Abstract
The stomatal compensation point of ammonia (χs) is a major factor controlling the exchange of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) with vegetation. It is known to depend on the supply of nitrogen and to vary among plant species, but its seasonal variation has not yet been reported for grassland. In this study, we present the temporal variation of apoplastic NH4 + concentration ([NH4 +]apo) and pH (pHapo) measured in leaves of Lolium perenne L. in a grassland, through two periods of cutting / fertilisation, followed by a livestock grazing period. The total free NH4 + concentration measured in foliage ([NH4 +]fol), and soil mineral NH4 + and NO3 − concentration are also presented. The value of [NH4 +]apo varied from less than 0.01 mM to a maximum of 0.5 mM occurring just after fertilisation, whereas the apoplastic pH ranged from pH 6 to 6.5 for most of the time and increased up to pH 7.8, 9 days after the second fertilisation, when grazing started. [NH4 +]fol varied between 20 and 50 μg N-NH4 + g−1 f.w. The compensation point at 20°C, ranged from 0.02 μg NH3 m−3 between the fertilisations to 10 μg NH3 m−3 just after the second fertilisation. The reasons for these seasonal changes are discussed, with respect to plant metabolism and the concentration of ammonium and nitrate in the soil.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chaillou S and Lamaze T 1997 Nutrition ammoniacale des plantes. In Assimilation De L'azote Chez Les Plantes, Aspects Physiologique, Biochimique et Moléculaire. Ed. J F Morot-Gaudry. pp 422. INRA editions, Paris.
Farquhar G D, Wetselaar R and Weir B 1983 Gaseous nitrogen loss from plants. In Loss of Gaseous nitrogen from Plant-Soil Systems. Eds. J R Freney, J R Simpson. pp 159–180. Nijhoff/ Dr.W. Junk publishers, The Hague.
Farquhar G D, Wetsselaar R and Firth P M 1979 Ammonia volatilization from senescing leaves of maize. Science (Wash. D.C.) 203, 1257–1258.
Fléchard C R and Fowler D 1998 Atmospheric ammonia at a moorland site. II: Long-term surface-atmosphere micrometeorological flux measurements. Quart. J. R. Met. Soc. 124, 759–791.
Fléchard C R, Fowler D, Sutton M A and Cape J N 1999 A dynamic chemical model of bi-directional ammonia exchange between semi-natural vegetation and the atmosphere. Quart. J. R. Met. Soc. 125, 2611–2641.
Francis D D, Schepers S J and Sims A L 1997 Ammonia exchange from corn foliage during reproductive growth. Agroclimatology J. 89, 941–946.
Hanstein S, Mattsson M, Jaeger H J and Schjørring J K 1999 Uptake and utilization of atmospheric ammonia in three native Poaceae species: leaf conductance, composition of apoplastic solution and interactions with root nitrogen supply. New. Phytol. 141, 71–83.
Henriksen A and Selmer-Olsen A R 1970 Automatic methods for determining nitrate and nitrite in water and soil extracts. Analyst 95, 514–518.
Herrmann B, Blatter A, Jones S, Hinderling-Schwob J, Fuhrer J and Neftel A 1999 Influence of symbiotic nitrogen fixation on NH3 exchange between grass clover crop and the atmosphere at two levels of N application: an experimental approach. In Proc. 10th Nitrogen Workshop, Copenhagen, August 1999. II.42. RVAU, Copenhagen.
Hill P W 1999 Physiological aspects of the exchange of gaseous ammonia between Luzula sylvatica Huds. (Gaud.) and the atmosphere. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Dundee, UK. 216 pp.
Hill P W, Raven J A, Loubet B, Fowler D and Sutton M A 2001 Comparison of gas exchange and bioassay determinations of the ammonia compensation point in Luzula sylvatica (Huds.) Gaud. Plant Physiol. 125, 476–487.
Hoffmann B, Plaenker R and Mengel K 1992 Measurements of pH in the apoplast of sunflower leaves by means of fluorescence. Physiol. Plant. 84, 146–153.
Husted S and Schjørring J K 1995 Apoplastic pH and ammonium concentration in leaves of Brassica napus L. Plant Physiol. 109, 1453–1460.
Husted S, Schjørring J K, Nielsen K H, Nemitz E and Sutton M A 2000 Stomatal compensation points for ammonia in oilseed rape plants under field conditions. Agric. Forest Meteorol. 105, 371–383.
Jarvis S C and Macduff J H 1989 Nitrate nutrition of grasses from steady state supplies in flowing solution culture following nitrate deprivation and or defoliation. J. Exp Bot. 218, 965–975.
Louahlia S, Lainé P, Thornon B, Ourry A and Boucaud J 2000 The role of N-remobilisation and the uptake of NH4 + and NO3 ? by Lolium perenne L. in laminae growth following defoliation under field conditions. Plant Soil 220, 175–187.
Mattsson M and Schjørring J K 1996 Ammonia emission from young barley plants: influence of N source, light/dark cycles and inhibition of glutamine synthetase. J. Exp. Bot. 47, 477–484.
Mattsson M E and Schjørring J K 1999 Controlled environment chamber measurements of ammonia exchange in two grass species. In Proc. 10th nitrogen Workshop, Copenhagen, August 1999. II.46. RVAU, Copenhagen.
Mattsson M, Husted S, Schjørring J K 1998 Influence of nitrogen nutrition and metabolism on ammonia volatilisation in plants. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 32, 491–498.
Milford C, Sutton M A, Theobald M and Nemitz E 1999 Fluxes of ammonia with an intensively managed cut grassland in southern Scotland. In Proc. 10th nitrogen Workshop, Copenhagen, August 1999. II.47. RVAU, Copenhagen.
