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de Mars H, van Dijk G, van der Weijden B, Grootjans AP, Wołejko L, Farr G, Graham J, Oosterlynck P, Smolders AJP. The threat of groundwater pollution for petrifying springs; defining nutrient threshold values for an endangered bryophyte dominated habitat. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123324. [PMID: 38237849 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Eutrophication by human activities is increasingly affecting ecosystem functioning and plant community composition. So far, studies mainly focus on the effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, surface water eutrophication or soil nutrient accumulation. Groundwater pollution of spring habitats, however, has received much less attention, although numerous papers report groundwater nutrient enrichment worldwide. This study presents a survey on groundwater pollution (with emphasis on nitrate and phosphate) and bryophyte composition in 51 ambient petrifying springs in 5 NW European countries, which were compared to published data from 173 other sites in 11 European countries. The reviewed dataset covers a broad range of unpolluted to heavily polluted springs with nitrate concentrations between 0.7 and 3227 μmol l-1. Most petrifying springs in the rural lowlands of NW Europe were found to have elevated concentrations of nitrate and phosphate with the most polluted springs occurring in The Netherlands. The cover of individual characteristic bryophyte species significantly correlates with groundwater nutrient concentrations indicating that nutrient pollution of spring waters affects bryophyte composition. Palustriella commutata, Eucladium verticillatum and Brachythecium rivulare prefer unpolluted petrifying springs whereas Cratoneuron filicinum and Pellia endiviifolia show a much broader tolerance to groundwater pollution. In order to sustain at least the basic conditions for the typical bryophyte composition of petrifying springs habitats, threshold values of 288 μmol (18 mg l-1) NO3- l-1 and 0.42 μmol (0.04 mg l-1) ortho-PO43- l-1 were defined. Data analysis of the spring water composition indicates that the main source for nutrient and nutrient induced base cation enrichment are nitrate losses from intensively used agricultural fields. The anthropogenically induced but regionally different chemical processes in subsoil and aquifers can result in different levels of nutrient pollution in springs. Further regulations for nitrate and phosphate application are required to conserve and restore groundwater fed ecosystems in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans de Mars
- Royal HaskoningDHV, P.O. Box 302, 6199 ZN, Maastricht-Airport, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs van Dijk
- B-WARE Research Centre, Radboud University, P.O. Box 6558, 6503 GB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Bas van der Weijden
- Royal HaskoningDHV, P.O. Box 302, 6199 ZN, Maastricht-Airport, the Netherlands
| | - Ab P Grootjans
- Integrated Research on Energy, Environmental and Society, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh, 6, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lesław Wołejko
- West Pomeranian University of Technology, ul. Slowackiego 17, 71-434, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Gareth Farr
- British Geological Survey, Cardiff University Main Building, CF10 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Graham
- 2 Cross Road, Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, PE7 1LX, United Kingdom
| | - Patrik Oosterlynck
- Instituut Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Havenlaan 88, P.O. Box 73, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
| | - Alfons J P Smolders
- B-WARE Research Centre, Radboud University, P.O. Box 6558, 6503 GB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, Radboud University, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Petro C, Carrell AA, Wilson RM, Duchesneau K, Noble-Kuchera S, Song T, Iversen CM, Childs J, Schwaner G, Chanton JP, Norby RJ, Hanson PJ, Glass JB, Weston DJ, Kostka JE. Climate drivers alter nitrogen availability in surface peat and decouple N 2 fixation from CH 4 oxidation in the Sphagnum moss microbiome. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3159-3176. [PMID: 36999440 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Peat mosses (Sphagnum spp.) are keystone species in boreal peatlands, where they dominate net primary productivity and facilitate the accumulation of carbon in thick peat deposits. Sphagnum mosses harbor a diverse assemblage of microbial partners, including N2 -fixing (diazotrophic) and CH4 -oxidizing (methanotrophic) taxa that support ecosystem function by regulating transformations of carbon and nitrogen. Here, we investigate the response of the Sphagnum phytobiome (plant + constituent microbiome + environment) to a gradient of experimental warming (+0°C to +9°C) and elevated CO2 (+500 ppm) in an ombrotrophic peatland in northern Minnesota (USA). By tracking changes in carbon (CH4 , CO2 ) and nitrogen (NH4 -N) cycling from the belowground environment up to Sphagnum and its associated microbiome, we identified a series of cascading impacts to the Sphagnum phytobiome triggered by warming and elevated CO2 . Under ambient CO2 , warming increased plant-available NH4 -N in surface peat, excess N accumulated in Sphagnum tissue, and N2 fixation activity decreased. Elevated CO2 offset the effects of warming, disrupting the accumulation of N in peat and Sphagnum tissue. Methane concentrations in porewater increased with warming irrespective of CO2 treatment, resulting in a ~10× rise in methanotrophic activity within Sphagnum from the +9°C enclosures. Warming's divergent impacts on diazotrophy and methanotrophy caused these processes to become decoupled at warmer temperatures, as evidenced by declining rates of methane-induced N2 fixation and significant losses of keystone microbial taxa. In addition to changes in the Sphagnum microbiome, we observed ~94% mortality of Sphagnum between the +0°C and +9°C treatments, possibly due to the interactive effects of warming on N-availability and competition from vascular plant species. Collectively, these results highlight the vulnerability of the Sphagnum phytobiome to rising temperatures and atmospheric CO2 concentrations, with significant implications for carbon and nitrogen cycling in boreal peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Petro
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Alyssa A Carrell
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rachel M Wilson
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Katherine Duchesneau
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sekou Noble-Kuchera
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tianze Song
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Colleen M Iversen
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joanne Childs
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Geoff Schwaner
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Chanton
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Richard J Norby
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paul J Hanson
- Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jennifer B Glass
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - David J Weston
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
- Climate Change Science Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joel E Kostka
- Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Benavides JC, Vitt DH, Cooper DJ. The High-Elevation Peatlands of the Northern Andes, Colombia. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12040955. [PMID: 36840306 PMCID: PMC9967791 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Andean peatlands are important carbon reservoirs for countries in the northern Andes and have a unique diversity. Peatland plant diversity is generally related to hydrology and water chemistry, and the response of the vegetation in tropical high-elevation peatlands to changes in elevation, climate, and disturbance is poorly understood. Here, we address the questions of what the main vegetation types of peat-forming vegetation in the northern Andes are, and how the different vegetation types are related to water chemistry and pH. We measured plant diversity in 121 peatlands. We identified a total of 264 species, including 124 bryophytes and 140 vascular plants. We differentiated five main vegetation types: cushion plants, Sphagnum, true mosses, sedges, and grasses. Cushion-dominated peatlands are restricted to elevations above 4000 m. Variation in peatland vegetation is mostly driven be elevation and water chemistry. Encroachment of sedges and Sphagnum sancto-josephense in disturbed sites was associated with a reduction in soil carbon. We conclude that peatland variation is driven first by elevation and climate followed by water chemistry and human disturbances. Sites with higher human disturbances had lower carbon content. Peat-forming vegetation in the northern Andes was unique to each site bringing challenges on how to better conserve them and the ecosystem services they offer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Benavides
- Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
| | - Dale H Vitt
- School of Biological Sciences, Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901-6509, USA
| | - David J Cooper
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1572, USA
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Tie L, Hu J, Peñuelas J, Sardans J, Wei S, Liu X, Zhou S, Huang C. The amounts and ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus addition drive the rate of litter decomposition in a subtropical forest. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155163. [PMID: 35413342 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) control biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, N and P addition effects on litter decomposition, especially biological pathways in subtropical forests, remain unclear. Here, a two-year field litterbag experiment was employed in a subtropical forest in southwestern China to examine N and P addition effects on litter biological decomposition with nine treatments: low and high N- and P-only addition (LN, HN, LP, and HP), NP coaddition (LNLP, LNHP, HNLP, and HNHP), and a control (CK). The results showed that the decomposition coefficient (k) was higher in NP coaddition treatments (P < 0.05), and lower in N- and P-only addition treatments than in CK (P < 0.05). The highest k was observed with LNLP (P < 0.05). The N- and P-only addition treatments decreased the losses of litter mass, lignin, cellulose, and condensed tannins, litter microbial biomass carbon (MBC), litter cellulase, and soil pH (P < 0.05). The NP coaddition treatments increased the losses of litter mass, lignin, and cellulose, MBC concentration, litter invertase, urease, cellulase, and catalase activities, soil arthropod diversity (S) in litterbags, and soil pH (P < 0.05). Litter acid phosphatase activity and N:P ratio were lower in N-only addition treatments but higher in P-only addition and NP coaddition treatments than in CK (P < 0.05). Structural equation model showed that litter MBC, S, cellulase, acid phosphatase, and polyphenol oxidase contributed to the loss of litter mass (P < 0.05). The litter N:P ratio was negatively logarithmically correlated with mass loss (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the negative effect of N addition on litter decomposition was reversed when P was added by increasing decomposed litter soil arthropod diversity, MBC concentration, and invertase and cellulase activities. Finally, the results highlighted the important role of the N:P ratio in litter decomposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liehua Tie
- Institute for Forest Resources and Environment Research Center of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, 550025 Guiyang, China; National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; CSIC, Unitat d'Ecologia Global CREAFCSIC-UAB, Edifici C, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Junxi Hu
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Unitat d'Ecologia Global CREAFCSIC-UAB, Edifici C, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Unitat d'Ecologia Global CREAFCSIC-UAB, Edifici C, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Shengzhao Wei
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China
| | - Xing Liu
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China
| | - Shixing Zhou
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China.
| | - Congde Huang
- National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China; Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, 611130 Chengdu, China.
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5
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Li T, Yuan X, Ge L, Cao C, Suo Y, Bu ZJ, Peng C, Song H, Liu Z, Liu S, Wang M. Weak impact of nutrient enrichment on peat: Evidence from physicochemical properties. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.973626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) far exceeding the pre-industrial levels have the potential to change carbon (C) dynamics in northern peatlands. However, the responses of soil C concentration and organo-chemical composition to different rates and durations of nutrient enrichment are still unclear. Here, we compared the short- (3 years) and long-term (10 years) effects of N and P fertilizations on the physicochemical properties of peat and porewater in a bog-fen complex in northern China. Our results showed that the short-term fertilization increased Sphagnum moss cover, while the expansion of vascular plants was observed owing to the long-term fertilization. The preserved soil C did not vary considerably after the short- and long-term fertilizations. The harsh soil conditions may impede the decomposition of organic matters by soil microorganisms during the short-term fertilization. For the long-term fertilization, the input of high-phenolic litters owing to vascular plant expansion likely exerted an important control on soil C dynamics. These processes constrained the variation in soil C concentrations when the addition rate and cumulative amount of external N and P increased, which will advance our understanding and prediction of the resilience of soil C storage to imbalanced nutrient enrichment of N and P in northern peatlands.
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Cao C, Huang J, Ge L, Li T, Bu ZJ, Wang S, Wang Z, Liu Z, Liu S, Wang M. Does Shift in Vegetation Abundance After Nitrogen and Phosphorus Additions Play a Key Role in Regulating Fungal Community Structure in a Northern Peatland? Front Microbiol 2022; 13:920382. [PMID: 35756014 PMCID: PMC9224414 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.920382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil fungal communities are key players in biogeochemical processes of peatlands, which are important carbon stocks globally. Although it has been elucidated that fungi are susceptible to environmental changes, little is known about the intricate and interactive effect of long-term nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) enrichment on fungal community structure in northern peatlands. In this study, we compared a short- (2 years) with a long-term (10 years) fertilization experiment in a peatland complex in northeastern China to assess how N and/or P additions influence fungal community structure. The results showed that fungal community composition and diversity were altered by N addition, without a significant interactive effect with P addition. Not only the long-term but also the short-term nutrient addition could change the abundance of different plant functional types. However, there were no strong cascading effects on the fungal community in any of the fertilization experiments. Long-term nutrient addition showed a stronger effect on the relative abundance of different fungal functional guilds; an increase in the relative abundance of saprotrophs after fertilization did not jeopardize mycorrhizal fungi. Moreover, the decline in Sphagnum cover after long-term N addition did not parallel changes in the relative abundance of Sphagnum-associated fungi (Clavaria sphagnicola, Galerina tibiicystis, G. sphagnicola, and G. paludosa). Given that short- and long-term fertilization showed strongly contrasting effects on fungal community structure, our study highlights the necessity of assessing the long-term effects of nutrient enrichment on the association between vegetation and fungal community in peatland ecosystems. Future research priorities should emphasize the connection between the community structure of fungal functional guilds and their functionality, which is of paramount importance to better understand their influences on C storage in the face of uncertain N and P deposition regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenhao Cao
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
| | - Jingjing Huang
- Center for Ecological Forecasting and Global Change, College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, China
| | - Leming Ge
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
| | - Tong Li
