Nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching from a rain-fed wheat-maize rotation in the Sichuan Basin, China

Aims

A 3-year field experiment (October 2004–October 2007) was conducted to quantify N₂O fluxes and determine the regulating factors from rain-fed, N fertilized wheat-maize rotation in the Sichuan Basin, China.

Methods

Static chamber-GC techniques were used to measure soil N₂O fluxes in three treatments (three replicates per treatment): CK (no fertilizer); N150 (300 kg N fertilizer ha^?1 yr^?1 or 150 kg N?ha^?1 per crop); N250 (500 kg N fertilizer ha^?1 yr^?1 kg or 250 kg N?ha^?1 per crop). Nitrate (NO ₃ ^? ) leaching losses were measured at nearby sites using free-drained lysimeters.

Results

The annual N₂O fluxes from the N fertilized treatments were in the range of 1.9 to 6.7 kg N?ha^?1 yr^?1 corresponding to an N₂O emission factor ranging from 0.12 % to 1.06 % (mean value: 0.61 %). The relationship between monthly soil N₂O fluxes and NO ₃ ^- leaching losses can be described by a significant exponential decaying function.

Conclusions

The N₂O emission factor obtained in our study was somewhat lower than the current IPCC default emission factor (1 %). Nitrate leaching, through removal of topsoil NO ₃ ^? , is an underrated regulating factor of soil N₂O fluxes from cropland, especially in the regions where high NO ₃ ^- leaching losses occur.     

Nitrous oxide emissions during establishment of eight alternative cellulosic bioenergy cropping systems in the North Central United States

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils are a key sustainability metric of cropping systems. During crop establishment, disruptive land‐use change is known to be a critical, but under reported period, for determining GHG emissions. We measured soil N₂O emissions and potential environmental drivers of these fluxes from a three‐year establishment‐phase bioenergy cropping systems experiment replicated in southcentral Wisconsin (ARL) and southwestern Michigan (KBS). Cropping systems treatments were annual monocultures (continuous corn, corn–soybean–canola rotation), perennial monocultures (switchgrass, miscanthus, and poplar), and perennial polycultures (native grass mixture, early successional community, and restored prairie) all grown using best management practices specific to the system. Cumulative three‐year N₂O emissions from annuals were 142% higher than from perennials, with fertilized perennials 190% higher than unfertilized perennials. Emissions ranged from 3.1 to 19.1 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 yr^?1 for the annuals with continuous corn > corn–soybean–canola rotation and 1.1 to 6.3 kg N₂O‐N ha^?1 yr^?1 for perennials. Nitrous oxide peak fluxes typically were associated with precipitation events that closely followed fertilization. Bayesian modeling of N₂O fluxes based on measured environmental factors explained 33% of variability across all systems. Models trained on single systems performed well in most monocultures (e.g., R² = 0.52 for poplar) but notably worse in polycultures (e.g., R² = 0.17 for early successional, R² = 0.06 for restored prairie), indicating that simulation models that include N₂O emissions should be parameterized specific to particular plant communities. Our results indicate that perennial bioenergy crops in their establishment phase emit less N₂O than annual crops, especially when not fertilized. These findings should be considered further alongside yield and other metrics contributing to important ecosystem services.     

稻麦轮作系统冬小麦农田耕作措施对氧化亚氮排放的影响

2008—2011年,采用静态箱-气相色谱法对长江下游稻麦轮作系统冬小麦农田N2O排放进行了为期3a的田间原位观测,研究不同耕作措施(免耕、旋耕和翻耕)对冬小麦生长季N2O排放的影响。结果表明:不同耕作措施下冬小麦农田N2O排放高峰出现在施用基肥后的1个月内以及施用孕穗肥后的4月中旬至小麦成熟期,其余时间N2O排放通量均较小。年度和耕作措施对冬小麦农田N2O季节排放总量均有极显著影响(P<0.01),不同处理N2O季节排放总量表现为免耕>翻耕>旋耕,2008—2011年3年平均分别为2.50 kg/hm2、2.05 kg/hm2和1.66 kg/hm2,免耕比翻耕增加N2O排放22.0%(P<0.05),旋耕比翻耕减排19.0%(P<0.05)。冬小麦生长期内施用孕穗肥后1个月内N2O排放通量与农田土壤充水孔隙率(WFPS)及10 cm地温呈显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)正相关,2009—2010年施用基肥后1个月内N2O排放通量与WFPS呈显著负相关(P<0.05)。结果说明旋耕是减少长江下游稻麦轮作系统冬小麦农田N2O排放的最佳耕作措施。     

Nitrous oxide and nitric oxide emissions from an irrigated cotton field in Northern China

Cotton is one of the major crops worldwide and delivers fibers to textile industries across the globe. Its cultivation requires high nitrogen (N) input and additionally irrigation, and the combination of both has the potential to trigger high emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO), thereby contributing to rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Using an automated static chamber measuring system, we monitored in high temporal resolution N₂O and NO fluxes in an irrigated cotton field in Northern China, between January 1st and December 31st 2008. Mean daily fluxes varied between 5.8 to 373.0 µg N₂O-N m^?2?h^?1 and ?3.7 to 135.7 µg NO-N m^?2?h^?1, corresponding to an annual emission of 2.6 and 0.8 kg N ha^?1?yr^?1 for N₂O and NO, respectively. The highest emissions of both gases were observed directly after the N fertilization and lasted approximately 1 month. During this time period, the emission was 0.85 and 0.22 kg N ha^?1 for N₂O and NO, respectively, and was responsible for 32.3% and 29.0% of the annual total N₂O and NO loss. Soil temperature, moisture and mineral N content significantly affected the emissions of both gases (p?<?0.01). Direct emission factors were estimated to be 0.95% (N₂O) and 0.24% (NO). We also analyzed the effects of sampling time and frequency on the estimations of annual cumulative N₂O and NO emissions and found that low frequency measurements produced annual estimates which differed widely from those that were based on continuous measurements.     

黄土高原冬小麦地N2O排放

从2007年7月1日到2009年6月30日对黄土高原冬小麦地氧化亚氮(N₂O)排放采用静态箱气相色谱法进行了为期2a 的监测。设置2个处理,有小麦田(有小麦生长),无小麦田(出芽初期拔去麦苗)。研究结果表明有小麦田、无小麦田N₂O排放量年际变化不大。有小麦田年均的N₂O 排放量为2.05 kg · N₂O · hm^-2 · a^-1,无小麦田年均的N₂O 排放量为2.28 kg · N₂O · hm^-2 · a^-1 。在冻融交替期,施肥后、翻地后和降雨后无小麦田和有小麦田N₂O排放明显增加,N₂O的季节变化受到这些短期事件的显著影响;有小麦田N₂O排放与地温(P<0.01),气温(P<0.01)和WFPS(P<0.05)显著相关,而无小麦田N₂O排放与这些环境土壤因子都不相关;有小麦田和无小麦田两个处理土壤的WFPS通常都低于60%,可以推断在本地区,硝化反应是N₂O的重要生成源。     

Effects of organic matter incorporation on nitrous oxide emissions from rice-wheat rotation ecosystems in China

Organic matter addition is thought to be an important regulator of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from croplands. Contradictory effects, however, were reported in previous studies. To investigate the effects of crop residue management on N₂O emissions from rice-wheat rotation ecosystems, we conducted field experiments at three sites (Suzhou, Wuxi and Jiangdu) in the Yangtze River Delta, using static chamber and gas chromatography methods. Our data show that N₂O emissions throughout the rice season from plots treated with wheat straw application at a high rate (WS) prior to rice transplanting (1.1–2.0 kg N ha^?1) were significantly lower (P?<?0.05) than those from the control plots without organic matter addition or added with wheat straw at a moderate rate (1.6–2.9 kg N ha^?1). Furthermore, the WS treatments had a residual inhibitory effect on N₂O emissions in the following non-rice season, which consistently resulted in significantly lower emissions (P?<?0.05) compared to the control treatments (2.2–3.1 vs. 3.9–5.6 kg N ha^?1). In comparison to the control treatments, the WS treatments reduced both the seasonal and annual direct emission factors of the applied nitrogen (EF_d) by 50–68% (mean: 57%). The addition of compost (aerobically composted rice or wheat straw harvested in the last rotation) reduced the seasonal and annual EF_ds by 29–32%. Over the entire rice-wheat rotation cycle, annual N₂O emissions from the fertilized fields at the three sites ranged from 3.3?±?0.3 to 16.8?±?0.6 kg N ha^?1, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 61%. Similarly, the EF_ds during the rice-wheat rotation cycle ranged from 0.4% to 2.5%, with a CV of 67%. These high spatial variations might have been related to: variations in soil properties, such as texture and soil organic carbon; management practices, such as straw treatments (i.e., compost versus fresh straw) and weather conditions, such as precipitation and rainfall distribution. Our results indicate that the incorporation of fresh wheat straw at a high rate during the rice season is an effective management practice for the mitigation of N₂O emissions in rice-wheat rotation systems. Whether this practice is also effective in reducing the overall global warming potential of net N₂O, CH₄ and CO₂ emissions needs to be seen through further studies.     

Intensive measurement of nitrous oxide emissions from a corn–soybean–wheat rotation under two contrasting management systems over 5 years

No‐tillage (NT), a practice that has been shown to increase carbon sequestration in soils, has resulted in contradictory effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. Moreover, it is not clear how mitigation practices for N₂O emission reduction, such as applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer according to soil N reserves and matching the time of application to crop uptake, interact with NT practices. N₂O fluxes from two management systems [conventional (CP), and best management practices: NT + reduced fertilizer (BMP)] applied to a corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), winter‐wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotation in Ontario, Canada, were measured from January 2000 to April 2005, using a micrometeorological method. The superimposition of interannual variability of weather and management resulted in mean monthly N₂O fluxes ranging from − 1.9 to 61.3 g N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. Mean annual N₂O emissions over the 5‐year period decreased significantly by 0.79 from 2.19 kg N ha⁻¹ for CP to 1.41 kg N ha⁻¹ for BMP. Growing season (May–October) N₂O emissions were reduced on average by 0.16 kg N ha⁻¹ (20% of total reduction), and this decrease only occurred in the corn year of the rotation. Nongrowing season (November–April) emissions, comprised between 30% and 90% of the annual emissions, mostly due to increased N₂O fluxes during soil thawing. These emissions were well correlated (r²= 0.90) to the accumulated degree‐hours below 0 °C at 5 cm depth, a measure of duration and intensity of soil freezing. Soil management in BMP (NT) significantly reduced N₂O emissions during thaw (80% of total reduction) by reducing soil freezing due to the insulating effects of the larger snow cover plus corn and wheat residue during winter. In conclusion, significant reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions can be obtained when NT is combined with a strategy that matches N application rate and timing to crop needs.     

Nitrous oxide emission from paddy fields in China

The main research results of nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission from paddy fields in China were summarized. Paddy fields are an important source of N₂O emission. Denitrification process exists not only in the upper flooded cultivated layer in paddy fields but also in the underground saturated soil layer. The cropping system with rice–wheat rotation and the water regime with mid-season aeration (MSA) in paddy fields of China are not only the controlling factors of N₂O emission but also the main factors influencing methane (CH₄) emission. There is a trade-off relationship between N₂O and CH₄ emissions from paddy fields. Straw amendment reduced N₂O emission but promoted CH₄ emission. Therefore, effects of both CH₄ and N₂O emissions from rice fields on the global warming potential (GWP) should be taken into consideration when any mitigation options are to be established.     

Nitrous oxide emissions from irrigated wheat in Australia: impact of irrigation management

Plant and Soil - Irrigation management affects soil water dynamics as well as the soil microbial carbon and nitrogen turnover and potentially the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gasses...     

Rooting characteristics of two widely distributed woody plant species growing in different karst habitats of southwest China

A series of studies claimed that deep root development of plant established in karst regions was facilitated by fractured bedrock beneath the shallow soils; however, bedrock is not a uniform medium for root proliferation. We hypothesized plant species that survived in different karst habitats had some other rooting characteristics rather than deep penetration. To test the hypothesis, coarse root systems of two widely distributed woody species (one tree and one shrub) growing in three typical rocky karst habitats (shallow soil, loose rocky soil and exposed rock) were excavated in karst region of southwest China. Root systems were investigated based on four parameters: maximum rooting depth, maximum radial extent, root tapering pattern and root curvature. In all the three habitats, maximum rooting depths were no deeper than 120 and 40 cm for the tree and shrub species, respectively. Maximum radial extents were extremely large compared with maximum rooting depth, indicating that rooting characteristics were dominated by horizontal extension rather than deep penetration. Roots of both species growing in shallow soil habitat tapered gradually and curved slightly, which was consistent with the specific characteristics of this habitat. On the contrary, roots of the tree species growing in the other two habitats tapered rapidly but curved slightly, while roots of the shrub species tapered gradually but curved strongly. It was speculated that limited depths and rapid tapering rates of the tree roots were likely compensated by their utmost radial extensions, while the shrub species might benefit from its root curvature as the associated root tropisms may increase the ability of root to encounter more water and contribute to potentially high resource absorption efficiency. Our results highlight the importance of taking shallow-rooted species into account in understanding the distribution of natural plant communities and predicting future vegetation dynamics in karst regions.     

下辽河平原典型农田融化期氧化亚氮和甲烷排放通量研究

应用静态箱／气相色谱法对下辽河平原典型农田（大豆地、玉米地、水稻田）土壤融化期N2O和CH4排放通量进行了研究。结果表明,在融化期间,3种农田N20排放量均较大,这段时期的农田是大气N2O的一个重要源;3种农田CH4排放不明显,成为大气CH4的汇。在融化期间,农田N2O排放量,旱田CH4排放量与箱内温度间均无显著相关性。而水稻田CH4排放量与箱内温度呈显著负相关,相对于生长季来说,这是土壤融化期间的特定现象。     

Annual nitrous oxide emissions from open-air and greenhouse vegetable cropping systems in China

Aims

A field experiment was conducted to quantify annual nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes from control and fertilized plots under open-air and greenhouse vegetable cropping systems in southeast China. We compiled the reported global field annual N₂O flux measurements to estimate the emission factor of N fertilizer for N₂O and its background emissions from vegetable fields.

Methods

Fluxes of N₂O were measured using static chamber-GC techniques over the 2010–2011 annual cycle with multiple cropping seasons.

Results

The mean annual N₂O fluxes from the controls were 46.1?±?2.3 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 and 68.3?±?4.1 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively. For the plots receiving 900 kg?N?ha^?1, annual N₂O emissions averaged 90.6?±?8.9 μg N₂O-N m^?2 hr^?1 and 106.4?±?6.6 μg N₂O-N?m^?2 hr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively. By pooling published field N₂O flux measurements taken over or close to a full year, the N₂O emission factor for N fertilizer averaged 0.63?±?0.09 %, with a background emission of 2.67?±?0.80 kg N₂O-N ha^?1 in Chinese vegetable fields. Annual N₂O emissions from Chinese vegetable systems were estimated to be 84.7 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1, consisting of 72.5 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1 and 12.2 Gg N₂O-N yr^?1 in the open-air and greenhouse vegetable systems, respectively.

Conclusions

While N₂O emissions from the greenhouse vegetable cropping system tended to be slightly higher compared to the open-air system in our experiment, the synthesis of literature data suggests that N₂O emissions would be greater at low N-rates but smaller at high N-rates in greenhouse systems than in open-air vegetable cropping systems. The estimates of this study suggest that vegetable cropping systems covering 11.4 % in national total cropping area, contributed 21–25 % to the total N₂O emission from Chinese croplands.     

Nitrous oxide emissions from stems of alder,beech and spruce in a temperate forest

Plant and Soil - Global nitrogen deposition alters grassland ecosystems. Whether added nitrogen changes root production and turnover by root orders is unclear. We compared the root dynamics across...     

轮作制度对水稻生长季节稻田氧化亚氮排放的影响

通过盆栽试验(3次重复),研究了3种主要轮作制度对稻田水稻生长季节N₂O排放的影响。结果表明,在水稻-小麦轮作中,水稻生长季节稻田N₂O-N的排放量为4．2kg·hm^-2,显著大于双季稻-小麦轮作中早稻的排放量2．2kg·hm^-2;但两者的季节平均排放通量无明显差异,分别为117和118μg·m^-2·h^-1。同时,两者都显著大于双季稻-小麦中的晚稻和持续淹水体系中的水稻生长季节稻田N20的平均排放通量,分别为67．0和42．1μg·m^-2·h^-1,在前作为旱作小麦的2种水稻生长季节中,大于91％的稻田N2O排放量都集中在水稻生长前半期;在前作为水稻的晚稻生长季节中,稻田N₂O排放量的91％集中在中期烤田及收获前水分落干阶段,轮作制度和前作水分状况极大地影响稻田N2O的排放。     

Annual emissions of nitrous oxide and nitric oxide from rice-wheat rotation and vegetable fields: a case study in the Tai-Lake region, China

Background and aims

Knowledge on nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions from typical cropping systems in the Tai-Lake region is important for estimating regional inventory and proposing effective N₂O and NO mitigation options. This study aimed at a) characterizing the seasonal and annual emissions of both gases from the major cropping systems, and b) determining their direct emission factors (EF_ds) as the key parameters for inventory compilation.

Methods

Measurements of N₂O and NO emissions were conducted year-round in the Tai-Lake region using a static opaque chamber method. The measurements involved a typical rice-wheat rotation ecosystem and a vegetable field. The two types of croplands were subjected to both a fertilized treatment and a control treatment without nitrogen addition. In the rice-wheat ecosystem, N₂O emissions were measured throughout an entire year-round rotation spanning from June 2003 to June 2004, whereas NO emissions were measured only during the non-rice period. In the vegetable field, both N₂O and NO emissions were measured from November 2003 to November 2004.

Results

During the investigation period, the average cumulative N₂O and NO emissions under the fertilized conditions amounted to 3.80 and 0.80 (during the non-rice period for NO) kg?N?ha^?1, respectively, in the rice-wheat field, and 20.81 and 47.13?kg?N ha^?1, respectively, in the vegetable field. The average total N₂O and NO emissions under the control conditions were 1.39 and 0.29 (during the non-rice period for NO) kg?N?ha^?1, respectively, in the rice?wheat rotation, and 2.98 and 0.80?kg?N ha^?1, respectively, in the vegetable field. The direct emission factor (EF_d, which is defined as the loss rate of applied nitrogen via N₂O or NO emissions in the current season or year) of N₂O was annually determined to be 0.56?% in the rice-wheat field, while the seasonal EF_d of NO was 0.34?% during the non-rice period of the rotation cycle. In the vegetable field, the seasonal EF_ds of N₂O and NO varied from 0.15?% to 14.50?% and 0.80?% to 28.21?%, respectively, among different crop seasons; and the annual EF_ds were 1.38?% and 3.59?%, respectively.

Conclusions

This study suggests that conventional vegetable fields associated with intensive synthetic nitrogen application, as well as addition of manure slurry, may substantially contribute to the regional N₂O and NO emissions though they account for a relatively small portion of the farmlands in the Tai-Lake region. However, further studies to be conducted at multiple field sites with conventional vegetable and rice-based fields are needed to test this conclusion.     

Response of ecosystem carbon exchange to warming and nitrogen addition during two hydrologically contrasting growing seasons in a temperate steppe

A large remaining source of uncertainty in global model predictions of future climate is how ecosystem carbon (C) cycle feedbacks to climate change. We conducted a field manipulative experiment of warming and nitrogen (N) addition in a temperate steppe in northern China during two contrasting hydrological growing seasons in 2006 [wet with total precipitation 11.2% above the long‐term mean (348 mm)] and 2007 (dry with total precipitation 46.7% below the long‐term mean). Irrespective of strong intra‐ and interannual variations in ecosystem C fluxes, responses of ecosystem C fluxes to warming and N addition did not change between the two growing seasons, suggesting independence of warming and N responses of net ecosystem C exchange (NEE) upon hydrological variations in the temperate steppe. Warming had no effect on NEE or its two components, gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) and ecosystem respiration (ER), whereas N addition stimulated GEP but did not affect ER, leading to positive responses of NEE. Similar responses of NEE between the two growing seasons were due to changes in both biotic and abiotic factors and their impacts on ER and GEP. In the wet growing season, NEE was positively correlated with soil moisture and forb biomass. Negative effects of warming‐induced water depletion could be ameliorated by higher forb biomass in the warmed plots. N addition increased forb biomass but did not affect soil moisture, leading to positive effect on NEE. In the dry growing season, NEE showed positive dependence on grass biomass but negative dependence on forb biomass. No changes in NEE in response to warming could result from water limitation on both GEP and ER as well as little responses of either grass or forb biomass. N addition stimulated grass biomass but reduced forb biomass, leading to the increase in NEE. Our findings highlight the importance of changes in abiotic (soil moisture, N availability) and biotic (growth of different plant functional types) in mediating the responses of NEE to climatic warming and N enrichment in the semiarid temperate steppe in northern China.     

