Long-term records of strontium isotopic composition in tree rings suggest changes in forest calcium sources in the early 20th century

Many studies made in Europe and North America have shown an increasing depletion of exchangeable base cations that may cause tree nutritional deficiencies in sensitive soils. We use radial variation of strontium isotope in tree-rings (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio) to monitor possible changes in Ca sources for tree nutrition (Sr is used as an analog to Ca). The two main sources of Ca in forest stands are mineral weathering release and atmospheric inputs. Measurements in several forest stands in temperate regions show a steep decrease from pith to outer wood of the Sr isotope ratio from∼1870 to∼1920 except for stands developed on soils with a higher Ca status. This suggests a decrease of the weathering contribution (high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio) when cations are displaced from the soil exchange complex by acid deposition at a rate faster than the replenishment of the cation pool by mineral weathering. This displacement enhances the atmospheric contribution, which is characterized by a low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio. Tree-ring chronologies are an exceptional historic-timing record of chemical changes in the soil environment induced by atmospheric pollution. The reliability of the tree-ring recorder has been verified with a well-controlled nutritional perturbation in the context of a limed forest stand (with a known liming Sr isotopic signature). Our data suggest that forest ecosystems were affected by atmospheric inputs of strong acids earlier than previously thought.     

Coupled Nitrogen and Calcium Cycles in Forests of the Oregon Coast Range

Nitrogen (N) is a critical limiting nutrient that regulates plant productivity and the cycling of other essential elements in forests. We measured foliar and soil nutrients in 22 young Douglas-fir stands in the Oregon Coast Range to examine patterns of nutrient availability across a gradient of N-poor to N-rich soils. N in surface mineral soil ranged from 0.15 to 1.05% N, and was positively related to a doubling of foliar N across sites. Foliar N in half of the sites exceeded 1.4% N, which is considered above the threshold of N-limitation in coastal Oregon Douglas-fir. Available nitrate increased five-fold across this gradient, whereas exchangeable magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) in soils declined, suggesting that nitrate leaching influences base cation availability more than soil parent material across our sites. Natural abundance strontium isotopes (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) of a single site indicated that 97% of available base cations can originate from atmospheric inputs of marine aerosols, with negligible contributions from weathering. Low annual inputs of Ca relative to Douglas-fir growth requirements may explain why foliar Ca concentrations are highly sensitive to variations in soil Ca across our sites. Natural abundance calcium isotopes (δ⁴⁴Ca) in exchangeable and acid leachable pools of surface soil measured at a single site showed 1 per mil depletion relative to deep soil, suggesting strong Ca recycling to meet tree demands. Overall, the biogeochemical response of these Douglas-fir forests to gradients in soil N is similar to changes associated with chronic N deposition in more polluted temperate regions, and raises the possibility that Ca may be deficient on excessively N-rich sites. We conclude that wide gradients in soil N can drive non-linear changes in base-cation biogeochemistry, particularly as forests cross a threshold from N-limitation to N-saturation. The most acute changes may occur in forests where base cations are derived principally from atmospheric inputs.     

The impact of simulated chronic nitrogen deposition on the biomass and N2-fixation activity of two boreal feather moss–cyanobacteria associations

Bryophytes achieve substantial biomass and play several key functional roles in boreal forests that can influence how carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling respond to atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (N_r). They associate with cyanobacteria that fix atmospheric N₂, and downregulation of this process may offset anthropogenic N_r inputs to boreal systems. Bryophytes also promote soil C accumulation by thermally insulating soils, and changes in their biomass influence soil C dynamics. Using a unique large-scale (0.1 ha forested plots), long-term experiment (16 years) in northern Sweden where we simulated anthropogenic N_r deposition, we measured the biomass and N₂-fixation response of two bryophyte species, the feather mosses Hylocomium splendens and Pleurozium schreberi. Our data show that the biomass declined for both species; however, N₂-fixation rates per unit mass and per unit area declined only for H. splendens. The low and high treatments resulted in a 29% and 54% reduction in total feather moss biomass, and a 58% and 97% reduction in total N₂-fixation rate per unit area, respectively. These results help to quantify the sensitivity of feather moss biomass and N₂ fixation to chronic N_r deposition, which is relevant for modelling ecosystem C and N balances in boreal ecosystems.     

