Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Pardo, Linda H
• McNulty, Steven G
• Boggs, Johnny L
• Duke, Sara

Titel

Regional patterns in foliar (15)N across a gradient of nitrogen deposition in the northeastern US

Ist Teil von

• Environmental pollution (1987), 2007-10, Vol.149 (3), p.293

Ort / Verlag

England

Erscheinungsjahr

2007

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Recent studies have demonstrated that natural abundance (15)N can be a useful tool for assessing nitrogen saturation, because as nitrification and nitrate loss increase, delta(15)N of foliage and soil also increases. We measured foliar delta(15)N at 11 high-elevation spruce-fir stands along an N deposition gradient in 1987-1988 and at seven paired northern hardwood and spruce-fir stands in 1999. In 1999, foliar delta(15)N increased from -5.2 to -0.7 per thousand with increasing N deposition from Maine to NY. Foliar delta(15)N decreased between 1987-1988 and 1999, while foliar %N increased and foliar C:N decreased at most sites. Foliar delta(15)N was strongly correlated with N deposition, and was also positively correlated with net nitrification potential and negatively correlated with soil C:N ratio. Although the increase in foliar %N is consistent with a progression towards N saturation, other results of this study suggest that, in 1999, these stands were further from N saturation than in 1987-1988.