Nemitz E, Sutton M A, Schjørring J K, Husted S and Wyers G P 2000 Resistance modelling of ammonia exchange over oilseed rape. Agric. Forest Meteorol. 105, 405–425.
Nielsen K H and Schjørring J K 1998 Regulation of apoplastic NH4 + concentration in leaves of oilseed rape. Plant Physiol. 118, 1361–1368.
Olsen C, Mattsson M and Schjørring J K 1995 Ammonia volatilization in relation to nitrogen nutrition of young Brassica napus plants growing with controlled nitrogen supply. J. Plant Physiol. 147, 306–312.
Ourry A, Bigot J and Boucaud J 1989 Protein mobilization from stubble and roots and proteoytic activities during post-clipping re-growth of perennial ryegrass. J. Plant Physiol. 134, 298–303.
Ourry A, Boucaud J and Duyme M 1990 Sink control of nitrogen assimilation during re-growth of ryegrass. Plant Cell Environ. 13, 185–189.
Ourry A, Boucaud J and Salette J 1988 Nitrogen mobilization from stubble and roots during re-growth of ryegrass. J. Exp. Bot. 39, 803–809.
Ourry A, Kim T H and Boucaud J 1994 Nitrogen reserve mobilization during regrowth of Medicago sativa L.: relationship between their availability and regrowth yield. Plant Physiol. 105, 831–837.
Pearson J, Clough E C M, Woodall J, Havill D C and Zhang X H 1998 Ammonia emissions to the atmosphere from leaves of wild plants and Hordeum vulgare treated with methionine sulphomine. New Phytol. 138, 37–48.
Raven J A 1985 pH regulation in plants. Sci. Prog. Oxford 69, 495–509.
Saravitz C H, Chaillou S, Musset J, Raper C D and Morot-Gaudy J F 1994 Influence of nitrate on uptake of ammonium by nitrogendepleted soybean: is the effect located in roots or shoot? J. Exp. Bot. 45, 1575–1584.
Schjørring J K, 1991 Ammonia emission from foliage of growing plants. In Trace Gas Emissions by Plants. Eds. T D Sharkey, H A Mooney and E A Holland). pp 269–292. Academic Press inc., New York.
Schjørring J K, Kyllingsbaek A, Mortensen J V and Byskov-Nielsen S 1993a Field investigation of ammonia exchange between barley plants and the atmosphere. I. Concentration pro-files and flux densities of ammonia. Plant Cell Environ. 16, 161–168.
Schjørring J K, Kyllingsbaek A, Mortensen J V and Byskov-Nielsen S 1993b Field investigation of ammonia exchange between barley plants and the atmosphere. II. nitrogen reallocation, free ammonium content and activities of ammonium-assimilating enzymes in different leaves. Plant Cell Environ. 16, 169–178.
Schjørring J K 1997 Plant-Atmosphere Ammonia Exchange. Quantification, physiology regulation and interaction with environmental factors. D.Sc. Degree. 55 pp. Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhague, Danmark.
Sutton M A, Moncrieff J B and Fowler D 1992 Deposition of atmospheric ammonia to moorlands. Environ. Pollut. 75, 15–24.
Sutton M A, Milford C, Nemitz E, Theobald M R, Hill P W, Fowler D, Schjørring J K, Mattsson M E, Nielsen K H, Husted S, Erisman JW, Otjes R Hensen A, Mosquera J, Cellier P, Loubet B, David M, Génermont S, Neftel A, Blatter A, Herrmann B, Jones SK, Horvath L, Führer E, Mantzanas K, Koukoura Z, Gallagher M, Williams P, Flynn M and Riedo M 2001 Biosphere-atmosphere interactions of ammonia with grasslands: experimental strategy and results from a new European initiative. Plant Soil 228, 131–145.
Sutton M A, Milford C, Dragosits U, Place C J, Singles R J, Smith R I, Pitcairn C E R, Fowler D, Hill J, ApSimon H M Ross C, Hill R, Jarvis S C, Pain B F, Phillips V C, Harrison R, Moss D, Webb J, Espenhahn S E, Lee D S, Hornung M, Ullyett J, Bull K R, Emmett B A, Lowe J and Wyers G P 1998 Dispersion, deposition and impacts of atmospheric ammonia: quantifying local budgets and spatial variability. Environ. Pollut. (Nitrogen Special Issue) 102, S1, 349–361.
Sutton M A, Schjørring J K and Wyers G P 1995 Plant-atmosphere exchange of ammonia. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. A 351, 261–278.
Sutton M A, Asman W A H and Schjørring J K 1994 Dry deposition of reduced nitrogen. Tellus 46, 255–273.
Tourraine B, Grignon N and Grignon C 1988 Charge balance in NO3 ? fed soybean. Estimation of K+ and carboxylate recirculation. Plant Physiol. 88, 605–612.
Woodall J, Boxall J G, Forde B G and Pearson J 1996 Changing perspective in plant nitrogen metabolism: the central role of glutamine synthetase. Science 79, 1–26.
Yin Z-H, Kaiser W M, Heber U and Raven J A 1996 Acquisition and assimilation of gaseous ammonia as revealed by intecellular pH changes in leaves of higher plants. Planta 200, 380–387.
Yin Z-H and Raven J A 1997 A comparison of the impacts of various nitrogen sources on acid-base balance in C3 Triticum aestivum L. And C4 Zea mays L. Plants. J. Exp. Bot. 48, 315–324.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Loubet, B., Milford, C., Hill, P.W. et al. Seasonal variability of apoplastic NH4 + and pH in an intensively managed grassland. Plant and Soil 238, 97–110 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014208926195
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014208926195