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
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Journal ArticleDOI
An integrated belowground trait‐based understanding of nitrogen‐driven plant diversity loss
Qiuying Tian,Peng Lu,Xiu Zhai,Ruifang Zhang,Hong Wang,Baoguo Nie,Wenming Bai,Shuli Niu,Peili Shi,Yuanhe Yang,Kaihui Li,Dianling Yang,Carly J. Stevens,Hans Lambers,Wen-Hao Zhang +14 more
TL;DR: In this article , the authors investigated the rhizosheath trait of 74 plant species in seven N•addition simulation experiments across multiple grassland ecosystems in China and found that rhizheath formation differed among plant functional groups and contributed to changes in plant community composition induced by N enrichment.
Journal ArticleDOI
The influence of a five-year nitrogen fertilization treatment on hydraulic architecture of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in a water-limited plantation of NE China
TL;DR: The results suggest that, despite tree growth was enhanced in the present experiment, N deposition may negatively affect Mongolian pine plantations through its negative impacts on plant water relations, which may likely deteriorate in more water-limited conditions.
Journal ArticleDOI
Comparing the responses of bryophytes and short-statured vascular plants to climate shifts and eutrophication
TL;DR: Bryophytes and short-statured vascular plants in grasslands both may be expected to decline under projected global changes in climate and nutrient deposition that enhance total community biomass and competitive pressure, but shifts in either precipitation or eutrophication regimes alone may have differential effects on bryophyte and short vascular plants on grasslands, and organism-specific plant functional traits must be considered.
Book ChapterDOI
Effects and Empirical Critical Loads of Nitrogen for Europe
Roland Bobbink,H.B.M. Tomassen,M.J. Weijters,Leon J.L. van den Berg,Joachim Strengbom,Sabine Braun,Annika Nordin,Kirsten Schütz,Jean-Paul Hettelingh +8 more
TL;DR: A brief history of the empirical critical loads and the process of determination of critical loads for nitrogen and their reliability can be found in this paper, where European habitats (defined as EUNIS and Natura 2000 habitat classes) are presented.
Journal ArticleDOI
Woody plant richness does not influence invertebrate community reassembly trajectories in a tree diversity experiment
Peter Yeeles,Lori Lach,Lori Lach,Richard J. Hobbs,Mary van Wees,Raphael K. Didham,Raphael K. Didham +6 more
TL;DR: It is shown that woody plant richness did not have direct positive effects on the diversity and community reassembly trajectories of higher trophic levels in the authors' woodland system, which suggests that even low-diversity restoration or carbon sequestration plantings can potentially lead to faunal reassembly outcomes that are comparable to more complex re-planting designs.
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