Linking abundance and community of microbial N2O-producers and N2O-reducers with enzymatic N2O production potential in a riparian zone

Abstract

As aquatic-terrestrial ecotones, riparian zones are hotspots not only for denitrification but also for nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. Due to the potential role of nosZ II in N2O mitigation, emerging studies in terrestrial ecosystems have taken this newly reported N2O-reducer into account. However, our knowledge about the interactions between denitrification activities and both N2O-producers and reducers (especially for nosZ II) in aquatic ecosystems remains limited. In this study, we investigated spatiotemporal distributions of in situ N2O flux, potential N2O production rate, and potential denitrification rate, as well as of the related genes in a riparian zone of Baiyangdian Lake. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing targeted functional genes were used to analyze the denitrifier communities. Results showed that great differences in microbial activities and abundances were observed between sites and seasons. Waterward sediments (constantly flooded area) had the lowest N2O production potential in both seasons. Not only the environmental factors (moisture content, NH4+ content and TOM) but also the community structure of N2O-producers and N2O-reducers (nirK/nirS and nosZ II/nosZ I ratios) could affect the potential N2O production rate. The abundance of the four functional genes in the winter was higher than in the summer, and the values all peaked at the occasionally flooded area in the winter. The dissimilarity in community composition was mainly driven by moisture content. Altogether, we propose that the N2O production potential was largely regulated by the community structure of N2O-producers and N2O-reducers in riparian zones. Increasing the constantly flooded area and reducing the occasionally flooded area of lake ecosystems may help reduce the level of denitrifier-produced N2O.