Abstract
Leaf nitrogen nutrition of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) was investigated at three positions along a slope over a period of 3 years. At each slope position, nitrogen properties were compared in patch-cut plots (0.06–0.09 ha) and uncut control plots (0.04 ha). Nitrogen cycling at the lower slope was characterized by a higher rate of soil nitrogen mineralization, and higher nitrogen concentration in fresh leaves and leaf-litter. The soil nitrogen mineralization rate and fresh-leaf nitrogen concentration in the patch-cut plots were higher than those in the control plots. However, leaf-litter nitrogen concentration did not differ between the patch-cut and control plots. The results suggest that slope position strongly affects leaf nitrogen nutrition of hinoki cypress and soil nitrogen availability. By contrast, patch cutting does not affect leaf-litter nitrogen concentration. These findings indicated that hinoki cypress would not enhance forest nitrogen cycling through changes in leaf-litter nitrogen concentration after patch cutting.
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Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the staff of Kamigamo Experimental Station, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, for their valuable assistance with this study. This study was partially financially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 17580127) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.
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Nakanishi, A., Inagaki, Y., Osawa, N. et al. Effects of patch cutting on leaf nitrogen nutrition in hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) at different elevations along a slope in Japan. J For Res 14, 388–393 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0145-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-009-0145-5