Triple oxygen isotope evidence for the pathway of nitrous oxide production in a forested soil with increased emission on rainy days

Triple oxygen isotope evidence for the pathway of nitrous oxide production in a forested soil with increased emission on rainy days | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Triple oxygen isotope evidence for the pathway of nitrous oxide production in a forested soil with increased emission on rainy days Weitian Ding, Urumu Tsunogai, Takashi Sambuichi, Wenhua Ruan, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4264720/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Continuous increases in atmospheric nitrous oxide (N 2 O) concentrations are a global concern. Both nitrification and denitrification are the major pathways of N 2 O production in soil, one of the most important sources of tropospheric N 2 O. The 17 O excess (Δ 17 O) of N 2 O can be a promising signature for identifying the main pathway of N 2 O production in soil. However, reports on Δ 17 O are limited. Thus, we determined temporal variations in the Δ 17 O of N 2 O emitted from forested soil for more than one year and that of soil nitrite (NO 2 − ), which is a possible source of O atoms in N 2 O. We found that N 2 O emitted from the soil exhibited significantly higher Δ 17 O values on rainy days (+ 0.12 ± 0.13‰) than on fine days (− 0.30 ± 0.09‰), and the emission flux of N 2 O was significantly higher on rainy days (38.8 ± 28.0 µg N m − 2 h − 1 ) than on fine days (3.8 ± 3.1 µg N m − 2 h − 1 ). Because the Δ 17 O values of N 2 O emitted on rainy and fine days were close to those of soil NO 2 − (+ 0.23 ± 0.12‰) and O 2 (− 0.44‰), we concluded that although nitrification was the main pathway of N 2 O production in the soil on fine days, denitrification became active on rainy days, resulting in a significant increase in the emission flux of N 2 O. This study reveals that the main pathway of N 2 O production can be identified by precisely determining the Δ 17 O values of N 2 O emission from soil and by comparing the Δ 17 O values with those of NO 2 − , O 2 , and H 2 O in the soil. Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Stable isotope analysis Earth and environmental sciences/Biogeochemistry/Element cycles Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Supplementary Files Supplement.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4264720","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":292120801,"identity":"c2503ff8-79c5-419c-8591-8bf5964547dc","order_by":0,"name":"Weitian 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days","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4264720/v2","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4264720/v2","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eContinuous increases in atmospheric nitrous oxide (N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO) concentrations are a global concern. Both nitrification and denitrification are the major pathways of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO production in soil, one of the most important sources of tropospheric N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO. The \u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO excess (Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO) of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO can be a promising signature for identifying the main pathway of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO production in soil. However, reports on Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO are limited. Thus, we determined temporal variations in the Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO emitted from forested soil for more than one year and that of soil nitrite (NO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e), which is a possible source of O atoms in N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO. We found that N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO emitted from the soil exhibited significantly higher Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO values on rainy days (+\u0026thinsp;0.12\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.13\u0026permil;) than on fine days (\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.30\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.09\u0026permil;), and the emission flux of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO was significantly higher on rainy days (38.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;28.0 \u0026micro;g N m\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/sup\u003e h\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) than on fine days (3.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.1 \u0026micro;g N m\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;2\u003c/sup\u003e h\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). Because the Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO values of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO emitted on rainy and fine days were close to those of soil NO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e (+\u0026thinsp;0.23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.12\u0026permil;) and O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e (\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;0.44\u0026permil;), we concluded that although nitrification was the main pathway of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO production in the soil on fine days, denitrification became active on rainy days, resulting in a significant increase in the emission flux of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO. This study reveals that the main pathway of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO production can be identified by precisely determining the Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO values of N\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO emission from soil and by comparing the Δ\u003csup\u003e17\u003c/sup\u003eO values with those of NO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e, O\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, and H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO in the soil.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Triple oxygen isotope evidence for the pathway of nitrous oxide production in a forested soil with increased emission on rainy days","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":2,"date":"2025-03-14 19:16:21","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4264720/v2","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":1,"date":"2024-04-17 03:02:20","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4264720/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"520e667a-98a9-4a6f-84a3-fc5f209ee838","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":30774639,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Ecology/Stable isotope analysis"},{"id":30774640,"name":"Earth and environmental sciences/Biogeochemistry/Element cycles"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-03-10T14:39:55+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-03-14 19:16:21","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v2","identity":"rs-4264720","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4264720","identity":"rs-4264720","version":["v2"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}