Time-dependent shifts in populations and activity of bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidizers in response to liming in acidic soils

Abstract

During the past decades, extensive nitrogen fertilization and acid deposition have greatly contributed to soil acidification in agroecosystems. Liming, the addition of calcium- and magnesium-rich material to soil, is an effective management strategy used to improve fertility and productivity of agricultural soils degraded by acidification. Nitrification plays a central role in nitrogen (N) availability in agroecosystems and contributes to soil acidification. However, little is known regarding the effects of liming on this process and microbial populations that drive it. Here, we investigated population dynamics and activity of ammonia oxidizers in response to a 2-year liming field trial in a..