- School of Geographic Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhao-Jun Bu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
| | - Shengzhong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
| | - Zucheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
| | - Ziping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Geographical Processes and Ecological Security in Changbai Mountains, Ministry of Education, School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory for Wetland Ecological Processes and Environmental Change in the Changbai Mountains, Changchun, China
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Le TB, Wu J, Gong Y. Vascular plants regulate responses of boreal peatland Sphagnum to climate warming and nitrogen addition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:152077. [PMID: 34856288 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Boreal peatland Sphagnum may be affected by climate warming and elevated nitrogen availability directly and indirectly via altering vascular plant interaction. Here, we used a field experiment of nitrogen addition, warming, and vascular plant removal to investigate the effects of these factors on Sphagnum in a Canadian blanket boreal peatland. We revealed that significant effects of warming and nitrogen addition on Sphagnum were regulated by vascular plant interaction. The intense competition of vascular plants accelerated an adverse effect of warming on Sphagnum, while facilitation of vascular plants reduced detrimental losses of the Sphagnum due to high dose of nitrogen addition and both warming and the nitrogen addition. These findings indicate the crucial role of vascular plants in regulating the effects of environmental changes on existing Sphagnum in boreal peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuong Ba Le
- Environment and Sustainability, School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada; Graduate Program in Environmental Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada; Vietnam National University of Forestry, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Jianghua Wu
- Environment and Sustainability, School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada; Graduate Program in Environmental Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
| | - Yu Gong
- Environment and Sustainability, School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada; Graduate Program in Environmental Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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8
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Schuster W, Knorr KH, Blodau C, Gałka M, Borken W, Pancotto VA, Kleinebecker T. Control of carbon and nitrogen accumulation by vegetation in pristine bogs of southern Patagonia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:151293. [PMID: 34756900 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Peatlands are long-term sinks of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) that are exposed to anthropogenic pressure. This has often induced a vegetation shift from peat mosses towards increasing presence of vascular plants. However, the impact of this vegetation shift on the sink function of peatlands remains unclear. To address this research gap, we studied C and N accumulation in a Patagonian cushion bog where a shift to the predominance of vascular cushion plants is a natural phenomenon since millennia. For comparison, long-term accumulation and decomposition patterns in a pristine Patagonian Sphagnum bog were studied. Thereto, we determined recent and long-term rates of C and N accumulation, their within-site variability, and studied plant-macrofossils. These results were related to decomposition indicators (C/N ratio, humification index, stable isotopes) of the bog types. Despite differences in decomposition indicators, long-term rates of C accumulation were of similar magnitude in the Sphagnum (21.9 g C m-2 yr-1) and in the cushion bog (22.2 g C m-2 yr-1). N accumulation was significantly lower in the Sphagnum bog (0.35 g N m-2 yr-1) compared to the surprisingly high accumulation in the cushion bog (0.55 g N m-2 yr-1). Tephra depositions in the cushion bog about 1600 cal. Years ago presumably triggered the vegetation shift towards dominance of cushion plants by a fertilization effect. C accumulation rates during past decades in the upper decimeters of peat were four times higher in the cushion bog (245 g C m-2 yr-1) compared to the Sphagnum bog (64 g C m-2 yr-1), but substantially decreased since the appearance of cushion plants. High decomposition rates as indicated by decomposition indicators thus apparently offset the higher productivity of cushion plants in the long term. While cushion bogs appear to be effective N sinks, their C sink function may therefore be equal to Sphagnum bogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Schuster
- Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Klaus-Holger Knorr
- Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
| | - Christian Blodau
- Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Mariusz Gałka
- Biogeography, Paleoecology and Nature Conservation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 1/3 Banacha Str., 90-231 Lodz, Poland
| | - Werner Borken
- Department of Soil Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Geosciences, University of Bayreuth, Dr.-Hans-Frisch-Str. 1-3, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Verónica A Pancotto
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), B. Houssay 200, 9410 Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Polares y Ambiente (ICPA-UNTDF), Fuegia Basket, 9410 Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Till Kleinebecker
- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research Group, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Muenster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Muenster, Germany; Institute of Landscape Ecology and Resources Management, Giessen University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Gießen, Germany
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9
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Defining the
Sphagnum
Core Microbiome across the North American Continent Reveals a Central Role for Diazotrophic Methanotrophs in the Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles of Boreal Peatland Ecosystems. mBio 2022. [PMCID: PMC8863050 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03714-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Peat mosses of the genus Sphagnum are ecosystem engineers that frequently predominate over photosynthetic production in boreal peatlands. Sphagnum spp. host diverse microbial communities capable of nitrogen fixation (diazotrophy) and methane oxidation (methanotrophy), thereby potentially supporting plant growth under severely nutrient-limited conditions. Moreover, diazotrophic methanotrophs represent a possible “missing link” between the carbon and nitrogen cycles, but the functional contributions of the Sphagnum-associated microbiome remain in question. A combination of metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and dual-isotope incorporation assays was applied to investigate Sphagnum microbiome community composition across the North American continent and provide empirical evidence for diazotrophic methanotrophy in Sphagnum-dominated ecosystems. Remarkably consistent prokaryotic communities were detected in over 250 Sphagnum SSU rRNA libraries from peatlands across the United States (5 states, 17 bog/fen sites, 18 Sphagnum species), with 12 genera of the core microbiome comprising 60% of the relative microbial abundance. Additionally, nitrogenase (nifH) and SSU rRNA gene amplicon analysis revealed that nitrogen-fixing populations made up nearly 15% of the prokaryotic communities, predominated by Nostocales cyanobacteria and Rhizobiales methanotrophs. While cyanobacteria comprised the vast majority (>95%) of diazotrophs detected in amplicon and metagenome analyses, obligate methanotrophs of the genus Methyloferula (order Rhizobiales) accounted for one-quarter of transcribed nifH genes. Furthermore, in dual-isotope tracer experiments, members of the Rhizobiales showed substantial incorporation of 13CH4 and 15N2 isotopes into their rRNA. Our study characterizes the core Sphagnum microbiome across large spatial scales and indicates that diazotrophic methanotrophs, here defined as obligate methanotrophs of the rare biosphere (Methyloferula spp. of the Rhizobiales) that also carry out diazotrophy, play a keystone role in coupling of the carbon and nitrogen cycles in nutrient-poor peatlands.
