DOE OSTI · 3014071
A general framework for nitrogen deposition effects on soil respiration in global forests
Abstract
Since the Industrial Revolution, human activities have altered atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition to global forests, affecting carbon dioxide emissions from soils (soil respiration or SR) – one of the largest land-atmosphere carbon fluxes. However, experimental studies have demonstrated both positive and negative effects of N deposition on SR in global forests, leading to debates on how N deposition increases or decreases SR. We developed a framework for generalizing SR responses to N deposition using synthesized data from 168 N addition experiments worldwide and observed SR across the global natural N deposition gradient. The findings indicate that N deposition decreased SR in 2.9% of global forested areas, particularly in eastern China, western Europe, and the eastern USA. However, the net effect of N deposition increased the global forest SR by ~5% (1.7 ± 0.1 PgC yr –1 ). If N pollution could be effectively controlled, global forest SR would decrease, potentially contributing to a reduction in the terrestrial carbon emissions.
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Cen, Xiaoyu [National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), Harbin (China); Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Stanford University, CA (United States); Aarhus University (Denmark)] (ORCID:0000000244679962), Vitousek, Peter [Stanford University, CA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000349332666), He, Nianpeng [National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), Harbin (China); Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Northeast Forestry University, Harbin (China)] (ORCID:0000000204585953), Bond-Lamberty, Benjamin [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), College Park, MD (United States). Joint Global Change Research Institute] (ORCID:0000000195254633), Niu, Shuli [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)] (ORCID:0000000223942864), Du, Enzai [Beijing Normal University, Beijing (China)] (ORCID:0000000255190150), Yu, Kailiang [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Princeton University, NJ (United States)] (ORCID:0000000301450356), Zheng, Mianhai [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou (China)], Van Sundert, Kevin [Maastricht University, Venlo (Netherlands)] (ORCID:0000000161803075), Paulus, Elizabeth L. [Stanford University, CA (United States); SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), Menlo Park, CA (United States)], He, Liyin [Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)] (ORCID:0000000344271438), Xu, Li [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)], Li, Mingxu [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)] (ORCID:0000000283256997), Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus [Aarhus University (Denmark); Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany)] (ORCID:0000000194996598). 2025-12-16. A general framework for nitrogen deposition effects on soil respiration in global forests. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67203-8
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