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Physiological responses to nitrogen and sulphur addition and raised temperature in Sphagnum balticum

  • Physiological ecology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Sphagnum, the main genus which forms boreal peat, is strongly affected by N and S deposition and raised temperature, but the physiological mechanisms behind the responses are largely unknown. We measured maximum photosynthetic rate (NPmax), maximum efficiency of photosystem II [variable fluorescence (Fv)/maximum fluorescence yield (Fm)] and concentrations of N, C, chlorophyll and carotenoids as responses to N and S addition and increased temperature in Sphagnum balticum (a widespread species in the northern peatlands) in a 12-year factorial experiment. NPmax did not differ between control (0.2 g N m−2 year−1) and high N (3.0 g N m−2 year−1), but was higher in the mid N treatment (1.5 g N m−2 year−1). N, C, carotenoids and chlorophyll concentration increased in shoot apices after N addition. Fv/Fm did not differ between N treatments. Increased temperature (+3.6°C) had a small negative effect on N concentration, but had no significant effect on NPmax or Fv/Fm. Addition of 2 g S m−2 year−1 showed a weak negative effect on NPmax and Fv/Fm. Our results suggest a unimodal response of NPmax to N addition and tissue N concentration in S. balticum, with an optimum N concentration for photosynthetic rate of ~13 mg N g−1. In conclusion, high S deposition may reduce photosynthetic capacity in Sphagnum, but the negative effects may be relaxed under high N availability. We suggest that previously reported negative effects on Sphagnum productivity under high N deposition are not related to negative effects on the photosynthetic apparatus, but differences in optimum N concentration among Sphagnum species may affect their competitive ability under different N deposition regimes.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Urban Gunnarsson, Håkan Rydin, and Annika Nordin for helpful comments on this paper and Mats Nilsson for letting us use the experimental plots. Funding for this project was provided by Formas and VR (grants to Håkan Rydin). All experiments comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden

    Gustaf Granath

  2. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden

    Magdalena M. Wiedermann

  3. Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    Joachim Strengbom

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  1. Gustaf Granath
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  2. Magdalena M. Wiedermann
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  3. Joachim Strengbom
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Correspondence to Gustaf Granath.

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Communicated by Hermann Heilmeier.

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Granath, G., Wiedermann, M.M. & Strengbom, J. Physiological responses to nitrogen and sulphur addition and raised temperature in Sphagnum balticum . Oecologia 161, 481–490 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-009-1406-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-009-1406-x

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