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10
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Serk H, Nilsson MB, Bohlin E, Ehlers I, Wieloch T, Olid C, Grover S, Kalbitz K, Limpens J, Moore T, Münchberger W, Talbot J, Wang X, Knorr KH, Pancotto V, Schleucher J. Global CO 2 fertilization of Sphagnum peat mosses via suppression of photorespiration during the twentieth century. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24517. [PMID: 34972838 PMCID: PMC8720097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02953-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural peatlands contribute significantly to global carbon sequestration and storage of biomass, most of which derives from Sphagnum peat mosses. Atmospheric CO2 levels have increased dramatically during the twentieth century, from 280 to > 400 ppm, which has affected plant carbon dynamics. Net carbon assimilation is strongly reduced by photorespiration, a process that depends on the CO2 to O2 ratio. Here we investigate the response of the photorespiration to photosynthesis ratio in Sphagnum mosses to recent CO2 increases by comparing deuterium isotopomers of historical and contemporary Sphagnum tissues collected from 36 peat cores from five continents. Rising CO2 levels generally suppressed photorespiration relative to photosynthesis but the magnitude of suppression depended on the current water table depth. By estimating the changes in water table depth, temperature, and precipitation during the twentieth century, we excluded potential effects of these climate parameters on the observed isotopomer responses. Further, we showed that the photorespiration to photosynthesis ratio varied between Sphagnum subgenera, indicating differences in their photosynthetic capacity. The global suppression of photorespiration in Sphagnum suggests an increased net primary production potential in response to the ongoing rise in atmospheric CO2, in particular for mire structures with intermediate water table depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Serk
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Mats B Nilsson
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Elisabet Bohlin
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ina Ehlers
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Thomas Wieloch
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Carolina Olid
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Samantha Grover
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Environmental Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karsten Kalbitz
- Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecology, Dresden University of Technology, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Juul Limpens
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tim Moore
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Julie Talbot
- Department of Geography, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Xianwei Wang
- Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Verónica Pancotto
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Ushuaia, Argentina
| | - Jürgen Schleucher
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
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11
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Zhou Y, Huang Y, Peng X, Xu J, Hu Y. Sphagnum response to nitrogen deposition and nitrogen critical load: A meta-analysis. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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12
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Heck MA, Lüth VM, van Gessel N, Krebs M, Kohl M, Prager A, Joosten H, Decker EL, Reski R. Axenic in vitro cultivation of 19 peat moss (Sphagnum L.) species as a resource for basic biology, biotechnology, and paludiculture. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 229:861-876. [PMID: 32910470 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Sphagnum farming can substitute peat with renewable biomass and thus help mitigate climate change. Large volumes of the required founder material can only be supplied sustainably by axenic cultivation in bioreactors. We established axenic in vitro cultures from sporophytes of 19 Sphagnum species collected in Austria, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Russia, and Sweden: S. angustifolium, S. balticum, S. capillifolium, S. centrale, S. compactum, S. cuspidatum, S. fallax, S. fimbriatum, S. fuscum, S. lindbergii, S. medium/divinum, S. palustre, S. papillosum, S. rubellum, S. russowii, S. squarrosum, S. subnitens, S. subfulvum and S. warnstorfii. These species cover five of the six European Sphagnum subgenera; namely, Acutifolia, Cuspidata, Rigida, Sphagnum and Squarrosa. Their growth was measured in suspension cultures, whereas their ploidy was determined by flow cytometry and compared with the genome size of Physcomitrella patens. We identified haploid and diploid Sphagnum species, found that their cells are predominantly arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and did not find a correlation between plant productivity and ploidy. DNA barcoding was achieved by sequencing introns of the BRK1 genes. With this collection, high-quality founder material for diverse large-scale applications, but also for basic Sphagnum research, is available from the International Moss Stock Center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie A Heck
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Volker M Lüth
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Nico van Gessel
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Matthias Krebs
- Peatland Studies and Palaeoecology, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
- Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Mira Kohl
- Peatland Studies and Palaeoecology, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
- Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Anja Prager
- Peatland Studies and Palaeoecology, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
- Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Hans Joosten
- Peatland Studies and Palaeoecology, Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, 17487, Germany
- Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, 17489, Germany
| | - Eva L Decker
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT - Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, 79110, Germany
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13
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Purre A, Ilomets M, Truus L, Pajula R, Sepp K. The effect of different treatments of moss layer transfer technique on plant functional types' biomass in revegetated milled peatlands. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna‐Helena Purre
- School of Natural Science and Health Tallinn University Narva Road 29 Tallinn 10120 Estonia
| | - Mati Ilomets
- Institute of Ecology Tallinn University Uus‐Sadama 5 Tallinn 10120 Estonia
| | - Laimdota Truus
- Institute of Ecology Tallinn University Uus‐Sadama 5 Tallinn 10120 Estonia
| | - Raimo Pajula
- Institute of Ecology Tallinn University Uus‐Sadama 5 Tallinn 10120 Estonia
| | - Kairi Sepp
- School of Natural Science and Health Tallinn University Narva Road 29 Tallinn 10120 Estonia
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14
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van Paassen JG, Britton AJ, Mitchell RJ, Street LE, Johnson D, Coupar A, Woodin SJ. Legacy effects of nitrogen and phosphorus additions on vegetation and carbon stocks of upland heaths. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 228:226-237. [PMID: 32432343 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Soil carbon (C) pools and plant community composition are regulated by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. Atmospheric N deposition impacts ecosystem C storage, but the direction of response varies between systems. Phosphorus limitation may constrain C storage response to N, hence P application to increase plant productivity and thus C sequestration has been suggested. We revisited a 23-yr-old field experiment where N and P had been applied to upland heath, a widespread habitat supporting large soil C stocks. At 10 yr after the last nutrient application we quantified long-term changes in vegetation composition and in soil and vegetation C and P stocks. Nitrogen addition, particularly when combined with P, strongly influenced vegetation composition, favouring grasses over Calluna vulgaris, and led to a reduction in vegetation C stocks. However, soil C stocks did not respond to nutrient treatments. We found 40% of the added P had accumulated in the soil. This study showed persistent effects of N and N + P on vegetation composition, whereas effects of P alone were small and showed recovery. We found no indication that P application could mitigate the effects of N on vegetation or increase C sequestration in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- José G van Paassen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Andrea J Britton
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Ruth J Mitchell
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Lorna E Street
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
| | - David Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Andrew Coupar
- Scottish Natural Heritage, The Links, Golspie, KW10 6UB, UK
| | - Sarah J Woodin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK
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15
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Vroom RJE, Temmink RJM, van Dijk G, Joosten H, Lamers LPM, Smolders AJP, Krebs M, Gaudig G, Fritz C. Nutrient dynamics of Sphagnum farming on rewetted bog grassland in NW Germany. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 726:138470. [PMID: 32315847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The agricultural use of drained peatlands leads to huge emissions of greenhouse gases and nutrients. A land-use alternative that allows rewetting of drained peatland while maintaining agricultural production is the cultivation of Sphagnum biomass as a renewable substitute for fossil peat in horticultural growing media (Sphagnum farming). We studied Sphagnum productivity and nutrient dynamics during two years in two Sphagnum farming sites in NW Germany, which were established on drained bog grassland by sod removal, rewetting, and the introduction of Sphagnum fragments in 2011 and 2016, respectively. We found a considerable and homogeneous production of Sphagnum biomass (>3.6 ton DW ha--1 yr-1), attributable to the high nutrient levels, low alkalinity, and even distribution of the irrigation water. The ammonium legacy from former drainage-based agriculture rapidly declined after rewetting, while nutrient mobilization was negligible. CH4 concentrations in the rewetted soil quickly decreased to very low levels. The Sphagnum biomass sequestered high loads of nutrients (46.0 and 47.4 kg N, 3.9 and 4.9 kg P, and 9.8 and 16.1 kg K ha-1 yr-1 in the 7.5 y and 2.5 y old sites, respectively), preventing off-site eutrophication. We conclude that Sphagnum farming as an alternative for drainage-based peatland agriculture may contribute effectively to tackling environmental challenges such as local and regional downstream pollution and global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renske J E Vroom
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Ralph J M Temmink
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Gijs van Dijk
- B-WARE Research Centre, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Joosten
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Leon P M Lamers
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; B-WARE Research Centre, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Alfons J P Smolders
- B-WARE Research Centre, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Matthias Krebs
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Greta Gaudig
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Soldmannstraße 15, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Christian Fritz
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Centre for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
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16
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Gaudig G, Krebs M, Joosten H. Sphagnum growth under N saturation: interactive effects of water level and P or K fertilization. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:394-403. [PMID: 31999043 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sphagnum biomass is a promising material that could be used as a substitute for peat in growing media and can be sustainably produced by converting existing drainage-based peatland agriculture into wet, climate-friendly agriculture (paludiculture). Our study focuses on yield maximization of Sphagnum as a crop. We tested the effects of three water level regimes and of phosphorus or potassium fertilization on the growth of four Sphagnum species (S. papillosum, S. palustre, S. fimbriatum, S. fallax). To simulate field conditions in Central and Western Europe we carried out a glasshouse experiment under nitrogen-saturated conditions. A constant high water table (remaining at 2 cm below capitulum during growth) led to highest productivity for all tested species. Water table fluctuations between 2 and 9 cm below capitulum during growth and a water level 2 cm below capitulum at the start but falling relatively during plant growth led to significantly lower productivity. Fertilization had no effect on Sphagnum growth under conditions with high atmospheric deposition such as in NW Germany (38 kg N, 0.3 kg P, 7.6 kg K·ha-1 ·year-1 ). Large-scale maximization of Sphagnum yields requires precise water management, with water tables just below the capitula and rising with Sphagnum growth. The nutrient load in large areas of Central and Western Europe from atmospheric deposition and irrigation water is high but, with an optimal water supply, does not hamper Sphagnum growth, at least not of regional provenances of Sphagnum.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Gaudig
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, Germany
| | - M Krebs
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, Germany
| | - H Joosten
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, partner in the Greifswald Mire Centre, Greifswald, Germany
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17
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Kox MAR, van den Elzen E, Lamers LPM, Jetten MSM, van Kessel MAHJ. Microbial nitrogen fixation and methane oxidation are strongly enhanced by light in Sphagnum mosses. AMB Express 2020; 10:61. [PMID: 32236738 PMCID: PMC7109220 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-020-00994-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Peatlands have acted as C-sinks for millennia, storing large amounts of carbon, of which a significant amount is yearly released as methane (CH4). Sphagnum mosses are a key genus in many peat ecosystems and these mosses live in close association with methane-oxidizing and nitrogen-fixing microorganisms. To disentangle mechanisms which may control Sphagnum-associated methane-oxidation and nitrogen-fixation, we applied four treatments to Sphagnum mosses from a pristine peatland in Finland: nitrogen fertilization, phosphorus fertilization, CH4 addition and light. N and P fertilization resulted in nutrient accumulation in the moss tissue, but did not increase Sphagnum growth. While net CO2 fixation rates remained unaffected in the N and P treatment, net CH4 emissions decreased because of enhanced CH4 oxidation. CH4 addition did not affect Sphagnum performance in the present set-up. Light, however, clearly stimulated the activity of associated nitrogen-fixing and methane-oxidizing microorganisms, increasing N2 fixation rates threefold and CH4 oxidation rates fivefold. This underlines the strong connection between Sphagnum and associated N2 fixation and CH4 oxidation. It furthermore indicates that phototrophy is a strong control of microbial activity, which can be directly or indirectly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine A R Kox
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eva van den Elzen
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Leon P M Lamers
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mike S M Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje A H J van Kessel
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud University, Heijendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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18
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van den Elzen E, Bengtsson F, Fritz C, Rydin H, Lamers LPM. Variation in symbiotic N2 fixation rates among Sphagnum mosses. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228383. [PMID: 32017783 PMCID: PMC7001857 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological nitrogen (N) fixation is an important process supporting primary production in ecosystems, especially in those where N availability is limiting growth, such as peatlands and boreal forests. In many peatlands, peat mosses (genus Sphagnum) are the prime ecosystem engineers, and like feather mosses in boreal forests, they are associated with a diverse community of diazotrophs (N2-fixing microorganisms) that live in and on their tissue. The large variation in N2 fixation rates reported in literature remains, however, to be explained. To assess the potential roles of habitat (including nutrient concentration) and species traits (in particular litter decomposability and photosynthetic capacity) on the variability in N2 fixation rates, we compared rates associated with various Sphagnum moss species in a bog, the surrounding forest and a fen in Sweden. We found appreciable variation in N2 fixation rates among moss species and habitats, and showed that both species and habitat conditions strongly influenced N2 fixation. We here show that higher decomposition rates, as explained by lower levels of decomposition-inhibiting compounds, and higher phosphorous (P) levels, are related with higher diazotrophic activity. Combining our findings with those of other studies, we propose a conceptual model in which both species-specific traits of mosses (as related to the trade-off between rapid photosynthesis and resistance to decomposition) and P availability, explain N2 fixation rates. This is expected to result in a tight coupling between P and N cycling in peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva van den Elzen
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for
Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, AJ Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
| | - Fia Bengtsson
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre,
Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Christian Fritz
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for
Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, AJ Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
| | - Håkan Rydin
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre,
Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Leon P. M. Lamers
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for
Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, AJ Nijmegen, the
Netherlands
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19
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Mathijssen PJH, Gałka M, Borken W, Knorr KH. Plant communities control long term carbon accumulation and biogeochemical gradients in a Patagonian bog. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 684:670-681. [PMID: 31158628 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Peat carbon accumulation is controlled by both large scale factors, such as climate and hydrological setting, and small scale factors, such as microtopography and plant community. These small scale factors commonly vary within peatlands and can cause variation in biogeochemical traits and carbon accumulation within the same site. To understand these within-site variations, we investigated long term carbon accumulation, peat decomposition, biogeochemistry of pore water and plant macrofossils along a transect in an ombrotrophic bog in southern Patagonia. An additional question we addressed is how historical deposition of volcanic ash on the peatland has affected its carbon balance. Variability in plant community and water table led to differences in long term peat and carbon accumulation (peat moss > cushion plant), organic matter decomposition (cushion plant > peat moss), and methane production (peat moss > cushion plant). Macrofossil analysis and radiocarbon dating indicated a relationship between plant community and carbon accumulation or decomposition during the historical succession of vegetation in the peatland. C/N ratio and isotopic signatures reflected variability in plant community as litter source, and DOC concentrations were controlled by humification level. Volcanic ash deposition had only limited effect on plant composition, but it was associated with increased decomposition in overlying peat layers. This study highlights the importance of understanding how plant communities develop, as changes in communities could significantly affect the potential of ombrotrophic peatlands as C sink.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J H Mathijssen
- WWU Münster, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Group, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Mariusz Gałka
- Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 12/16 Banacha Str., Lodz, Poland
| | - Werner Borken
- University of Bayreuth, Dept. of Soil Ecology, Dr.-Hans-Frisch-Str. 1-3, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Klaus-Holger Knorr
- WWU Münster, Institute of Landscape Ecology, Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry Group, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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20
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Chiwa M, Sheppard LJ, Leith ID, Leeson SR, Tang YS, Neil Cape J. Long-term interactive effects of N addition with P and K availability on N status of Sphagnum. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 237:468-472. [PMID: 29510366 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.02.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Little information exists concerning the long-term interactive effect of nitrogen (N) addition with phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on Sphagnum N status. This study was conducted as part of a long-term N manipulation on Whim bog in south Scotland to evaluate the long-term alleviation effects of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on N saturation of Sphagnum (S. capillifolium). On this ombrotrophic peatland, where ambient deposition was 8 kg N ha-1 yr-1, 56 kg N ha-1 yr-1 of either ammonium (NH4+, Nred) or nitrate (NO3-, Nox) with and without P and K, were added over 11 years. Nutrient concentrations of Sphagnum stem and capitulum, and pore water quality of the Sphagnum layer were assessed. The N-saturated Sphagnum caused by long-term (11 years) and high doses (56 kg N ha-1 yr-1) of reduced N was not completely ameliorated by P and K addition; N concentrations in Sphagnum capitula for Nred 56 PK were comparable with those for Nred 56, although N concentrations in Sphagnum stems for Nred 56 PK were lower than those for Nred 56. While dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations in pore water for Nred 56 PK were not different from Nred 56, they were lower for Nox 56 PK than for Nox 56 whose stage of N saturation had not advanced compared to Nred 56. These results indicate that increasing P and K availability has only a limited amelioration effect on the N assimilation of Sphagnum at an advanced stage of N saturation. This study concluded that over the long-term P and K additions will not offset the N saturation of Sphagnum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Chiwa
- Kyushu University Forest, Kyushu University, 394 Tsubakuro, Sasaguri, Fukuoka, 811-2415, Japan.
| | - Lucy J Sheppard
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Ian D Leith
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Sarah R Leeson
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Y Sim Tang
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
| | - J Neil Cape
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, EH26 0QB, UK
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21
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Huang J, Yu H, Liu J, Luo C, Sun Z, Ma K, Kang Y, Du Y. Phosphorus addition changes belowground biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry of two desert steppe plants under simulated N deposition. Sci Rep 2018; 8:3400. [PMID: 29467375 PMCID: PMC5821873 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21565-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have reported that increasing atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition broadens N:phosphorus (P) in both soils and plant leaves and potentially intensifies P limitation for plants. However, few studies have tested whether P addition alleviates N-induced P limitation for plant belowground growth. It is also less known how changed N:P in soils and leaves affect plant belowground stoichiometry, which is significant for maintaining key belowground ecological processes. We conducted a multi-level N:P supply experiment (varied P levels combined with constant N amount) for Glycyrrhiza uralensis (a N fixing species) and Pennisetum centrasiaticum (a grass) from a desert steppe in Northwest China during 2011–2013. Results showed that increasing P addition increased the belowground biomass and P concentrations of both species, resulting in the decreases in belowground carbon (C):P and N:P. These results indicate that P inputs alleviated N-induced P limitation and hence stimulated belowground growth. Belowground C:N:P stoichiometry of both species, especially P. centrasiaticum, tightly linked to soil and green leaf C:N:P stoichiometry. Thus, the decoupling of C:N:P ratios in both soils and leaves under a changing climate could directly alter plant belowground stoichiometry, which will in turn have important feedbacks to primary productivity and C sequestration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juying Huang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.,Ningxia (China-Arab) Key Laboratory of Resource Assessment and Environment Regulation in Arid Region, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Hailong Yu
- Ningxia (China-Arab) Key Laboratory of Resource Assessment and Environment Regulation in Arid Region, Yinchuan, 750021, China. .,College of Resources and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.
| | - Jili Liu
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.,Ningxia (China-Arab) Key Laboratory of Resource Assessment and Environment Regulation in Arid Region, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Chengke Luo
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.,Ningxia (China-Arab) Key Laboratory of Resource Assessment and Environment Regulation in Arid Region, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Zhaojun Sun
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China.,Ningxia (China-Arab) Key Laboratory of Resource Assessment and Environment Regulation in Arid Region, Yinchuan, 750021, China.,College of Resources and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Kaibo Ma
- College of Resources and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Yangmei Kang
- College of Resources and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Yaxian Du
- College of Resources and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
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22
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van den Elzen E, van den Berg LJL, van der Weijden B, Fritz C, Sheppard LJ, Lamers LPM. Effects of airborne ammonium and nitrate pollution strongly differ in peat bogs, but symbiotic nitrogen fixation remains unaffected. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:732-740. [PMID: 28822940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Pristine bogs, peatlands in which vegetation is exclusively fed by rainwater (ombrotrophic), typically have a low atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (N) (<0.5kgha-1y-1). An important additional N source is N2 fixation by symbiotic microorganisms (diazotrophs) in peat and mosses. Although the effects of increased total airborne N by anthropogenic emissions on bog vegetation are well documented, the important question remains how different N forms (ammonium, NH4+, versus nitrate, NO3-) affect N cycling, as their relative contribution to the total load strongly varies among regions globally. Here, we studied the effects of 11years of experimentally increased deposition (32 versus 8kgNha-1y-1) of either NH4+ or NO3- on N accumulation in three moss and one lichen species (Sphagnum capillifolium, S. papillosum, Pleurozium schreberi and Cladonia portentosa), N2 fixation rates of their symbionts, and potential N losses to peat soil and atmosphere, in a bog in Scotland. Increased input of both N forms led to 15-90% increase in N content for all moss species, without affecting their cover. The keystone species S. capillifolium showed 4 times higher N allocation into free amino acids, indicating N stress, but only in response to increased NH4+. In contrast, NO3- addition resulted in enhanced peat N mineralization linked to microbial NO3- reduction, increasing soil pH, N concentrations and N losses via denitrification. Unexpectedly, increased deposition from 8 to 32kgha-1y-1 in both N forms did not affect N2 fixation rates for any of the moss species and corresponded to an additional input of 5kgNha-1y-1 with a 100% S. capillifolium cover. Since both N forms clearly show differential effects on living Sphagnum and biogeochemical processes in the underlying peat, N form should be included in the assessment of the effects of N pollution on peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva van den Elzen
- Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Bas van der Weijden
- Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Fritz
- Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Centre for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lucy J Sheppard
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik EH26 0QB, UK
| | - Leon P M Lamers
- Department of Aquatic Ecology & Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Zheng M, Zhang W, Luo Y, Mori T, Mao Q, Wang S, Huang J, Lu X, Mo J. Different responses of asymbiotic nitrogen fixation to nitrogen addition between disturbed and rehabilitated subtropical forests. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 601-602:1505-1512. [PMID: 28605868 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 06/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Asymbiotic nitrogen (N) fixation is an important source of new N in ecosystems, and is sensitive to atmospheric N deposition. However, there is limited understanding of asymbiotic N fixation and its response to N deposition in the context of forest rehabilitation. In this study, we measured N fixation rates (acetylene reduction) in different ecosystem compartments (i.e. soil, forest floor, moss Syrrhopodon armatus, and canopy leaves) in a disturbed and a rehabilitated subtropical forest in southern China, under 12years of N treatments: control, low N addition (50kgNha-1yr-1), and medium N addition (100kgNha-1yr-1). The rehabilitated forest had higher nutrient (e.g. N) availability than the disturbed forest. In control plots, N fixation rates in forest floor were higher in the rehabilitated forest than in the disturbed forest, but N fixation rates in other compartments (soil, S. armatus, and canopy leaves) were comparable between the forests. Nitrogen addition significantly suppressed N fixation in soil, forest floor, S. armatus, and canopy leaves in the disturbed forest, but had no significant effect on those compartments in the rehabilitated forest. The main reasons for the negative effects of N addition on N fixation in the disturbed forest were NH4+ inhibition (soil), the P and C limitation (forest floor), and the reduced N dependence on canopy N-fixers (S. armatus and canopy leaves). We conclude that asymbiotic N fixation does not decline with increasing N availability after rehabilitation in the study forests. The inhibitory effects of N addition on asymbiotic N fixation occurred in the disturbed forest but not in the rehabilitated forest, indicating that forest rehabilitation may change the response of ecosystem function (i.e. N fixation) to N deposition, which merits further study in other tropical and subtropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mianhai Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Yiqi Luo
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Taiki Mori
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Qinggong Mao
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Senhao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Xiankai Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Jiangming Mo
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China.
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24
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Schillereff DN, Boyle JF, Toberman H, Adams JL, Bryant CL, Chiverrell RC, Helliwell RC, Keenan P, Lilly A, Tipping E. Long-term macronutrient stoichiometry of UK ombrotrophic peatlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 572:1561-1572. [PMID: 27093906 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we report new data on peat carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and accumulation rates for 15 sites in the UK. Concentrations of C, N and P measured in peat from five ombrotrophic blanket mires, spanning 4000-10,000years to present were combined with existing nutrient data from ten Scottish ombrotrophic peat bogs to provide the first UK perspective on millennial scale macronutrient concentrations in ombrotrophic peats. Long-term average C, N and P concentrations (0-1.25m) for the UK are 54.8, 1.56 and 0.039wt%, of similar magnitude to the few published comparable sites worldwide. The uppermost peat (0-0.2m) is enriched in P and N (51.0, 1.86, and 0.070wt%) relative to the deeper peat (0.5-1.25m, 56.3, 1.39, and 0.027wt%). Long-term average (whole core) accumulation rates of C, N and P are 25.3±2.2gCm-2year-1 (mean±SE), 0.70±0.09gNm-2year-1 and 0.018±0.004gPm-2year-1, again similar to values reported elsewhere in the world. The two most significant findings are: 1) that a regression model of N concentration on P concentration and mean annual precipitation, based on global meta data for surface peat samples, can explain 54% of variance in N concentration in these UK peat profiles; and 2) budget calculations for the UK peat cores yield an estimate for long-term average N-fixation of 0.8gm-2year-1. Our UK results, and comparison with others sites, corroborate published estimates of N storage in northern boreal peatlands through the Holocene as ranging between 8 and 15Pg N. However, the observed correlation of N% with both mean annual precipitation and P concentration allows a potential bias in global estimates that do not take this into account. The peat sampling data set has been deposited at the NERC Data Centre (Toberman et al., 2016).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel N Schillereff
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom.
| | - John F Boyle
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom.
| | - Hannah Toberman
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom.
| | - Jessica L Adams
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom.
| | - Charlotte L Bryant
- NERC Radiocarbon Facility (East Kilbride), Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride, Scotland G75 OQF, United Kingdom.
| | - Richard C Chiverrell
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom.
| | - Rachel C Helliwell
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland AB15 8QH, United Kingdom.
| | - Patrick Keenan
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom.
| | - Allan Lilly
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland AB15 8QH, United Kingdom.
| | - Edward Tipping
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster LA1 4AP, United Kingdom.
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Chen X, Liu WY, Song L, Li S, Wu Y, Shi XM, Huang JB, Wu CS. Physiological Responses of Two Epiphytic Bryophytes to Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulfur Addition in a Subtropical Montane Cloud Forest. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161492. [PMID: 27560190 PMCID: PMC4999294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric depositions pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the underlying physiological mechanisms are not well understood, and few studies have considered the combined effects and interactions of multiple pollutants. This in situ study explored the physiological responses of two epiphytic bryophytes to combined addition of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. We investigated the electrical conductivity (EC), total chlorophyll concentration (Chl), nutrient stoichiometry and chlorophyll fluorescence signals in a subtropical montane cloud forest in south-west China. The results showed that enhanced fertilizer additions imposed detrimental effects on bryophytes, and the combined enrichment of simulated fertilization exerted limited synergistic effects in their natural environments. On the whole, EC, Chl, the effective quantum yield of photosystem II (ΦPSII) and photochemical quenching (qP) were the more reliable indicators of increased artificial fertilization. However, conclusions on nutrient stoichiometry should be drawn cautiously concerning the saturation uptake and nutrient interactions in bryophytes. Finally, we discuss the limitations of prevailing fertilization experiments and emphasize the importance of long-term data available for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-yao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Liang Song
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Su Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xian-meng Shi
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jun-biao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuan-sheng Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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26
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Chiwa M, Sheppard LJ, Leith ID, Leeson SR, Tang YS, Cape JN. Sphagnum can 'filter' N deposition, but effects on the plant and pore water depend on the N form. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 559:113-120. [PMID: 27058130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The ability of Sphagnum moss to efficiently intercept atmospheric nitrogen (N) has been assumed to be vulnerable to increased N deposition. However, the proposed critical load (20kgNha(-1)yr(-1)) to exceed the capacity of the Sphagnum N filter has not been confirmed. A long-term (11years) and realistic N manipulation on Whim bog was used to study the N filter function of Sphagnum (Sphagnum capillifolium) in response to increased wet N deposition. On this ombrotrophic peatland where ambient deposition was 8kgNha(-1)yr(-1), an additional 8, 24, and 56kgNha(-1)yr(-1) of either ammonium (NH4(+)) or nitrate (NO3(-)) has been applied for 11years. Nutrient status of Sphagnum and pore water quality from the Sphagnum layer were assessed. The N filter function of Sphagnum was still active up to 32kgNha(-1)yr(-1) even after 11years. N saturation of Sphagnum and subsequent increases in dissolved inorganic N (DIN) concentration in pore water occurred only for 56kgNha(-1)yr(-1) of NH4(+) addition. These results indicate that the Sphagnum N filter is more resilient to wet N deposition than previously inferred. However, functionality will be more compromised when NH4(+) dominates wet deposition for high inputs (56kgNha(-1)yr(-1)). The N filter function in response to NO3(-) uptake increased the concentration of dissolved organic N (DON) and associated organic anions in pore water. NH4(+) uptake increased the concentration of base cations and hydrogen ions in pore water though ion exchange. The resilience of the Sphagnum N filter can explain the reported small magnitude of species change in the Whim bog ecosystem exposed to wet N deposition. However, changes in the leaching substances, arising from the assimilation of NO3(-) and NH4(+), may lead to species change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaaki Chiwa
- Kyushu University Forest, Kyushu University, 394 Tsubakuro, Sasaguri, Fukuoka 811-2415, Japan.
