Characterisation of the type and extent of nutrient limitation in grassland vegetation using a bioassay with intact sods

Olff, Han; Pegtel, D. M.

doi:10.1007/bf00007971

Cited by 41 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Mean values (n = 4) are given (for the sake of clarity in this table, SD/SE are not shown as these values have already been shown in Table 1 and Figs 1 and 3). The TEP for P was calculated for a scenario in which P accumulation in the heath is maximal (assuming deposition 0·5 kg ha −1 year −1 , leaching control/increased leaching 0 kg ha heathland soils but also the sorption of orthophosphate in the A-and B-horizons (Olff & Pegtel 1994). In some cases, the recovery of vegetation on sites subjected to prescribed burning and sod-cutting may be retarded for 1 or more years (Diemont & Linthorst Homan 1989;Dorland et al 2003) and leaching rates thus remain increased for more than 1 year.…”

Section:    mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

Härdtle

Niemeyer

et al. 2006

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary 1.Atmospheric nutrient deposition has contributed to widespread changes in heathlands throughout Europe. As a consequence, management is now being considered as a potential tool with which to compensate for increased nutrient loads. Currently, only limited information is available on the extent to which management measures could compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition. We hypothesized that low-intensity management measures are not sufficient to counterbalance current nutrient inputs, particularly of nitrogen (N). 2. In order to improve heathland management schemes, we evaluated the effectiveness of different management measures in reducing the impact of ongoing atmospheric nutrient loads. We compared the effects of mowing, prescribed burning (low-intensity management) and sod-cutting (high-intensity management) on heathland nutrient budgets [N, calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P)] in the Lueneburg Heath nature reserve (north-west Germany). Nutrient balances were calculated by analysing the present-day input, the output as a result of the removal of biomass/humus horizons, and changes in leaching rates. 3. Nutrient losses by increased leaching following management measures were negligible compared with nutrient losses caused by the removal of above-ground biomass or humus horizons. The total quantities of nutrients removed by sod-cutting were equivalent to between 37 and 176 years of atmospheric input (for N, 89 years). 4. In contrast, the quantities of N removed by mowing and prescribed burning were equivalent to only 5 years of atmospheric input. Thus, heathlands subjected to such treatments will accumulate N in the long term. In addition, output-input ratios for phosphorus (P) exceeded those for N in the mowing and sod-cutting experiments. It is therefore likely that heathlands currently (co-) limited by N will shift to being more Plimited in the long term. This will promote species that are well adapted to P-limited sites (e.g. Molinia caerulea ). 5. Synthesis and applications . This study shows that low-intensity management cannot compensate for atmospheric N loads in the long term. Consequently, high-intensity management measures are an indispensable tool in preserving a long-term balanced N budget in heathlands. In order to maintain a diverse structure, managers need to combine low-and high-intensity management measures. Prescribed burning proved to be the best means of avoiding an increasing P shortage, because this measure causes very low P outputs.

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Section:    mentioning

confidence: 99%

Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

Härdtle

Niemeyer

et al. 2006

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…If plant diversity is maintained by highdimensional tradeoffs among species in their abilities to compete for multiple limiting factors, then species diversity should be a function of the number of niches or limiting factors (Olff and Pegtel 1994). Additionally, reducing the number of limiting factors should reduce the number of coexisting species (Harpole and Tilman 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A test of the niche dimension hypothesis in an arid annual grassland

Suding

2010

Oecologia

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The niche dimension hypothesis predicts that greater numbers of limiting factors can allow greater numbers of species to coexist through species' tradeoffs for different limiting factors. A prediction that follows is that addition of multiple limiting resources to plant communities will increase productivity and simultaneously decrease diversity. Species loss due to limiting resource enrichment might occur through reducing the number of resources that species compete for or by changing the identity of limiting factors. We tested these predictions of the niche dimension hypothesis in an arid annual grassland by adding combinations of nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium with other elements (O). We found that species number decreased while biomass increased with greater numbers of added resources. In particular, N in combinations with P or O resulted in the greatest species loss, while biomass increased super-additively with N and P together. The addition of greater numbers of added nutrients decreased the availability of light and soil moisture, consistent with a potential shift in the identity of limiting resources. Species also differed in their responses to different combinations of N, P, and O, supporting predictions of resource-ratio tradeoffs. These results are particularly notable because this experiment was conducted during a drought year in an arid grassland (226 mm annual rainfall), which might have been expected to be water-rather than nutrient-limited. Our results support the hypothesis that plant diversity may be maintained by high-dimensional tradeoffs among species in their abilities to compete for multiple limiting factors.

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“…Eutrophication is the process of nutrient-enrichment, causing a shift from low-productive and species-rich meadows towards highly productive and species-poor meadow (Grootjans et al 1985(Grootjans et al , 1986Oomes et al 1996). More specific: enrichment with nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and/or potassium (K) may cause such a shift since the vegetation in European meadows is generally growth-limited by one or more of these nutrients (Olff and Pegtel 1994;Verhoeven et al 1996;van Duren et al 1997;Olde Venterink et al 2002). Atmospheric N-deposition, and increased soil nutrient release rates through altered site conditions are important sources of nutrient enrichment (Koerselman and Verhoeven 1992;Olde Venterink et al 2002b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Nutrient Contamination of Groundwater Causing Eutrophication of Groundwater-Fed Meadows?

et al. 2005

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There is an ongoing debate as to whether nutrient contamination of groundwater under agricultural fields may cause nutrient-enrichment and subsequent eutrophication in discharge areas. Often, there is only circumstantial evidence to support this supposition (proximity of agricultural fields, direction of water flow, highly productive vegetation). Research on solute transport along a flow path is necessary to evaluate the risk for eutrophication. In this paper we present results of such a study. Two transects were established in a discharge meadow, a few meters downstream from fertilized cornfields. Highly productive vegetation in parts of the meadow suggested nutrient-enrichment caused by inflow of contaminated groundwater. This supposition was supported by an analysis of groundwater flow paths, residence times and chloride as tracer for pollution. However, the fate of nutrients along the flow path indicated otherwise. While we found high concentrations of DIN (dissolved inorganic nitrogen), P and K under the cornfields, DIN and P concentrations drop below detection limit when groundwater enters the meadow. Only K progressed into the meadow but did not enter the root zone. We conclude that (1) polluted groundwater from the cornfields did not cause the nutrientenrichment, as indicated by the highly productive vegetation. Restoration projects in discharge areas should not focus upon measures in upstream areas if only circumstantial evidence is available. Solute transport should be considered as well. (2) Because K clearly showed to be the most mobile nutrient, its importance for nutrientenrichment in discharge wetlands merits more attention in future research.

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Characterisation of the type and extent of nutrient limitation in grassland vegetation using a bioassay with intact sods

Cited by 41 publications

References 27 publications

Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

Can management compensate for atmospheric nutrient deposition in heathland ecosystems?

A test of the niche dimension hypothesis in an arid annual grassland

Is Nutrient Contamination of Groundwater Causing Eutrophication of Groundwater-Fed Meadows?

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