Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems

Abstract Denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) are the major microbial processes responsible for global nitrogen (N) loss. Yet, the relative contributions of denitrification and anammox to N loss across contrasting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide remain unclear, ham...

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Main Authors: Gang He, Danli Deng, Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo, Wenzhi Liu, Quanfa Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Advanced Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406857
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author Gang He
Danli Deng
Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo
Wenzhi Liu
Quanfa Zhang
author_facet Gang He
Danli Deng
Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo
Wenzhi Liu
Quanfa Zhang
author_sort Gang He
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) are the major microbial processes responsible for global nitrogen (N) loss. Yet, the relative contributions of denitrification and anammox to N loss across contrasting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide remain unclear, hampering capacities to predict the human alterations in the global N cycle. Here, a global synthesis including 3240 observations from 199 published isotope pairing studies is conducted and finds that denitrification governs microbial N loss globally (79.8±0.4%). Significantly, anammox is more important in aquatic than terrestrial ecosystems worldwide and can contribute up to 43.2% of N loss in global seawater. Global maps for N loss associated with denitrification and anammox are further generated and show that the contribution of anammox to N loss decreases with latitude for soils and sediments but generally increases with substrate depth. This work highlights the importance of anammox as well as denitrification in driving ecosystem N losses, which is critical for improving the current global N cycle model and achieving sustainable N management.
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issn 2198-3844
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spelling doaj-art-d0d4033d8a894b1bb85bbe92f8f761c72025-08-20T03:49:36ZengWileyAdvanced Science2198-38442025-02-01128n/an/a10.1002/advs.202406857Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic EcosystemsGang He0Danli Deng1Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo2Wenzhi Liu3Quanfa Zhang4Hubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan 430074 P.R. ChinaHubei Field Observation and Scientific Research Stations for Water Ecosystem in Three Gorges Reservoir China Three Gorges University Yichang 443002 P.R. ChinaLaboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS) CSIC Av. Reina Mercedes 10 Sevilla E‐41012 SpainHubei Key Laboratory of Wetland Evolution & Ecological Restoration, Wuhan Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Wuhan 430074 P.R. ChinaDanjiangkou Wetland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station Chinese Academy of Sciences & Hubei Province Wuhan 430074 P.R. ChinaAbstract Denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) are the major microbial processes responsible for global nitrogen (N) loss. Yet, the relative contributions of denitrification and anammox to N loss across contrasting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems worldwide remain unclear, hampering capacities to predict the human alterations in the global N cycle. Here, a global synthesis including 3240 observations from 199 published isotope pairing studies is conducted and finds that denitrification governs microbial N loss globally (79.8±0.4%). Significantly, anammox is more important in aquatic than terrestrial ecosystems worldwide and can contribute up to 43.2% of N loss in global seawater. Global maps for N loss associated with denitrification and anammox are further generated and show that the contribution of anammox to N loss decreases with latitude for soils and sediments but generally increases with substrate depth. This work highlights the importance of anammox as well as denitrification in driving ecosystem N losses, which is critical for improving the current global N cycle model and achieving sustainable N management.https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406857anammoxdenitrificationeutrophicationglobal predictionnitrogen removal
spellingShingle Gang He
Danli Deng
Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo
Wenzhi Liu
Quanfa Zhang
Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
Advanced Science
anammox
denitrification
eutrophication
global prediction
nitrogen removal
title Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
title_full Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
title_fullStr Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
title_full_unstemmed Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
title_short Global Relative Importance of Denitrification and Anammox in Microbial Nitrogen Loss Across Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems
title_sort global relative importance of denitrification and anammox in microbial nitrogen loss across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
topic anammox
denitrification
eutrophication
global prediction
nitrogen removal
url https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202406857
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AT danlideng globalrelativeimportanceofdenitrificationandanammoxinmicrobialnitrogenlossacrossterrestrialandaquaticecosystems
AT manueldelgadobaquerizo globalrelativeimportanceofdenitrificationandanammoxinmicrobialnitrogenlossacrossterrestrialandaquaticecosystems
AT wenzhiliu globalrelativeimportanceofdenitrificationandanammoxinmicrobialnitrogenlossacrossterrestrialandaquaticecosystems
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