Nonsymbiotic nitrogen fixation in 3-year-old Jeffrey pines and the role of elevated [CO2]

Increased belowground labile C inputs under elevated [CO2] could stimulate nonsymbiotic N2 fixation, thereby enhancing growth responses of vegetation to elevated [CO2] on nutrient-poor sites. To test this hypothesis, nonsymbiotic N2 fixation rates in soils planted with 3-year-old Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf.) trees grown under 365 and 700 (mu)L·L^–1 atmospheric [CO2] were measured by exposing the soil to 15N2-enriched air for 78 d. Nitrogen fixation rates were estimated by measuring 15N content of trees and soil. Compared with the ambient CO2 treatment, the elevated CO2 treatment did not affect biomass, N content, or (delta)^15N of individual plant parts and soils, indicating that elevated [CO2] did not stimulate nonsymbiotic N2 fixation. Because belowground C inputs did not increase under elevated [CO2], the initial hypothesis could not be accepted or rejected. The results from the 15N2 labeling study agree with other studies showing that nonsymbiotic N2 fixation is not likely to provide a large input of N in forest ecosystems. The 15N2 labeling technique was promising for studying N2 fixation in plant–soil systems, but the preliminary nature of this study did not allow for firm conclusions with regard to the effects of elevated [CO2].