Alteration of soil nitrifiers and denitrifiers and their driving factors during intensive management of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens)

Abstract Long-term intensive management, such as inorganic fertilization and soil tillage, have been reported to decrease soil organic carbon content (SOC) and diversity of soil bacterial communities, as well as increase N2O emissions in moso bamboo forests. However, the response of the N-cycling soil microbial community to intensive management remains unclear. To address this, we examined the effects of intensive moso bamboo management on nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms. Soils receiving non-management (NM) and 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of intensive management (IM10, IM15, IM20, IM25) were characterized using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and high-through sequencing methods. Our results showed that abundances of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) from ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) significantly increased (P