Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fluxes, stocks and availability of nitrogen in evergreen broadleaf and fir forests: similarities and differences

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, nitrogen fluxes or flows in litterfall, nitrogen stocks and available nitrogen in soils of two plots representing evergreen broadleaf and Bulgarian fir forests were assessed. Both plots are in good quality sites and for this reason, the litterfall quantities and nitrogen fluxes were relatively high. The woody litterfall flux of nitrogen was significantly higher in the fir forest than in the evergreen broadleaf one. The total nitrogen stock was higher in the soil under the fir forest. However, the percentage of the available nitrogen (ammonium + nitrates) was significantly higher in the upper 20 cm soil layer of the evergreen broadleaf forest in spite of the higher average C/N ratios in the foliar litterfall of the broadleaf forest and insignificant difference of the C/N ratios in all soil layers of the two ecosystems. The microclimatic conditions (higher soil temperatures in the evergreen broadleaf forest) is probable possible cause for this difference. The available nitrogen in the soils and its retranslocation from senescing leaves cover the nitrogen requirements of trees. It is hypothesized that trees may also take up nitrogen from deeper soil layers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aerts R (1997) Climate, leaf litter chemistry and leaf decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems: a triangular relationship. Oikos 79:439–449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albrektson A (1988) Needle litterfall in stands of Pinus sylvestris L. in Sweden, in relation to site quality, stand age and latitude. Scand J For Res 3:333–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Dechil A, Ghorbel A, Boubacker T (2014) Direct determination of nitrate in natural water by ultraviolet first derivative spectrophotometry. Anal Chem Indian J 14:318–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Benton Jones J Jr (2001) Laboratory guide for conducting soil tests and plant analysis. CRC Press, London, p 363

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bussotti F, Borghini F, Celesti C, Leonzio C, Cozzi A, Bettini D, Ferretti M (2003) Leaf shedding, crown condition and element return in two mixed holm oak forests in Tuscany, central Italy. For Ecol Manag 176:273–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carlyle JC (1986) Nitrogen cycling in forested ecosystems. For Abstr 5:307–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole DW, Rapp M (1981) Elemental cycling in forest ecosystems. In: Reichle DE (ed) Dynamic properties of forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 341–409

    Google Scholar 

  • Cools N, Vesterdal L, De Vos B, Vanguelova E, Kansen K (2014) Tree species is the major factor explaining C:N ratios in European forest soils. For Ecol Manag 311:3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dallman PR (1998) Plant life in the world’s Mediterranean climates. University of California Press, Berkley, Los Angeles, p 258

    Google Scholar 

  • Dannenmann M, Gasche R, Ledebuhr A, Papen H (2006) Effects of forest management on soil N cycling in beech forests stocking on calcareous soils. Plant Soil 287:279–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davidson EA, Savage K, Bolstad P, Clark DA, Curtis PS, Ellsworthe DS, Hanson PJ, Law BE, Luo Y, Pregitzeri KS, Randolphj JC, Zak D (2002) Belowground carbon allocation in forests estimated from litterfall and IRGA-based soil respiration measurements. Agric For Meteorol 113:39–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO-UNESCO (1988) Soil map of the world. FAO, UNESCO, Rome, p 119

    Google Scholar 

  • Farina A, Piergallini R, Doldo A, Salsano EP, Abballe F (1991) The determination of C-H-N by an automated elemental analyzer. Microchem J 43:181–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finer L (1996) Variation in the amount and quality of litterfall in a Pinus sylvestris L. stand growing on a bog. For Ecol Manag 80:1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gundersen P, Callesen I, de Vries W (1998) Nitrate leaching in forest ecosystems is related to forest floor C/N ratios. Environ Pollut 102:403–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guntiňas ME, Leirós Trasar-Cepeda C, Gil-Sotres F (2012) Effects of moisture and temperature on net soil nitrogen mineralization: a laboratory study. Eur J Soil Biol 48:73–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen K, Vesterdal L, Schmidt IK, Gundersen P, Sevel L, Bastrup-Birk A, Pedersen LP, Hansen JB (2009) Litterfall and nutrient return in five tree species in a common garden experiment. For Ecol Manag 257:2133–2144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyle FC, Murphy DV, Fillery IRP (2006) Temperature and stubble management influence microbial CO2 -C evolution and gross N transformation rates. Soil Biol Biochem 38:71–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jílková V, Straková P, Frouz J (2020) Foliage C:N ratio, stage of organic matter decomposition and interaction with soil affect microbial respiration and its response to C and N addition more than C:N changes during decomposition. Appl Soil Ecol 152:103568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keeney DR (1980) Prediction of soil nitrogen availability in forest ecosystems: a literature review. For Sci 1:159–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouki J, Hokkanen T (1992) Long-term needle litterfall of a Scots pine Pinus sylvestris stand: relation to temperature factors. Oecologia 89:176–181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller WP, Miller DM (1987) A micro-pipette method for soil mechanical analysis. Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal 18:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miller JC, Miller JN (1988) Statistics for analytical chemistry, 2nd edn. Ellis Horwood Limited, Chichester, p 227

    Google Scholar 

  • Nambiar EKS, Fife DN (1991) Nutrient retranslocation in temperate conifers. Tree Physiol 9:185–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Portillo-Estrada M, Korhonen FJ, Pihlatie M, Pumpanen J, Frumau Arnoud KF, Moril L, Tosens T, Niinemets U (2013) Inter-and intra-annual variations in canopy fine litterfall and carbon and nitrogen inputs to the forest floor in two European coniferous forests. Ann For Sci 70:367–379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman MM, Tsukamoto J, Rahman MM, Yoneyama A, Mostafa KM (2013) Lignin and its effects on litter decomposition in forest ecosystems. Chem Ecol 29:540–553

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raich JW, Nadelhoffer KJ (1989) Belowground carbon allocation in forest ecosystems: global trends. Ecology 70:1346–1354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapp M, Regina IS, Rico M, Gallego HA (1999) Biomass, nutrient content, litterfall and nutrient return to the soil in Mediterranean oak forests. For Ecol Manag 119:39–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rennenberg H, Dannenmann M (2015) Nitrogen nutrition of trees in temperate forests-the significance of nitrogen availability in the pedosphere and atmosphere. Forests 6:2820–2835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rennenberg H, Dannenmann M, Gessler A, Kreuzwieser J, Simon J, Papen H (2009) Nitrogen balance in forests: nutritional limitation of plants under climate change stresses. Plant Biol 11:4–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayer EJ (2006) Using experimental manipulation to assess the roles of leaf litter in the functioning of forest ecosystems. Biol Rev 81:1–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UN-ICP-Forests (2020) International Co-operative Programme on assessment and monitoring of air pollution effects on forests operating under the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). www.ICP-Forests.org

  • Vesterdal L, Schmidt IK, Callesen I, Nilson LO, Gundersen P (2008) Carbon and nitrogen in forest floor and mineral soil under six common European tree species. For Ecol Manag 255:35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vesterdal L, Clarke N, Sigurdsson BD, Gundersen P (2013) Do tree species influence soil carbon stocks in temperate and boreal forests? For Ecol Manag 30:4–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Farrington H (1997) Nutrient limitation and soil development: experimental test of a biogeochemical theory. Biogeochemistry 37:63–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu S, Liu LL, Sayer EJ (2013) Variability of above-ground litter inputs alters soil physicochemical and biological processes: a meta-analysis of litterfall-manipulation experiments. Biogeosciences 10:7423–7433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou G, Xu S, Ciais P, Manzoni S, Fang J, Yu G, Tang X, Zhou P, Wang W, Yan J, Wang G, Ma K, Li S, Du S, Han S, Ma Y, Zhang D, Liu J, Liu S, Chu G, Zhang Q, Li Y, Huang W, Ren H, Lu X, Chen X (2019) Climate and litter C/N ratio constrain soil organic carbon accumulation. Natl Sci Rev 6:746–757

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors express their appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Environment and the European Commission, which financially sustain the programme “Effects of Atmospheric Pollutants on Forest Ecosystems” on the framework of which the current project was based, and Mrs. Ch. Mitropoulou for her help with sample pretreatment and analysis. Finally, the authors express their gratitude to the Forest Services of Karpenisi and Amfilochia for their invaluable practical assistance with the problems encountered.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. H.A.O. DEMETER-Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Terma Alkmanos, 115 28, Athens, Greece

    Panagiotis Michopoulos, Athanassios Bourletsikas & Kostas Kaoukis

Authors
  1. Panagiotis Michopoulos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Athanassios Bourletsikas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kostas Kaoukis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Panagiotis Michopoulos.

Additional information

Corresponding editor: Zhu Hong

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Project funding

This work was supported financially by the Programme of “Effects of Atmospheric Pollutants on Forest Ecosystems” from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Greek Ministry of Environment and the European Commission.

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Michopoulos, P., Bourletsikas, A. & Kaoukis, K. Fluxes, stocks and availability of nitrogen in evergreen broadleaf and fir forests: similarities and differences. J. For. Res. 32, 2059–2066 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-020-01263-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-020-01263-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation