Exposure to nitrogen does not eliminate N2 fixation in the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. |
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Authors: | Kathrin Rousk Davey L. Jones Thomas H. DeLuca |
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Affiliation: | 1. School of Environment, Natural Resources & Geography, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK 2. Section of Microbial Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden 3. School of Environment and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA, USA
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Abstract: | Background and aims The feather moss Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt. is colonized by cyanobacteria, which fix substantial amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) in pristine and N-poor ecosystems. Cyanobacterial N2 fixation is inhibited by N deposition. However, the threshold of N input that leads to the inhibition of N2 fixation has not been adequately investigated. Further, the ability of N2 fixation to recover in mosses from high N deposition areas has not been studied to date. Methods We conducted two laboratory studies in which we (1) applied a range of concentrations of N as NH4NO3 to mosses from low N-deposition areas, and (2) we deprived mosses from a high N-deposition area of N to test their ability to recover N2 fixation. Results Higher addition rates (up to 10 kg N ha?1) did not systematically inhibit N2 fixation in P. schreberi. Conversely, upon weeks of N deprivation of mosses from a high N environment, N2 fixation rates increased. Conclusions The threshold of total N deposition above which N2 fixation in P. schreberi is inhibited is likely to be > 10 kg N ha?1. Further, cyanobacteria are able to recover from high N inputs and are able to fix atmospheric N2 after a period of N deprivation. |
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