N deposition, N transformation and N leaching in acid forest soils

Nitrogen deposition, mineralisation, uptake and leaching were measured on a monthly basis in the field during 2 years in six forested stands on acidic soils under mountainous climate. Studies were conducted in three Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] plantations (D20: 20 year; D40: 40 yr; D60: 60 yr) on abandoned croplands in the Beaujolais Mounts; and two spruce (Picea abies Karst.) plantations (S45: 45 yr; S90: 90 yr) and an old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stand (B150: 150 yr) on ancient forest soils in a small catchment in the Vosges Mountains. N deposition in throughfall varied between 7–8 kg ha^–1 year^–1 (D20, B150, S45) and 15–21 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (S90, D40, D60). N in annual litterfall varied between 20–29 kg ha^–1 (D40, D60, S90), and 36–43 kg ha^–1 (D20, S45, B150). N leaching below root depth varied among stands within a much larger range, between 1–9 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (B150, S45, D60) and 28–66 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (D40, S90, D20), with no simple relationship with N deposition, or N deposition minus N storage in stand biomass. N mineralisation was between 57–121 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (S45, D40, S90) and between 176–209 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 in (B150, D60 and D20). The amounts of nitrogen annually mineralised and nitrified were positively related. Neither general soil parameters, such as pH, soil type, base saturation and C:N ratio, nor deposition in throughfall or litterfall were simply related to the intensity of mineralisation and/or nitrification. When root uptake was not allowed, nitrate leaching increased by 11 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at S45, 36 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at S90 and between 69 and 91 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at D20, D40, B150 and D60, in relation to the nitrification rates of each plot. From this data set and recent data from the literature, we suggest that: high nitrification and nitrate leaching in Douglas-fir soils was likely related to the former agricultural land use. High nitrification rate but very low nitrate leaching in the old beech soil was related to intense recycling of mineralised N by beech roots. Medium nitrification and nitrate leaching in the old spruce stand was related to the average level of N deposition and to the deposition and declining health of the stand. Very low nitrification and N leaching in the young spruce stand were considered representative of fast growing spruce plantations receiving low N deposition on acidic soils of ancient coniferous forests. Consequently, we suggest that past land use and fine root cycling (which is dependent on to tree species and health) should be taken into account to explain the variability in the relation between N deposition and leaching in forests.     

Dry deposition of nitrate to a deciduous forest

Because dry-deposition inputs are difficult to measure, they are often ignored in biogeochemical studies. In this study three separate methods were used to estimate dry deposition of nitrate to a deciduous forest (Walker Branch Watershed) in eastern Tennessee. The range of estimates of dry-deposition flux was from 1.8 to 9.1 kg NO₃ ^--N ha^-1 yr^-1 Using a hybrid approach that combines some aspects of all three methods, a best estimate of 4.8 kg NO₃ ^--N ha^-1 yr^-1 was derived. About 75% of this flux is attributable to deposition of HNO₃, vapor with large particles contributing most of the remainder; the contribution from small particles is negligible. The range of estimates obtained from the three techniques suggest that dry-deposition measurements should be interpreted with caution.Our best estimate indicates that dry deposition of NO₃ ^- is the largest single form of inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition to this forest, contributing almost half of the 10.1 kg N ha^-1 total annual input. All of the enhancement of NO₃ ^- deposition in stemflow and throughfall relative to incident precipitation can be explained by washoff of dry-deposited NO₃ ^-, and some canopy uptake of dry-deposited NO₃ ^- is suggested. This uptake occurs primarily during the growing season and contributes from 0.2 to 7.5 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 to the N requirements of the ecosystem, with a best estimate of 3.2. Despite the uncertainties, the magnitude of the potential input fluxes to forested ecosystems necessitates consideration of nitrate dry deposition in ecosystem nitrogen cycling studies.     

Simulation of N2O emissions and nitrate leaching from plastic mulch radish cultivation with LandscapeDNDC

Radish is one of the major dry field crops in Asia commonly grown with plastic mulch and high rates of N fertilization, and potentially harming the environment due to N₂O emissions and nitrate leaching. Despite the widespread use of plastic mulch, biogeochemical models so far do not yet consider impacts of mulch on soil environmental conditions and biogeochemistry. In this study, we adapted and successfully tested the LandscapeDNDC model against field data by simulating crop growth, C and N turnover and associated N₂O emissions as well as nitrate leaching for radish cultivation with plastic mulch and in conjunction with different rates of N fertilization (465–765 kg N ha^?1 year^?1). Due to the sandy soil texture and monsoon climate, nitrate leaching with rates up to 350 kg N ha^?1 year^?1 was the dominant reason for overall low nitrogen use efficiency (32–43 %). Direct or indirect N₂O emissions (calculated from simulated nitrate leaching rates and IPCC EF_ind = 0.0075) ranged between 2 and 3 kg N ha^?1 year^?1, thus contributing an equal amount to total field emissions of about 5 kg N ha^?1 year^?1. Based on our results, emission factors for direct N₂O emissions ranged between 0.004 and 0.005. These values are only half of the IPCC default value (0.01), demonstrating the need of biogeochemical models for developing site and/or region specific EFs. Simulation results also revealed that changes in agricultural management by applying the fertilizer only to the rows would be an efficient mitigation strategy, effectively decreasing field nitrate leaching and N₂O emissions by 50–60 %.     

模拟氮沉降下南方针叶林红壤的养分淋溶和酸化

以中国科学院红壤生态实验站林草生态试验区针叶林红壤为研究对象,在恒温(20 ℃)条件下,通过大土柱（直径10 cm、高60 cm）,8个月间隙性淋溶试验模拟研究了不同氮输入量（0、7.8、26和52 mg N/月/柱）对针叶林红壤NO₃^-、NH₄⁺、H⁺和土壤盐基离子(Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺、K⁺、Na⁺⁾淋溶以及土壤酸化的影响.结果表明,土壤交换态盐基总量、Ca²⁺和Mg²⁺淋溶量随氮输入量的增加而增加,土壤交换态Na⁺和K⁺则无明显影响.4种N输入处理的土壤交换态盐基总量净淋溶（淋溶出的盐基与淋洗液累计输入的盐基之差）分别占土壤交换性盐基总量的13.9%、18.6%、31.8% 和57.9％,土壤交换态Ca²⁺净淋溶分别占土壤交换性Ca²⁺总量的19.6%、25.8%、45.3%和84.8%,土壤交换态Mg²⁺净淋溶分别占土壤交换性Mg²⁺总量的4.4%、6.1%、10.9%和17.1%.随氮输入量增加,表层土壤pH值逐渐下降,4种N输入处理的表层土壤pH（KCl）分别为3.85、3.84、3.80和3.75;随氮输入量增加,淋溶液中无机氮、NO₃^-和H⁺逐渐增加.氮沉降可促进针叶林红壤的有机氮矿化,加速养分淋失和土壤酸化.     

Root branching responses to phosphate and nitrate

Plant roots favour colonization of nutrient-rich zones in soil. Molecular genetic evidences demonstrate that roots sense and respond to local and global concentrations of inorganic phosphate and nitrate, in a fashion that depends on the shoot nutrient status. Recent investigations in Arabidopsis highlighted the role of the root tip in phosphate sensing and attributed to already known proteins (multicopper oxidases and nitrate transporters) new and unexpected functions in the root growth response to phosphate or nitrate.     

Photosynthetic responses of citrus trees to soil flooding

Continuous soil flooding reduced leaf photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance to water vapor, chlorophyll concentration and activity of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco, EC 4.1.1.39) of sweet orange [ Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cv. Hamlin] trees, grafted onto rough lemon (RL; C. jambhiri Lush.) and sour orange (SO; C. aurantium L.) rootstocks. After 24 days of waterlogging, trees showed senescence, wilting and abscission of leaves, and these symptoms were more evident with flooded Hamlin/SO than Hamlin/RL. Reduction of leaf photosynthetic rate at day 24 was ca 94%, of stomatal conductance, 71%, of chlorophyll, 38% and of Rubisco, 62% for flooded Hamlin/SO, compared with 22, 5, 18 and 33%, respectively, for flooded Hamlin/RL. For both Hamlin/RL and Hamlin/SO, leaf photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance to water vapor were closely correlated (r²= 0.87). Leaf internal CO₂ concentration of flooded trees, however, was not decreased by reduced stomatal conductance. Dark respiration rates of fibrous roots of flooded trees were greatly reduced, but not in leaf tissues. Total nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations were higher in leaves (50 and 80% increases for Hamlin/SO and Hamlin/RL, respectively), but drastically reduced in roots (60 and 45% reductions for Hamlin/SO and Hamlin/RL, respectively), as a result of flooding. The data indicate that Hamlin grafted onto RL rootstocks was more tolerant to soil flooding than Hamlin grafted onto SO rootstocks.     

南亚热带森林土壤有效氮含量及其对模拟氮沉降增加的初期响应

研究了南亚热带主要森林类型 (马尾松林、混交林和季风常绿阔叶林 )土壤有效氮含量对模拟氮沉降的初期响应。结果显示 :(1)马尾松林、混交林和阔叶林 0～ 10 cm和 10～ 2 0 cm两个土层有效氮 (铵态氮 硝态氮 )含量总平均分别为 6 .2 4、6 .2 2和14 .77m g/kg,其中铵态氮占 4 5 .3%、4 8.7%和 14 .5 %。 (2 )外加氮处理使 3个森林两个土层的有效氮含量都在增加 ,但其影响程度取决于土层、氮处理水平、氮处理时间和森林类型。总体而言 ,0～ 10 cm土层略比 10～ 2 0 cm土层敏感 ;氮处理水平越高土壤有效氮增加越多 ;外加氮处理时间越长 ,处理样方与对照样方的差距越大 ;阔叶林的响应稍落后于马尾松林和混交林     

大气氮沉降对阔叶林红壤淋溶水化学模拟研究

在氮饱和的森林生态系统中,氮沉降的增加将导致NO3-淋溶的增加及土壤酸度的提高,从而影响土壤质量及林业的可持续发展。然而,大气氮沉降对我国南方红壤地区森林生态系统中土壤的影响研究还很少,尤其是氮沉降引起的土壤淋溶液化学组成方面。研究中,以中国科学院红壤生态实验站林草生态试验区阔叶林红壤为对象,在恒温(20℃)条件下,通过土壤淋洗柱(直径10cm、高60cm)进行了8个月间隙性淋溶试验,来模拟研究不同氮输入量(0、7.8、26mg月-1.柱-1和52mg月-1柱-1)对阔叶林红壤NO3-、NH4 、SO42-、H 和土壤盐基离子(Ca2 、Mg2 、K 和Na )的淋溶和土壤酸度的影响。结果表明,随氮输入量增加,淋溶液中NO3-、EC、H 和总盐基离子逐渐增加,但淋溶液中无NH4 。不同氮处理时,土壤有机氮总表观矿化量分别为189.6、263.9、372.8mg月-1.柱-1与554.2mg柱-1,氮输入明显促进了土壤有机氮的矿化,且土壤有机氮的表观矿化量与氮输入量间呈正线性相关(R2=0.997**)。无氮(0mg月-1柱-1)、低氮(7.8mg月-1柱-1)、中氮(26mg月-1柱-1)和高氮(52mg月-1柱-1)输入处理下,土壤交换态盐基淋溶总量分别占土壤交换性盐基总量的13.6、18.4、27.7%和48.1%。不同的盐基离子对氮输入的反应不同,Ca2 和Mg2 淋溶量随氮输入量的增加而增加,对Na 和K 则无明显影响。土壤交换态离子中随淋洗液输出最多的为Ca2 (无氮、低氮、中氮和高氮输入处理的土壤交换态输出量占土壤交换态的比例分别为22.6、31.4、46.7%和82.5%),其次为Na (无氮、低氮、中氮和高氮输入处理的土壤交换态输出量占土壤交换态的比例分别为16.0、10.7、17.6%和26.3%),最少的为Mg2 (无氮、低氮、中氮和高氮输入处理的土壤交换态输出量占土壤交换态的比例分别为5.0、6.9、11.1%和16.9%),几乎没有土壤交换性K 输出。与对照相比,有氮处理后土壤中硫酸根离子的淋失量明显减少(p<0.05)。表层土壤pH值随氮输入量的增加而显著下降,各处理间差异极显著(p<0.01)。可见,大气氮沉降的增加将加速阔叶林红壤的养分淋失和土壤酸化的程度。     

Limitations of improved nitrogen management to reduce nitrate leaching and increase use efficiency

The primary mode of nitrogen (N) loss from tile-drained row-cropped land is generally nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) leaching. Although cropping, tillage, and N management practices can be altered to reduce the amount of leaching, there are limits as to how much can be done. Data are given to illustrate the potential reductions for individual practices such as rate, method, and timing of N applications. However, most effects are multiplicative and not additive; thus it is probably not realistic to hope to get overall reductions greater than 25 to 30% with in-field practices alone. If this level of reduction is insufficient to meet water quality goals, additional off-site landscape modifications may be necessary.     

