Nitrogen and calcium additions increase forest growth in northeastern USA spruce–fir forests

Kulmatiski, Andrew; Vogt, Kristiina A.; Vogt, Daniel J.; Wargo, Phillip M. WargoP.M.; Tilley, Joel P.; Siccama, Thomas G.; Sigurðardóttir, Ragnhildur; Ludwig, Dirk LudwigD.

doi:10.1139/x07-040

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…b and ) but vary three‐fold in their responses to N enrichment, corroborating evidence that continued anthropogenic increases in soil N will lead to greater community productivity (Kulmatiski et al. , LeBauer and Treseder ) and lower species richness through competitive exclusion of less nitrophilic species (Bobbink et al. , De Schrijver et al.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 58%

Phylogeny is a powerful tool for predicting plant biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment

Wooliver

Marion

Peterson

et al. 2017

Ecology

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Abstract. Increasing rates of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) enrichment to soils often lead to the dominance of nitrophilic plant species and reduce plant diversity in natural ecosystems. Yet, we lack a framework to predict which species will be winners or losers in soil N enrichment scenarios, a framework that current literature suggests should integrate plant phylogeny, functional tradeoffs, and nutrient co-limitation. Using a controlled fertilization experiment, we quantified biomass responses to N enrichment for 23 forest tree species within the genus Eucalyptus that are native to Tasmania, Australia. Based on previous work with these species' responses to global change factors and theory on the evolution of plant resource-use strategies, we hypothesized that (1) growth responses to N enrichment are phylogenetically structured, (2) species with more resource-acquisitive functional traits have greater growth responses to N enrichment, and (3) phosphorus (P) limits growth responses to N enrichment differentially across species, wherein P enrichment increases growth responses to N enrichment more in some species than others. We built a hierarchical Bayesian model estimating effects of functional traits (specific leaf area, specific stem density, and specific root length) and P fertilization on species' biomass responses to N, which we then compared between lineages to determine whether phylogeny explains variation in responses to N. In concordance with literature on N limitation, a majority of species responded strongly and positively to N enrichment. Mean responses ranged three-fold, from 6.21 (E. pulchella) to 16.87 (E. delegatensis) percent increases in biomass per g NÁm À2 Áyr À1 added. We identified a strong difference in responses to N between two phylogenetic lineages in the Eucalyptus subgenus Symphyomyrtus, suggesting that shared ancestry explains variation in N limitation. However, our model indicated that after controlling for phylogenetic non-independence, eucalypt responses to N were not associated with functional traits (although post-hoc analyses show a phylogenetic pattern in specific root length similar to that of responses to N), nor were responses differentially limited by P. Overall, our model results suggest that phylogeny is a powerful predictor of winners and losers in anthropogenic N enrichment scenarios in Tasmanian eucalypts, which may have implications for other species.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 58%

Phylogeny is a powerful tool for predicting plant biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment

Wooliver

Marion

Peterson

et al. 2017

Ecology

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“…Within this same watershed, Green et al (2013) found that stream flow was increased due to reduced rates of evapotranspiration for three years, before returning to pre-treatment levels. They attributed this to increased aboveground productivity due to the short term correction of a nutrient imbalance, as found in other studies (e.g., Kulmatiski et al, 2007).…”

supporting

confidence: 68%

High elevation watersheds in the southern Appalachians: Indicators of sensitivity to acidic deposition and the potential for restoration through liming

Knoepp

Vose

Jackson

et al. 2016

Forest Ecology and Management

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elevation watersheds in the southern Appalachians: Indicators of sensitivity to acidic deposition and the potential for restoration through liming" (2016 . We studied three 3rd order watersheds (North River in Cherokee National Forest, Santeetlah Creek in Nantahala National Forest, and North Fork of the French Broad in Pisgah National Forest) and selected four to six 1st order catchments within each watershed to represent a gradient in elevation (849-1526 m) and a range in acidic stream ANC values (11-50 leq L À1 ). Our objectives were to (1) identify biotic, physical and chemical catchment parameters that could be used as indices of stream ANC, pH and Ca:Al molar ratios and (2) estimate the lime required to restore catchments from the effects of excess acidity and increase base cation availability. We quantified each catchment's biotic, physical, and chemical characteristics and collected stream, O-horizon, and mineral soil samples for chemical analysis seasonally for one year. Using repeated measures analysis, we examined variability in stream chemistry and catchment characteristics; we used a nested split-plot design to identify catchment characteristics that were correlated with stream chemistry. Watersheds differed significantly and the catchments sampled provided a wide range of stream chemical, biotic, physical and chemical characteristics. Variability in stream ANC, pH, and Ca:Al molar ratio were significantly correlated with catchment vegetation characteristics (basal area, tree height, and tree diameter) as well as O-horizon nitrogen and aluminum concentrations. Total soil carbon and calcium (an indicator of parent material), were significant covariates for stream ANC, pH and Ca:Al molar ratios. Lime requirement estimates did not differ among watersheds but this data will help select catchments for future restoration and lime application studies. Not surprisingly, this work found many vegetation and chemical characteristics that were useful indicators of stream acidity. However, some expected relationships such as concentrations of mineral soil extractable Ca and SO 4 were not significant. This suggests that an extensive test of these indicators across the southern Appalachians will be required to identify high elevation forested catchments that would benefit from restoration activities.Published by Elsevier B.V.

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“…Magill et al ., ), decreasing total photosynthetic surface area (e.g. Kulmatiski et al ., ), modifying tissue allocation patterns (e.g. Talhelm et al ., ), or increasing allocation of C from photosynthesis to acquire N from the environment (e.g.…”

Section: How Does N Limitation Occur At the Individual Scale?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen limitation on land: how can it occur in Earth system models?

Thomas

Brookshire

Gerber

2015

Global Change Biology

137

123

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The representation of the nitrogen (N) cycle in Earth system models (ESMs) is strongly motivated by the constraint N poses on the sequestration of anthropogenic carbon (C). Models typically implement a stoichiometric relationship between C and N in which external supply and assimilation by organisms are adjusted to maintain their internal stoichiometry. N limitation of primary productivity thus occurs if the N supply from uptake and fixation cannot keep up with the construction of tissues allowed by C assimilation. This basic approach, however, presents considerable challenges in how to faithfully represent N limitation. Here, we review how N limitation is currently implemented and evaluated in ESMs and highlight challenges and opportunities in their future development. At or near steady state, N limitation is governed by the magnitude of losses from the plant-unavailable pool vs. N fixation and there are considerable differences in how models treat both processes. In nonsteady-state systems, the accumulation of N in pools with slow turnover rates reduces N available for plant uptake and can be challenging to represent when initializing ESM simulations. Transactional N limitation occurs when N is incorporated into various vegetation and soil pools and becomes available to plants only after it is mineralized, the dynamics of which depends on how ESMs represent decomposition processes in soils. Other challenges for ESMs emerge when considering seasonal to interannual climatic oscillations as they create asynchronies between C and N demand, leading to transient alternations between N surplus and deficit. Proper evaluation of N dynamics in ESMs requires conceptual understanding of the main levers that trigger N limitation, and we highlight key measurements and observations that can help constrain these levers. Two of the biggest challenges are the mechanistic representation of plant controls on N availability and turnover, including N fixation and organic matter decomposition processes.

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Nitrogen and calcium additions increase forest growth in northeastern USA spruce–fir forests

Cited by 17 publications

References 57 publications

Phylogeny is a powerful tool for predicting plant biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment

Phylogeny is a powerful tool for predicting plant biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment

High elevation watersheds in the southern Appalachians: Indicators of sensitivity to acidic deposition and the potential for restoration through liming

Nitrogen limitation on land: how can it occur in Earth system models?

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