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Causes for the small scale variability of nitrate concentration in seepage water of an N saturated mature spruce stand

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Abstract

Context

In N-saturated forests nitrate concentrations in seepage water (\( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \)) regularly show high spatial variability even within homogeneous stands. Up to now the reasons of this variability are not fully understood.

Aims

The main objective was to identify the crucial parameters that control spatial variability of \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \) at the Höglwald site.

Methods

We investigated a multitude of parameters (e.g. N turnover, root biomass, soil chemistry, soil physics, stand parameters) and related them to \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \), measured in 40 cm depth with suction cups.

Results

A small number of biological parameters (net N mineralization, root distribution, and stand density) explained up to 93 % of the variability of \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \) in linear regression models. Net N-mineralization rates in the humus layer and fine root biomass in the upper mineral soil influenced \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \) positively. Fine root biomass in deeper soil layers (30–40 cm depth) and stand density had a negative influence.

Conclusion

The rate of net N mineralization in the organic layer is decisive for the nitrate production in the soil. Roots in the upper mineral soil increase \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \) by intensive water uptake but excluding nitrate at the same time. The variation of these two parameters is responsible for most of the small-scale variability of \( {\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_3}{^{ - }_{\text{seepage}}} \).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Wendelin Weis, Verena Rotter, Manuela Theobald, Christine Pfab, Rita Heibl, Wolfgang Petrik, Daniel Glaser, and Rasmus Ettl for support during plot installation and sampling and for performing the laboratory analysis. We thank Dan Morowitz for proofreading the manuscript.

Funding

The authors thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for funding the presented investigation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fachgebiet für Waldernährung und Wasserhaushalt, Department für Ökologie, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan, TU-München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany

    Michael Kohlpaintner, Christian Huber & Axel Göttlein

  2. Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK), Atmospheric Environmental Research (IFU), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Boris Matejek

Authors
  1. Michael Kohlpaintner
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  2. Christian Huber
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  3. Boris Matejek
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  4. Axel Göttlein
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christian Huber.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Erwin Dreyer

Contribution of the co-authors

Michael Kohlpaintner: all field and laboratory measurements except nitrification and mineralisation rates, which were made by Boris Matejek. Michael Kohlpaintner and Axel Göttlein: running the data analysis. Michael Kohlpaintner and Christian Huber: interpretation of the data and writing the paper. Christian Huber and Axel Göttlein: supervision of the work and coordination of the project.

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Kohlpaintner, M., Huber, C., Matejek, B. et al. Causes for the small scale variability of nitrate concentration in seepage water of an N saturated mature spruce stand. Annals of Forest Science 69, 895–905 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0218-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0218-z

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