Profiles of C- and N-trace gas production in N-saturated forest soils.

The article discusses a study which provides data on the stratification of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide production with soil dept under aerobic and anaerobic incubation conditions for different temperate forest sites in Germany and the Netherlands. It states that the exchange rates of environmental atmospheric trace gases are driven by a few microbiological processes in the soil. The forest sites in the two countries are exposed to high loads of atmospheric nitrogen deposition; The soil at all sites showed a typical check mark shape with most acidic conditions in the uppermost mineral layer.