Nitrous oxide emissions in the Shanghai river network: implications for the effects of urban sewage and IPCC methodology

Global nitrogen (N) enrichment has resulted in increased nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission that greatly contributes to climate change and stratospheric ozone destruction, but little is known about the N₂O emissions from urban river networks receiving anthropogenic N inputs. We examined N₂O saturation and emission in the Shanghai city river network, covering 6300 km², over 27 months. The overall mean saturation and emission from 87 locations was 770% and 1.91 mg N₂O‐N m^?2 d^?1, respectively. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) saturation did not exhibit a clear seasonality, but the temporal pattern was co‐regulated by both water temperature and N loadings. Rivers draining through urban and suburban areas receiving more sewage N inputs had higher N₂O saturation and emission than those in rural areas. Regression analysis indicated that water ammonium (NH₄⁺) and dissolved oxygen (DO) level had great control on N₂O production and were better predictors of N₂O emission in urban watershed. About 0.29 Gg N₂O‐N yr^?1 N₂O was emitted from the Shanghai river network annually, which was about 131% of IPCC's prediction using default emission values. Given the rapid progress of global urbanization, more study efforts, particularly on nitrification and its N₂O yielding, are needed to better quantify the role of urban rivers in global riverine N₂O emission.     

Comparison of leaf water use efficiency of oak and sycamore in the canopy over two growing seasons

The seasonal trends in water use efficiency of sun and shade leaves of mature oak (Quercus robur) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) trees were assessed in the upper canopy of an English woodland. Intrinsic water use efficiency (net CO₂ assimilation rate/leaf conductance, A/g) was measured by gas exchange and inferred from C isotope discrimination (δ¹³C) methods. Shade leaves had consistently lower δ¹³C than sun leaves (by 1–2‰), the difference being larger in sycamore. Buds had distinct sun and shade isotopic signatures before bud break and received an influx of ¹³C-rich C before becoming net autotrophs. After leaf full expansion, δ¹³C declined by 1–2‰ gradually through the season, emphasising the importance of imported carbon in the interpretation of leaf δ¹³C values in perennial species. There was no significant difference between the two species in the value of intrinsic water use efficiency for either sun or shade leaves. For sun leaves, season-long A/g calculated from δ¹³C (72–78 μmol CO₂ [mol H₂O]⁻¹) was 10–16% higher than that obtained from gas exchange and in situ estimates of leaf boundary layer conductance. For shade leaves, the gas exchange–derived values were low, only 10–18% of the δ¹³C-derived values. This is ascribed to difficulties in obtaining a comprehensive sample of gas exchange measurements in the rapidly changing light environment.     

Non-dominant trees significantly enhance species richness of epiphytic lichens in subtropical forests of southwest China

Host species has an important influence on the distribution of epiphytic lichens in forests. However, the importance of non-dominant trees in shaping lichen communities has been poorly studied owing to the relative rarity of individuals. The importance of dominant and non-dominant trees for distribution of epiphytic lichens was determined in eight subtropical forests in southwestern China. Dominant trees supported more abundant total and exclusive lichen species only in secondary forests. The occurrence of non-dominant trees promoted lichen diversity within forest types and influenced lichen communities on both tree groups. The effects of total tree species on lichen distribution largely resulted from the presence of non-dominant trees. Dominant and non-dominant trees supported distinct lichen assemblages within forest types, and ordination analyses showed a clear separation. Our study, therefore, reinforces the importance of non-dominant trees for conserving epiphytic lichens, and highlights that lichen assemblages are shaped by both dominant and non-dominant trees.