| | - Lucy J Sheppard
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH260QB, UK
| | - Ian D Leith
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH260QB, UK
| | - Sarah R Leeson
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH260QB, UK
| | - Y Sim Tang
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH260QB, UK
| | - J Neil Cape
- Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH260QB, UK
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27
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Huang W, Houlton BZ, Marklein AR, Liu J, Zhou G. Plant stoichiometric responses to elevated CO2 vary with nitrogen and phosphorus inputs: Evidence from a global-scale meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18225. [PMID: 26656752 PMCID: PMC4677399 DOI: 10.1038/srep18225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Rising levels of atmospheric CO2 have been implicated in changes in the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content of terrestrial vegetation; however, questions remain over the role of C, N and P interactions in driving plant nutrient stoichiometry, particularly whether N and P additions alter vegetation responses to CO2 enrichment singly. Here we use meta-analysis of 46 published studies to investigate the response of plant N and P to elevated CO2 alone and in combination with nutrient (N and P) additions across temperate vs. tropical biomes. Elevated CO2 reduces plant N concentrations more than plant P concentrations in total biomass pools, resulting in a significant decline in vegetation N/P. However, elevated CO2 treatments in combination with N additions increase plant P concentrations, whereas P additions have no statistical effect on plant N concentrations under CO2 enrichment. These results point to compensatory but asymmetrical interactions between N, P and CO2; that changes in N rapidly alter the availability of P, but not the converse, in response to increased CO2. Our finding implies widespread N limitation with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations alone. We also suggest that increased anthropogenic N deposition inputs could enhance plant N and P in a progressively CO2-enriched biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650 China
| | - Benjamin Z. Houlton
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Alison R. Marklein
- Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, University of California-Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Juxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650 China
| | - Guoyi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650 China
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28
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Knorr KH, Horn MA, Borken W. Significant nonsymbiotic nitrogen fixation in Patagonian ombrotrophic bogs. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:2357-2365. [PMID: 25545459 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) nutrition in pristine peatlands relies on the natural input of inorganic N through atmospheric deposition or biological dinitrogen (N2 ) fixation. However, N2 fixation and its significance for N cycling, plant productivity, and peat buildup are mostly associated with the presence of Sphagnum mosses. Here, we report high nonsymbiotic N2 -fixation rates in two pristine Patagonian bogs with diversified vegetation and natural N deposition. Nonsymbiotic N2 fixation was measured in samples from 0 to 10, 10 to 20, and 40 to 50 cm depth using the (15) N2 assay as well as the acetylene reduction assay (ARA). The ARA considerably underestimated N2 fixation and can thus not be recommended for peatland studies. Based on the (15) N2 assay, high nonsymbiotic N2 -fixation rates of 0.3-1.4 μmol N2 g(-1) day(-1) were found down to 50 cm under micro-oxic conditions (2 vol.%) in samples from plots covered by Sphagnum magellanicum or by vascular cushion plants, latter characterized by dense and deep aerenchyma roots. Peat N concentrations point to greater potential of nonsymbiotic N2 fixation under cushion plants, likely because of the availability of easily decomposable organic compounds and oxic conditions in the rhizosphere. In the Sphagnum plots, high N2 fixation below 10 cm depth rather reflects the potential during dry periods or low water level when oxygen penetrates the top peat layer and triggers peat mineralization. Natural abundance of the (15) N isotope of live Sphagnum (5.6 δ‰) from 0 to 10 cm points to solely N uptake from atmospheric deposition and nonsymbiotic N2 fixation. A mean (15) N signature of -0.7 δ‰ of peat from the cushion plant plots indicates additional N supply from N mineralization. Our findings suggest that nonsymbiotic N2 fixation overcomes N deficiency in different vegetation communities and has great significance for N cycling and peat accumulation in pristine peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus-Holger Knorr
- Institute for Landscape Ecology, Hydrology Group, University of Münster, Heisenbergstr. 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
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Fritz C, Lamers LPM, Riaz M, van den Berg LJL, Elzenga TJTM. Sphagnum mosses--masters of efficient N-uptake while avoiding intoxication. PLoS One 2014; 9:e79991. [PMID: 24416125 PMCID: PMC3886977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Peat forming Sphagnum mosses are able to prevent the dominance of vascular plants under ombrotrophic conditions by efficiently scavenging atmospherically deposited nitrogen (N). N-uptake kinetics of these mosses are therefore expected to play a key role in differential N availability, plant competition, and carbon sequestration in Sphagnum peatlands. The interacting effects of rain N concentration and exposure time on moss N-uptake rates are, however, poorly understood. We investigated the effects of N-concentration (1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 µM), N-form ((15)N-ammonium or nitrate) and exposure time (0.5, 2, 72 h) on uptake kinetics for Sphagnum magellanicum from a pristine bog in Patagonia (Argentina) and from a Dutch bog exposed to decades of N-pollution. Uptake rates for ammonium were higher than for nitrate, and N-binding at adsorption sites was negligible. During the first 0.5 h, N-uptake followed saturation kinetics revealing a high affinity (Km 3.5-6.5 µM). Ammonium was taken up 8 times faster than nitrate, whereas over 72 hours this was only 2 times. Uptake rates decreased drastically with increasing exposure times, which implies that many short-term N-uptake experiments in literature may well have overestimated long-term uptake rates and ecosystem retention. Sphagnum from the polluted site (i.e. long-term N exposure) showed lower uptake rates than mosses from the pristine site, indicating an adaptive response. Sphagnum therefore appears to be highly efficient in using short N pulses (e.g. rainfall in pristine areas). This strategy has important ecological and evolutionary implications: at high N input rates, the risk of N-toxicity seems to be reduced by lower uptake rates of Sphagnum, at the expense of its long-term filter capacity and related competitive advantage over vascular plants. As shown by our conceptual model, interacting effects of N-deposition and climate change (changes in rainfall) will seriously alter the functioning of Sphagnum peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Fritz
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leon P. M. Lamers
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Muhammad Riaz
- Department of Environmental Science, GC University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Environment Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Leon J. L. van den Berg
- Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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