Sources,fates, and impacts of nitrogen inputs to terrestrial ecosystems: review and synthesis

The relative importance of nitrogen inputs from atmospheric deposition and biological fixation is reviewed in a number of diverse, non-agricultural terrestrial ecosystems. Bulk precipitation inputs of N (l–l2 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1) are the same order of magnitude as, or frequently larger than, the usual range of inputs from nonsymbiotic fixation (< 1=" –=" 5=" kg=" n=">^–1 yr^–1), especially in areas influenced by industrial activity. Bulk precipitation measurements may underestimate total atmospheric deposition by 30–40% because they generally do not include all forms of wet and dry deposition. Symbiotic fixation generally ranges from 10–160 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1) in ecosystems where N-fixing species are present during early successional stages, and may exceed the range under unusual conditions.Rates of both symbiotic and nonsymbiotic fixation appear to be greater during early successional stages of forest development, where they have major impacts on nitrogen dynamics and ecosystem productivity. Fates and impacts of these nitrogen inputs are important considerations that are inadequately understood. These input processes are highly variable in space and time, and few sites have adequate comparative information on both nitrogen deposition and fixation.

Use of strontium isotopes and foliar K content to estimate weathering of biotite induced by pine seedlings colonised by ectomycorrhizal fungi from two different soils

Pinus sylvestris seedlings, colonised by ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi from either of two different soils (untreated forest soil and a limed soil from a clear cut area), were grown with or without biotite as a source of K. The biotite was naturally enriched in ⁸⁷Sr and the ratio of ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr in the plant biomass was estimated and used as a marker for biotite weathering and compared to estimates of weathering based on foliar content of K. Different nutrient regimes were used to expose the seedlings to deficiencies of K with and without an application of nitrogen (NH₄NO₃) in excess of seedling demand. The seedlings were grown for 220 days and the elemental composition of the shoots were analysed at harvest. The EM colonisation was followed by analysing the concentration of ergosterol in the roots and the soils. Bacterial activity of the soil was estimated by the thymidine incorporation technique. The concentration of organic acids in the soil solution was measured in the soil in which seedlings colonised by EM fungi from the untreated forest soil were grown. It was found that seedlings colonised by EM fungi from untreated forest soil had taken up more K in treatments with biotite addition compared to seedlings colonised by EM fungi from the limed forest soil (p<0.05). Seedlings from untreated forest soil had larger shoots and contained more K when grown with biotite compared to KCl as K source, indicating that biotite had a stimulatory effect on the growth of these seedlings which was not related to K uptake. Seedlings from the limed soil, on the other hand, had similar foliar K content when grown with either biotite or KCl as K source. The larger uptake of K in seedlings from untreated forest soil was not an effect of a more developed EM colonisation of the roots since seedlings from the limed soil had a higher ergosterol concentration both in the soil and in the roots. Nutrient regimes had no significant influence on the total uptake of K but the ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr isotope ratio in the plant biomass indicated that seedlings grown with excess nitrogen supply had taken up proportionally less Sr from the biotite (1.8% of total Sr content) compared to seedlings grown with a moderate nitrogen supply (5.0%). Furthermore, seedlings grown with excess nitrogen supply had a reduced fungal colonisation of roots and soil and bacterial activity was lower in these soils. The ⁸⁷Sr/ ⁸⁶Sr ratio in the plant biomass was positively correlated with fungal colonisation of the roots (r ²=0.98), which may indicate that the fungus was involved in releasing Sr from the biotite. Uptake of K from biotite was not related to the amount of organic acids in the soil solution. Oxalic acid was positively related to the amount of ergosterol in the root, suggesting that oxalic acid in the soil solution originates from the EM symbionts. The accuracy of the estimations of biotite weathering based on K uptake by the seedlings in comparison with the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratio measured in the shoots is discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nitrogen fixation in lichens is important for improved rock weathering

It is known that cyanobacteria in cyanolichens fix nitrogen for their nutrition. However, specific uses of the fixed nitrogen have not been examined. The present study shows experimentally that a mutualistic interaction between a heterotrophic N₂ fixer and lichen fungi in the presence of a carbon source can contribute to enhanced release of organic acids, leading to improved solubilization of the mineral substrate. Three lichen fungi were isolated fromXanthoparmelia mexicana, a foliose lichen, and they were cultured separately or with a heterotrophic N₂ fixer in nutrient broth media in the presence of a mineral substrate. Cells of the N₂-fixing bacteria attached to the mycelial mats of all fungi, forming biofilms. All biofilms showed higher solubilizations of the substrate than cultures of their fungi alone. This finding has bearing on the significance of the origin and existence of N₂-fixing activity in the evolution of lichen symbiosis. Further, our results may explain why there are N₂-fixing photobionts even in the presence of non-fixing photobionts (green algae) in some remarkable lichens such asPlacopsis gelida. Our study sheds doubt on the idea that the establishment of terrestrial eukaryotes was possible only through the association between a fungus and a phototroph.     

Anthropogenic nitrogen sources and relationships to riverine nitrogen export in the northeastern U.S.A.

Human activities have greatly altered the nitrogen (N) cycle, accelerating the rate of N fixation in landscapes and delivery of N to water bodies. To examine relationships between anthropogenic N inputs and riverine N export, we constructed budgets describing N inputs and losses for 16 catchments, which encompass a range of climatic variability and are major drainages to the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean along a latitudinal profile from Maine to Virginia. Using data from the early 1990's, we quantified inputs of N to each catchment from atmospheric deposition, application of nitrogenous fertilizers, biological nitrogen fixation, and import of N in agricultural products (food and feed). We compared these inputs with N losses from the system in riverine export.The importance of the relative sources varies widely by catchment and is related to land use. Net atmospheric deposition was the largest N source (>60%) to the forested basins of northern New England (e.g. Penobscot and Kennebec); net import of N in food was the largest source of N to the more populated regions of southern New England (e.g. Charles & Blackstone); and agricultural inputs were the dominant N sources in the Mid-Atlantic region (e.g. Schuylkill & Potomac). Over the combined area of the catchments, net atmospheric deposition was the largest single source input (31%), followed by net imports of N in food and feed (25%), fixation in agricultural lands (24%), fertilizer use (15%), and fixation in forests (5%). The combined effect of fertilizer use, fixation in crop lands, and animal feed imports makes agriculture the largest overall source of N. Riverine export of N is well correlated with N inputs, but it accounts for only a fraction (25%) of the total N inputs. This work provides an understanding of the sources of N in landscapes, and highlights how human activities impact N cycling in the northeast region.     

增氮对青藏高原东缘高寒草甸土壤甲烷吸收的早期影响

研究大气氮沉降对青藏高原高寒草甸土壤CH4吸收的影响,对于揭示氮素调节土壤CH4吸收的机制和评价氮沉降增加背景下大气CH4收支平衡至关重要.通过构建多形态、低剂量的增氮控制试验,测定土壤CH4净交换通量和相关土壤理化性质,分析高寒草甸土壤CH4通量变化特征及其主要驱动因子.研究结果表明:自然状态下高寒草甸土壤是大气CH4汇,CH4平均吸收量为(35.40±1.92) μg· m-2· h-1.土壤CH4吸收主要受水分驱动,其次为土壤NH4+-N和NO3-N含量.NH4+-N抑制CH4吸收,NO3--N促进CH4吸收;不同剂量氮素输入对土壤CH4吸收影响也不尽相同,低氮处理促进土壤CH4吸收,而中氮和高氮处理抑制土壤CH4吸收.结果显示青藏高原高寒草甸土壤是重要的大气CH4汇,在未来大气氮沉降加倍的情景下CH4汇功能增强,但当氮沉降量增加两倍以上时CH4汇功能将会减弱.     

Strontium isotope studies of atmospheric inputs to forested watersheds in New Mexico

Stable isotopes of strontium provide a unique quantification of ecosystem processes because organisms do not differentiate between them. For landscapes with contrasting geologies, these isotopes can identify atmospheric source material from local weathered material. This study quantified the input of strontium, distribution within the ecosystem, canopy capture versus leaf leachate, canopy loss, and Sr increment in biomass from an atmospheric origin. Forest ecosystems were studied along an elevational gradient in New Mexico. Spruce forests had a much greater capacity for capturing atmospheric Sr than aspen forests; however, aspen contained more total atmospheric Sr in their tissues because of greater uptake rates and the ability to utilize atmospheric deposited Sr before the initiation of the aspen forest. This technique has excellent capabilities for estimating the relative importance of atmospheric and weathering inputs to certain ecosystems.     

藏东南大气氮湿沉降动态变化——以林芝观测点为例

利用量雨器和湿沉降收集仪在藏东南通过2a的试验, 研究了该区大气氮素沉降的浓度、沉降量以及季节变化规律.结果表明:藏东南大气氮素湿沉降(无机氮)为1.33～3.05 kg/ (hm2·a),平均值为2.36 kg/ (hm2·a),降水中铵态氮和硝态氮的平均浓度分别为0.36 mg/L和0.10 mg/L ,NH+4-N/ NO-3-N接近4 .各形态氮月均浓度之间差别较大,具有明显的季节性,其中NH+4-N月均浓度动态变化明显,5、6、7月份浓度较高(＞0.5 mg/L),NO-3-N 12月份浓度(0.49 mg/L)为全年最高;氮浓度的季节变化,以春冬较高,夏秋季较低,离散程度以春季最大.降水量与各形态氮沉降呈一定幂型负相关,相关系数为0.705,0.641,分别达到0.006 (NH+4-N)和0.019(NO-3-N)的显著水平.氮月沉降以5～6月份最高,占全年的32.3%;氮季沉降以夏季所占比例最高,约占50%,冬季最低(2%～3%).     

Sensitivity of continental United States atmospheric budgets of oxidized and reduced nitrogen to dry deposition parametrizations

Reactive nitrogen (N_r) is removed by surface fluxes (air–surface exchange) and wet deposition. The chemistry and physics of the atmosphere result in a complicated system in which competing chemical sources and sinks exist and impact that removal. Therefore, uncertainties are best examined with complete regional chemical transport models that simulate these feedbacks. We analysed several uncertainties in regional air quality model resistance analogue representations of air–surface exchange for unidirectional and bi-directional fluxes and their effect on the continental N_r budget. Model sensitivity tests of key parameters in dry deposition formulations showed that uncertainty estimates of continental total nitrogen deposition are surprisingly small, 5 per cent or less, owing to feedbacks in the chemistry and rebalancing among removal pathways. The largest uncertainties (5%) occur with the change from a unidirectional to a bi-directional NH₃ formulation followed by uncertainties in bi-directional compensation points (1–4%) and unidirectional aerodynamic resistance (2%). Uncertainties have a greater effect at the local scale. Between unidirectional and bi-directional formulations, single grid cell changes can be up to 50 per cent, whereas 84 per cent of the cells have changes less than 30 per cent. For uncertainties within either formulation, single grid cell change can be up to 20 per cent, but for 90 per cent of the cells changes are less than 10 per cent.     

鄂西北丹江口库区大气氮沉降

利用雨量器在鄂西北丹江口库区连续3a采集降雨样品,研究了大气氮沉降的变化动态。结果表明:2009—2011年月均总氮(TN)浓度为3.70—10.36 mg/L,与当月降雨量呈极显著线性负相关(R=-0.592**,n=32),季均TN浓度为冬季(8.21 mg/L)春季(3.94 mg/L)秋季(3.23 mg/L)夏季(2.70 mg/L),年均TN浓度为3.70 mg/L。大气氮素年均干湿总沉降量为26.53 kg/hm2,其中干沉降为7.80 kg/hm2,占总沉降量的29.4%;湿沉降为18.73 kg/hm2,占总沉降量的70.6%。干沉降中铵态氮(NH+4-N)、硝态氮(NO-3-N)、可溶性有机氮(DON)和颗粒态氮(PN)分别占TN的22.1%、16.8%、37.2%和23.9%,湿沉降中它们分别为TN的36.6%、34.4%、12.9%和16.1%。     

黄土区降水降尘输入农田土壤中的氮素评估

随着人类活动引起大气活性氮的急剧增加,大气氮沉降亦明显增加,由此引发的各生态系统的响应也逐渐表现出来.研究黄土区氮沉降,对农业生态系统的氮素循环与平衡提供一定的数据支持,同时为农民科学合理施肥提供依据,为研究氮沉降的环境生态效应和生物有效性提供科学支撑.用APS-2A型降水降尘自动采样器对陕西杨凌和洛川地区2006～2007年的降水降尘输入氮总量、月动态变化及各形态N的贡献率进行了监测与分析.结果显示杨凌点2006年总降雨量为507.8 mm,总N沉降通量为20.6 kg/(hm2·a),其中N湿沉降通量为19.1 kg/(hm2·a),占93%;降尘输入的N通量为1.5 kg/(hm2·a),占7%.总N沉降通量中NO-3-N为7.3 kg/(hm2·a),占36%.洛川点2006年6月～2007年5月总降雨量为579.5 mm,总N沉降通量为12.7 kg/(hm2·a),其中N湿沉降通量为11.4 kg/(hm2·a),占90%;降尘输入N的通量为1.2 kg/(hm2·a),占10% .总N沉降通量中NO-3-N为8.7kg/(hm2·a),占69%.两个点N沉降通量和氮素形态的差异在很大程度上反映了活性N主要来自人为活动,即农业生产排放的活性N.     

