst forest. Meanwhile, the produced nitrate was mostly retained via DNRA and nitrate immobilization. This resulted in a negligible net nitrate production in the nonkarst forest. In contrast, ammonium immobilization rate only accounted for half of gross N mineralization rate in the karst forest. The nitrate retention capacity is relatively low, with 41.6 ± 4.2% of the produced nitrate being retained via DNRA and nitrate immobilization. Due to relatively low nitrate retention capacity, nitrate was accumulated in the karst forest soil. Our results indicate that the nonkarst forest with red soil holds a very conservative N cycle, but the N cycle in the karst forest is leaky.