DNDC模型在农田氮素渗漏淋失估算中的应用

采用田间原装渗漏计测定了山东省济南市典型种植模式下,2008年冬小麦整个生长季水分和 氮素淋失量,并利用该数据对DNDC（DeNitrification-DeComposion）模型进行检验和敏感性分析.结果表明：模型对该地区农田土壤水分运动的模拟效果较好,模拟结果的精度总体上可以接受,但对氮素淋失量的模拟结果存在一定偏差,冬小麦整个生长季的氮素淋失量模拟值（18.35 kg N·hm^-2）比实测值（14.89 kg N·hm^-2）高3.46 kg N·hm^-2,相对偏差在20%左右,模型参数尚需作进一步调整.模型敏感性分析显示,农田氮素淋失更易受到灌水量和施肥量的影响.DNDC模型在该地区有一定的适用性.     

Physiological responses of forest trees to heat and drought

The heat wave of summer 2003 was the largest and the most persistent ever experienced in Central Europe and has fuelled concern about the effects of climate change on European ecosystems. Since forests constitute the most important European ecosystems, in this review article we assess current knowledge on the effects of heat and drought on key metabolic processes for growth and productivity of forest trees. In particular, the general consequences of heat and drought on (1) photosynthesis and respiration at the cellular and community level, and (2) on nutrient uptake, partitioning and competition for nutrients are summarized. The latter are a major sink for photosynthetic energy and, therefore, are indirectly but strongly connected to the performance of photosynthesis. In addition, the interaction of heat and drought with stress compensation mechanisms and emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) are discussed, since these processes are directly connected to carbon metabolism. Effects on the emission of BVOC are also included because they constitute an important feedback mechanism on ozone formation and, thus, on atmospheric pollution. As far as available, data collected during the 2003 heat wave are included and discussed.     

Significance of nitrate leaching and long term N immobilization after deepening the plough layers for the N regime of arable soils in N.W. Germany

Field studies were conducted to assess the turnover and the leaching of nitrogen in arable soils of Lower Saxony (NW Germany). The mean surplus N (difference between N inputs by fertilization and N export by the yield; 146 field plots) from 1985–1988 amounted to 38 kg ha^-1 yr^-1 in fine textured (clay, loam, silt) and to 98 kg ha^-1 yr^-1 in coarse (sandy) soils. Leaching of nitrate calculated by a simple functional model for simulation of the N regime over the winter period (i.e. mineralization and leaching) was 16 kg ha^-1 in the fine and 63 kg N ha^-1 in coarse soils (mean values of the winter periods 1985–1988 from 256 plots).Before the 1960s, the depth of the A_p horizons rarely exceeded 25 cm in arable soils of the former FRG. During the last three decades, ploughing depth has increased to at least 35 cm. The mass balance calculations for total N after ploughing to 35 cm in loess soils of southern Lower Saxony (105 farm plots) yielded a mean increase in total N by about 900 kg ha^-1 in 20 years. With respect to soil organic matter equilibria, N accumulation will continue for at least another 10 years on 67% of the examined farm plots. This study suggests that long term N immobilization is one of the most important sinks for nitrogen in arable soils of Germany. For simulation of the N dynamics over the growing season and for long time periods total nitrogen dynamics need to be considered.     

Induced responses of cherry trees to periodical cicada oviposition

Cherry trees (Prunus serotina) responded to oviposition by periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) by depositing gum at the egg nest. The proportion of cicada eggs that hatched successfully was significantly reduced at egg nests with visible gum compared to non-gummed egg nests. The number of egg nests with gum increased in proportion to the total number of egg nests on a tree. The probability of an egg nest having visible gum increased as the total number of egg nests increased. Mortality at hatching due to gum deposition increased as a direct density-dependent function of the number of cicada eggs laid in the tree. Although statistically significant, this relationship was weak and appeared to hold only at densities above 100 egg nests per tree. Gum deposition is discussed as an induced plant response to cicada attack. A cherry may reduce the number of cicada nymphs that will parasitize it up to the next oviposition period (17 or 13 years later) by reducing cicada hatching through gum deposition at the site of oviposition.