Nitrogen speciation and transformations in fire-derived organic matter.

ABSTRACT: Vegetation fires are known to have broad geochemical effects on carbon (C) cycles in the Earth system, yet limited information is available for nitrogen (N). In this study, we evaluated how charring organic matter (OM) to pyrogenic OM (PyOM) altered the N molecular structure and affected subsequent C and N mineralization. Nitrogen near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) of uncharred OM, PyOM, PyOM toluene extract, and PyOM after toluene extraction were used to predict PyOM-C and -N mineralization potentials. PyOM was produced from three different plants (e.g. Maize-Zea mays L.; Ryegrass-Lollium perenne L.; and Willow-Salix viminalix L.) each with varying initial N contents at three pyrolysis temperatures (350, 500 and 700?°C). Mineralization of C and N was measured from incubations of uncharred OM and PyOM in a sand matrix for 256?days at 30?°C. As pyrolysis temperature increased from 350 to 700?°C, aromatic C[bond, double bond]N in 6-membered rings (putative) increased threefold. Aromatic C[bond, double bond]N in 6-membered oxygenated ring increased sevenfold, and quaternary aromatic N doubled. Initial uncharred OM-N content was positively correlated with the proportion of heterocyclic aromatic N in PyOM (R2?=?0.44; P?

SUBMITTER: Torres-Rojas D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7171705 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature