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Interactions Between the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles and the Role of Biodiversity: A Synopsis of a Study Along a North-South Transect Through Europe

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Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in European Forest Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 142))

Abstract

The NIPHYS/CANIF project of the EEC has provided the unique opportunity to examine forest ecosystem processes and diversity along a transect through Europe ranging from north Sweden to central Italy. The main objectives of this study were (1) to identify and quantify effects of N deposition on ecosystem processes, particularly the C cycle, by extending the range of observations across a deposition maximum in central Europe, and (2) to study feedback effects between ecosystem processes and biodiversity. The study resulted in a very comprehensive and consistent set of data on ecosystem processes over a 5-year period. However, in contrast to earlier large-scale ecosystem studies (IBP: Reichle 1981; Acid Rain Programme: Last and Watling 1991), the samples were collected and data generated by the same scientists at all sites. This assured comparisons of results on a broad geographic scale. In addition, key parameters were assessed by different methods, and integrating parameters were collected for different processes, in order to test and verify predictions made at higher and lower scales, ranging from physiological responses to ecosystem level processes.

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Schulze, ED. et al. (2000). Interactions Between the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles and the Role of Biodiversity: A Synopsis of a Study Along a North-South Transect Through Europe. In: Schulze, ED. (eds) Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling in European Forest Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, vol 142. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57219-7_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57219-7_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67239-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-57219-7

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