大气NO2影响植物生长与代谢的研究进展

二氧化氮(NO₂)是大气氮氧化物之一,是大气气溶胶颗粒形成的主要成分,降低大气NO₂浓度可减轻空气中的雾霾.大气NO₂通过干沉降和湿沉降两种方式降落到植物叶片.植物吸收NO₂后主要通过两种代谢途径来降低空气中NO₂浓度: 一是主要在细胞质和叶绿体中利用还原酶的氮代谢途径,二是在质外体和细胞质中的歧化反应.植物吸收NO₂干扰了植物正常的生长和生理代谢,包括: 植物营养和生殖生长,植物体内硝酸还原酶(NaR)活性、亚硝酸还原酶(NiR)活性、氮素吸收、光合等生理代谢过程.对目前国内外有关大气NO₂影响植物生长与代谢的研究进展进行了综述,并对植物吸收NO₂的生理及分子机制的未来研究方向进行了展望.     

陕北典型农区大气干湿氮沉降季节变化

为了研究大气通过干湿沉降输入到农田土壤的氮通量,2007年6月至2008年5月在陕西榆林和洛川两地进行了为期一年的观测试验.结果表明:榆林和洛川地区大气总无机氮沉降通量分别为22.17和16.95 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1),湿沉降分别占95.1%和90.4%,干沉降分别占4.9%和9.6%,两个地区氮沉降均以湿沉降为主.总无机氮沉降中,NO_3~--N分别为12.22和9.24 kg·hm~(-2)·a~(-1),分别占总无机氮沉降量的55.1%和54.5%.由于污染水平、气象条件、下垫面特性等的差异,总无机氮沉降中,湿沉降量和NO_3~--N沉降量均是榆林地区大于洛川地区.     

陕西省不同生态区大气氮素干湿沉降的时空变异

为研究陕西省不同生态区大气氮素干湿沉降的时空变化规律,于2009年11月至2010年10月对4个生态区5个监测点的干湿沉降输入量进行为期1a的观测。结果表明:监测期内,榆林、洛川、西安、杨凌和安康地区总N沉降量分别为4.7、11.9、25.8、31.9和19.2 kg/hm2,其中N湿沉降量分别为2.9、10.4、24.8、27.7和16.3 kg/hm2,占总沉降的62%—96%,N干沉降量分别为1.8、1.5、1.0、4.1和2.9 kg/hm2,占4%—38%,且湿沉降与降雨量之间呈正相关关系,干沉降与之相反;各地区NH+4-N沉降量分别为2.0、6.4、17.0、17.2和11.9 kg/hm2,占总沉降的44%—66%,NO-3-N沉降量分别为2.6、5.5、8.8、14.7和7.3 kg/hm2,占34%—56%,除榆林地区外,其他地区以NH+4-N沉降为主。     

Changes in the composition of rainwater upon passage through the canopies of trees and of ground vegetation in a Dutch oak-birch forest

The composition of canopy throughfall water in an oak-birch woodland, heavily affected by atmospheric deposition of N and S, changed markedly upon contact with the above-ground parts of the ground vegetation, which consisted mainly of bracken. The fluxes of nitrate and H⁺ decreased, simultaneously with an increase in the flux of bicarbonate, indicative of above-ground uptake of nitrate by the ground vegetation. This above-ground assimilation takes place in spite of abundant availability of inorganic nitrogen in the root zone of the ground vegetation. Fluxes of phosphate were somewhat lower, and those of ammonium somewhat higher in throughfall of the ground vegetation than in that of the tree layer. Although those differences were not statistically significant, they do suggest assimilation of some P and extra net dry deposition of atmospheric ammonia below the tree canopies.