Relative uptake capacity of QD-glycine and QD-chitosan.
Relative uptake capacity is QD uptake capacity of QD-compounds (as QDs μm3 d-1) divided by QD uptake capacity of QD-references. Microbes from control versus N-fertilized plots were added to control versus N-fertilized litter in microbial cages, in a reciprocal transplant design. All microbial cages were decomposed in control plots. Microbe origin, litter origin, and compound type interacted significantly to influence relative QD uptake (P = 0.003). Uptake values are relative to uptake rates of QD-references. Relative QD uptake > 1 (dashed line) indicates that fungi were targeting the organic N compound, rather than the QD or the carboxyl groups embedded in the QD surface. Symbols indicate significant (*) or marginally significant (†) uptake of QD-glycine or QD-chitosan relative to QD-references. Treatments with different letters are significantly different from one another (P < 0.05). Bars are means ±1SE of 5 replicates.