Abstract:In forest soil, the vertical migration rate of inorganic nitrogen is faster, so atmospheric nitrogen deposition is likely to have a greater impact on the lower forest soil, and the surface soil is often quite different from the lower forest soil in physical chemistry characteristics and environment. Therefore, the response of soil to atmospheric nitrogen deposition at different depths in the soil profile may be quite different. Previous studies have shown that the annual average wet deposition of nitrogen was as high as 95 kg N hm-2 a-1, which is the highest in rainy area of western China. Based on the above background, the responses of soil nitrogen mineralization and related enzyme activities to the simulated nitrogen deposition at different depths in the evergreen broad-leaved forest in rainy area of western China were studied. Three groups were set including control (CK, +0 g N hm-2 a-1), low nitrogen (LN, +5 g N hm-2 a-1), and high nitrogen (HN, +15 g N hm-2 a-1). Total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and nitrogen mineralization-related enzyme activities were measured at different depths (upper layer 0-15 cm, middle layer 15-30 cm, lower layer 30-45 cm) of soil after 5 years of nitrogen deposition. The results showed that:(1) there were significant differences in TN at different depths of the evergreen broad-leaved secondary forest; (2) The simulated nitrogen deposition showed a very significant inhibitory effect on soil nitrogen mineralization in the system, especially in the middle layer soil. The net nitrogen mineralization rate was mainly influenced by nitrification process; (3) The simulated nitrogen deposition significantly promoted soil urease activity and inhibited soil nitrate reductase activity. Due to the high mobility of inorganic nitrogen in the soil profile, the response of nitrogen cycling and characteristics to nitrogen deposition in deep soil layers needs more close attention.