Global assessment of nitrogen deposition effects on terrestrial plant diversity: a synthesis.
Roland Bobbink,Kevin Hicks,James N. Galloway,Till Spranger,Rob Alkemade,Mike Ashmore,Mercedes M. C. Bustamante,Steve Cinderby,Eric A. Davidson,Frank Dentener,Bridget A. Emmett,Jan Willem Erisman,Mark E. Fenn,Frank S. Gilliam,Annika Nordin,Linda H. Pardo,W. de Vries +16 more
TLDR
Ecosystems thought of as not N limited, such as tropical and subtropical systems, may be more vulnerable in the regeneration phase, in situations where heterogeneity in N availability is reduced by atmospheric N deposition, on sandy soils, or in montane areas.Abstract:
Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is a recognized threat to plant diversity in temperate and northern parts of Europe and North America. This paper assesses evidence from field experiments for N deposition effects and thresholds for terrestrial plant diversity protection across a latitudinal range of main categories of ecosystems, from arctic and boreal systems to tropical forests. Current thinking on the mechanisms of N deposition effects on plant diversity, the global distribution of G200 ecoregions, and current and future (2030) estimates of atmospheric N-deposition rates are then used to identify the risks to plant diversity in all major ecosystem types now and in the future. This synthesis paper clearly shows that N accumulation is the main driver of changes to species composition across the whole range of different ecosystem types by driving the competitive interactions that lead to composition change and/or making conditions unfavorable for some species. Other effects such as direct toxicity of nitrogen gases and aerosols, long-term negative effects of increased ammonium and ammonia availability, soil-mediated effects of acidification, and secondary stress and disturbance are more ecosystem- and site-specific and often play a supporting role. N deposition effects in mediterranean ecosystems have now been identified, leading to a first estimate of an effect threshold. Importantly, ecosystems thought of as not N limited, such as tropical and subtropical systems, may be more vulnerable in the regeneration phase, in situations where heterogeneity in N availability is reduced by atmospheric N deposition, on sandy soils, or in montane areas. Critical loads are effect thresholds for N deposition, and the critical load concept has helped European governments make progress toward reducing N loads on sensitive ecosystems. More needs to be done in Europe and North America, especially for the more sensitive ecosystem types, including several ecosystems of high conservation importance. The results of this assessment show that the vulnerable regions outside Europe and North America which have not received enough attention are ecoregions in eastern and southern Asia (China, India), an important part of the mediterranean ecoregion (California, southern Europe), and in the coming decades several subtropical and tropical parts of Latin America and Africa. Reductions in plant diversity by increased atmospheric N deposition may be more widespread than first thought, and more targeted studies are required in low background areas, especially in the G200 ecoregions.read more
Citations
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Trends in precipitation chemistry across the U.S. 1985–2017: Quantifying the benefits from 30 years of Clean Air Act amendment regulation
Michael R. McHale,Amy S. Ludtke,Gregory A. Wetherbee,Douglas A. Burns,Mark A. Nilles,Jason S. Finkelstein +5 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report trends in wet-precipitation chemistry in response to emissions reductions implemented as part of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAA) in 1990 to reduce sulfur and nitrogen emissions from fossil fuel burning power plants.
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Impacts of altered precipitation, nitrogen deposition and plant competition on a Mediterranean seed bank
TL;DR: In this article, D.siifolia was found to be a threat to local plant communities in the context of increased nitrogen deposition and altered precipitation events in semi-arid Mediterranean environments.
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Sensitivity of the xerophytic moss Syntrichia caninervis to prolonged simulated nitrogen deposition
TL;DR: Low amounts of added N (0-0·5 g N m(-2) year(-1)) may enhance moss growth and vitality, while higher amounts have detrimental effects.
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Weakening of the ‘enzymatic latch’ mechanism following long-term fertilization in a minerotrophic peatland
Tong Li,Zhao-Jun Bu,Wenyan Liu,Mingying Zhang,Changhui Peng,Changhui Peng,Qiuan Zhu,Shengwei Shi,Meng Wang +8 more
TL;DR: In this article, a long-term fertilization experiment in a moderate-rich fen in northeast China was conducted to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of how continuous N and P addition regulate key extracellular enzymes and their interactions, and the subsequent influences on organic C storage in peatlands.
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Current atmospheric nitrogen deposition still exceeds critical loads for sensitive, semi-natural ecosystems in Switzerland
Zaida Kosonen,Elvira Schnyder,Erika Hiltbrunner,Anne Thimonier,Maria Schmitt,Eva Seitler,Lotti Thöni +6 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the concentrations of seven different N compounds in precipitation and in the air at 34 sites across Switzerland and quantified the total inorganic N deposition by adding together the bulk and dry deposition.
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