Global patterns of the isotopic composition of soil and plant nitrogen

Abstract

We compiled new and published data on the natural abundance N isotope composition (δ 15 N values) of soil and plant organic matter from around the world. Across a broad range of climate and ecosystem types, we found that soil and plant δ 15 N values systematically decreased with increasing mean annual precipitation (MAP) and decreasing mean annual temperature (MAT). Because most undisturbed soils are near N steady state, the observations suggest that an increasing fraction of ecosystem N losses are 15 N‐depleted forms (NO 3, N 2 O, etc.) with decreasing MAP and increasing MAT. Wetter and colder ecosystems appear to be more efficient in conserving and recycling mineral N. Globally, plant δ 15 N values are more negative than soils, but the difference (δ 15 N plant‐δ 15 N soil) increases with decreasing MAT (and secondarily increasing MAP), suggesting a systematic change in the source of plant‐available N (organic/NH 4+ versus NO 3−) with climate. Nitrogen isotopes reflect time integrated measures of the controls on N storage that are critical for predictions of how these ecosystems will respond to human‐mediated disturbances of the global N cycle.