Effects of Nitrogen Addition on Soil Microbial Biomass: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Most studies about the effects of N addition on soil microbial biomass evaluate soil microbial and physicochemical characteristics using single-test methods, and these studies have not been integrated and analyzed to comprehensively assess the impact of N fertilization on soil microbial biomass. Here, we conduct a meta-analysis to analyze the results of 86 studies characterizing how soil microbial biomass C (MBC), N (MBN), and P (MBP) pools respond to exogenous N addition across multiple land use types. We found that low N addition (5–50 kg/hm2) rates significantly affect soil microbial biomass, mainly by increasing MBC but also by decreasing MBP and significantly increasing MBC/MBP. N addition affects soil physicochemical properties, significantly reducing pH and significantly increasing the soil dissolved organic N and inorganic N content. Our analysis also revealed that the effects of N application vary across ecosystems. N addition significantly decreases MBP and total P in planted forests but does not significantly affect soil microbial biomass in grasslands. In farmland soil, N addition significantly increases total P, NH4+, NO3−, MBN, and MBP but significantly decreases pH. Although N addition can strongly influence soil microbial biomass, its effects are modulated by ecosystem type. The addition of N can negatively affect MBC, MBN, and MBP in natural forest ecosystems, thereby altering global ecosystem balance.