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Differential Effects of Oxidised and Reduced Nitrogen on Vegetation and Soil Chemistry of Species-Rich Acidic Grasslands

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Abstract

Emissions and deposition of ammonia and nitrogen oxides have strongly increased since the 1950s. This has led to significant changes in the nitrogen (N) cycle, vegetation composition and plant diversity in many ecosystems of high conservation value in Europe. As a consequence of different regional pollution levels and of the increased importance of reduced N in the near future, determining the effect of different forms of N is an important task for understanding the consequences of atmospheric N inputs. We have initiated three replicated N addition experiments in species-rich, acidic grasslands spanning a climatic gradient in the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe in Norway, Wales and France at sites with low levels of pollution. N was added in two doses (0 and 70 kg N ha−1 year−1 above background) and in three forms (oxidised N, reduced N and a 50–50 combination). After 2.5 years of N additions, the effects of these treatments on plant biomass, plant nutritional status, soil pH and soil nutrient availability were determined. Impacts of the N additions were observed within the 2.5-year research period. In some cases, the first signs of differential effects of N form could also be demonstrated. In the French site, for example, grass biomass was significantly increased by the oxidised N treatments but decreased by the reduced N treatments. In the Norwegian site, the reduced N treatments significantly reduced soil pH, whereas oxidised N did not. Effects on nutrient availability were also observed. These experiments will be continued to elucidate the longer term impacts of N deposition on these grasslands.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded by the European Science Foundation through the EURODIVERSITY-programme, and national funds were provided by DfG (Germany), NERC (United Kingdom) and NWO (The Netherlands) and INRA, ADEME and Aquitane Region (France). We are grateful to Western AG innovations, everyone who assisted with field and laboratory work, and conservation agencies and land owners who gave permission to run this experiment on their property.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O.Box 1072, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    Edu Dorland

  2. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Carly J. Stevens

  3. UMR INRA 1202 Biodiversity, Genes and Communities, Equipe Ecologie des Communautés, University of Bordeaux 1, Bâtiment B8 - Avenue des Facultés, 33405, Talence, France

    Cassandre Gaudnik, Emmanuel Corcket & Didier Alard

  4. Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Suzanne Rotthier

  5. Department of Environment, Earth and Ecosystems, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK

    Katherine Wotherspoon & David J. G. Gowing

  6. Department of Biology, Ecological & Environmental Change Research Group, University of Bergen, P.O. Box 7800, 5020, Bergen, Norway

    Mari Jokerud & Vigdis Vandvik

  7. Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Merel B. Soons & Mariet M. Hefting

  8. Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485, Trondheim, Norway

    Per Arild Aarrestad

  9. Institute of Ecology, FB 2, University of Bremen, Leobener Str., 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Martin Diekmann & Cecilia Duprè

  10. School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

    Nancy B. Dise

  11. B-WARE Research Centre, Radboud University, PO Box 6558, 6503 GB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Roland Bobbink

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  1. Edu Dorland
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  2. Carly J. Stevens
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  13. Martin Diekmann
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  15. Nancy B. Dise
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  16. David J. G. Gowing
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  17. Roland Bobbink
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Correspondence to Carly J. Stevens.

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Edu Dorland and Carly J. Stevens contributed equally to this paper.

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Dorland, E., Stevens, C.J., Gaudnik, C. et al. Differential Effects of Oxidised and Reduced Nitrogen on Vegetation and Soil Chemistry of Species-Rich Acidic Grasslands. Water Air Soil Pollut 224, 1664 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-013-1664-4

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