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Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme...
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Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of  ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or  nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
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Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...
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Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
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Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Design and Operation of a Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling Chamber for Uniform or Differential, Metabolic and Structural, Plant Isotope Labeling
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Does canopy nitrogen uptake enhance carbon sequestration by trees?

Richard K F Nair1, Micheal P Perks2, Andrew Weatherall3

  • 1School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Crew Building, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH9 3FF, UK.

Global Change Biology
|September 23, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nitrogen (N) addition boosts forest carbon (C) uptake, but canopy interception (CNU) is often overlooked. Our study shows canopy N deposition significantly enhances C uptake more than soil N, crucial for accurate forest N studies.

Keywords:
15N labellingC sequestrationNitrogen depositionPicea sitchensiscanopy fertilizationcanopy nitrogen uptakeisotope tracesoil fertilization

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Transforming, Genome Editing and Phenotyping the Nitrogen-fixing Tropical Cannabaceae Tree Parasponia andersonii
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Area of Science:

  • Forest Ecology
  • Isotope Tracing
  • Nutrient Cycling

Background:

  • Temperate forest nitrogen (N) addition experiments show modest carbon (C) uptake, potentially underestimating atmospheric N deposition effects.
  • Existing studies often apply N isotopes to forest floors, neglecting canopy interception (CNU) and N recycling.
  • This discrepancy highlights a need to investigate alternative N deposition pathways in forest ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the significance of canopy interception (CNU) and litter N recycling in tree nutrition.
  • To compare nitrogen (N) uptake and allocation from different N deposition sources (litter, soil, canopy).
  • To evaluate the impact of different N application methods on carbon (C) uptake in Sitka spruce.

Main Methods:

  • A mesocosm experiment using Sitka spruce saplings with controlled nitrogen (N) and nitrogen-15 (15N) isotope application.
  • Treatments included applying 15N-enriched litter, mineral 15N to soil, and mineral 15N to the canopy.
  • Measured 15N recovery in various tree biomass pools and soil, and calculated N effect on C uptake.

Main Results:

  • Canopy application resulted in 60% above-ground 15N recovery, significantly higher than 21% from soil application.
  • Nitrogen-15 recovery from litter was low and highly variable; canopy N deposition led to greater woody biomass N accumulation.
  • Canopy N deposition showed a higher N effect on C uptake (114 kg C/kg N) compared to soil application (43 kg C/kg N).

Conclusions:

  • Canopy interception (CNU) is a critical pathway for nitrogen (N) deposition in forests, influencing carbon (C) uptake.
  • Experimental designs should incorporate canopy N deposition to accurately represent ambient conditions and resolve discrepancies.
  • Understanding CNU is essential for refining forest ecosystem models and predicting responses to atmospheric N deposition.