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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Effects of ozone on agriculture, forests and grasslands.
TL;DR: An improved understanding of the mechanisms by which O3 affects plants, and how this might influence detoxification thresholds and interactions with other environmental variables such as water stress and nutrients, would help develop O3 deposition and impact models to support the development of crop, land-surface exchange and ultimately earth system models for holistic assessments of global change.
Journal ArticleDOI
Differential responses of grasses and forbs led to marked reduction in below‐ground productivity in temperate steppe following chronic N deposition
Wenming Bai,Dali Guo,Qiuying Tian,Nana Liu,Weixin Cheng,Weixin Cheng,Linghao Li,Wen-Hao Zhang +7 more
TL;DR: The findings highlight the importance of the differentiating responses of plant functional groups to long-term N deposition and the important consequences of these responses for below-ground productivity and long- term soil C sequestration.
Journal ArticleDOI
Consistent effects of canopy vs. understory nitrogen addition on the soil exchangeable cations and microbial community in two contrasting forests.
Leilei Shi,Hongzhi Zhang,Tao Liu,Weixin Zhang,Yuanhu Shao,Denglong Ha,Yuanqiu Li,Chuangmao Zhang,Xi-an Cai,Xingquan Rao,Yongbiao Lin,Lixia Zhou,Ping Zhao,Qing Ye,Xiaoming Zou,Shenglei Fu +15 more
TL;DR: Findings did not support previous prediction which expected that, by bypassing canopy effects (i.e., canopy retention and foliage fertilization), understory addition of N would overestimate the effects of N deposition on forest soil properties, at least for short time scale.
Journal ArticleDOI
Environmental impacts of nitrogen emissions in China and the role of policies in emission reduction
Xuejun Liu,Wen Xu,Enzai Du,A. H. Tang,Yun Zhang,Yangyang Zhang,Zhang Wen,Hao Tx,Yuepeng Pan,Lin Zhang,Baojing Gu,Zhao Y,Jianlin Shen,Feng Zhou,Gao Zl,Feng Zz,Yunhua Chang,Keith Goulding,Jeffrey L. Collett,Peter M. Vitousek,Fusuo Zhang +20 more
TL;DR: Recommendations for improving future N management for achieving ‘win-win’ outcomes for Chinese agricultural production and food supply, and human and environmental health, are described.
Journal ArticleDOI
Glasshouse vs field experiments: do they yield ecologically similar results for assessing N impacts on peat mosses?
Juul Limpens,Gustaf Granath,Rien Aerts,Monique M. P. D. Heijmans,Lucy J. Sheppard,Luca Bragazza,Luca Bragazza,Luca Bragazza,B. L. Williams,Håkan Rydin,Jill L. Bubier,Tim R. Moore,Line Rochefort,Edward A. D. Mitchell,Alexandre Buttler,Alexandre Buttler,Alexandre Buttler,L.J.L. van den Berg,Urban Gunnarsson,André-Jean Francez,Renato Gerdol,Markus N. Thormann,P. Grosvernier,M. M. Wiedermann,Mats Nilsson,Marcel R. Hoosbeek,Suzanne E. Bayley,J. F Nordbakken,M.P.C.P. Paulissen,Stefan Hotes,Angela Breeuwer,Mati Ilomets,H.B.M. Tomassen,Ian D. Leith,B. Xu +34 more
TL;DR: Although glasshouse experiments are reliable proxies for field experiments for assessing interactions between N deposition and environment as controls on Sphagnum N concentration and production, field experiments are needed to properly quantify these effects.
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