Denitrification, the reduction of nitrate to oxides of nitrogen, arises from the activity of many different groups of bacteria in soil.  It is not only a route for loss of fertilizer N from soil; it also has adverse environmental consequences, as nitrous oxides are potent greenhouse gasses.  Further reduction leads to evolution of dinitrogen gas.  Although environmental factors (primarily waterlogging) appear to be the main factor controlling denitrification, it is not known how this process is affected by variations in the numbers and diversity of denitrifying bacteria in different soils.  We are investigating the distribution and population dynamics of nitrogen-cycling bacteria, in particular those with denitrifying activity, in agricultural soils with different long-term treatments.  (Natalya Buchkina, RI fellow, jointly with Keith Goulding, Soil Science and Ian Clark)

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