Soil Nitrogen Cycling: Mechanisms, Impacts and Sustainable Management

Dear Colleagues,

Nitrogen is a fundamental element for life and a key regulator of soil health, ecosystem productivity, and climate dynamics. Understanding the complex processes of soil nitrogen cycling—from fixation and mineralization to nitrification, denitrification, and leaching—is crucial for addressing pressing global challenges such as food security, environmental pollution, and climate change. This research theme seeks to advance knowledge on the biogeochemical, microbial, and ecological mechanisms driving nitrogen transformations in soils, assess their impacts across terrestrial and agricultural systems, and develop science-based strategies for sustainable nitrogen management.

We invite contributions spanning a broad scope, including but not limited to the following:

• Microbial drivers and enzymatic controls of nitrogen transformations;
• Interactions between nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycles;
• Effects of nitrogen deposition, fertilization, and land use on soil N dynamics;
• Gaseous nitrogen emissions (e.g., N₂O, NH₃) and their mitigation;
• Nitrogen-use efficiency in agroecosystems and precision nutrient management;
• Policy-relevant approaches for sustainable nitrogen governance.

We welcome original research, reviews, and perspectives from diverse disciplines—soil science, ecology, microbiology, agronomy, environmental chemistry, and climate science. By bringing together cutting-edge insights, this collection aims to support the transition toward more resilient and environmentally sound nitrogen management practices worldwide.

We warmly encourage colleagues and research teams to submit your relevant work and join this important scholarly exchange. Together, we can help shape a deeper understanding of soil nitrogen cycling and contribute to practical solutions for sustainable ecosystems and human well-being.

Dr. Quan Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nitrogen is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• soil nitrogen cycling
• nitrogen management
• nitrous oxide emissions
• microbial processes
• nitrogen deposition
• carbon–nitrogen coupling