Ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria differentially contribute to ammonia oxidation in soil under precipitation gradients and land legacy.

Background: Global change has accelerated the nitrogen cycle. Soil nitrogen stock degradation by microbes leads to the release of various gases, including nitrous oxide (NO), a potent greenhouse gas. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) participate in the soil nitrogen cycle, producing NO.