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Nitrogen nutrition of beech forests in a changing climate: importance of plant-soil-microbe water, carbon, and nitrogen interactions

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Abstract

Background

For 15+ years, a beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) dominated forest on calcareous soil was studied on two opposing slopes with contrasting microclimate in Tuttlingen, Swabian Alb, Germany. The cool-humid NE aspect of these slopes represents the majority of beech forests under current climate, the warmer and drier SW aspect represents beech forests under future climate conditions. The field studies were supplemented by investigations under controlled conditions.

Scope

The research program aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of plant-soil-microbe water, carbon and nitrogen feedbacks in a changing climate and a holistic view of the sensitivity of beech to climate change.

Conclusions

The results of comparative and experimental studies underpin the high vulnerability of adult beech and its natural regeneration on calcareous soil to both direct climate change effects on plant physiology and indirect effects mediated by soil biogeochemical cycles. Mechanisms contributing to this vulnerability at the ecosystem and organismic level indicate a high significance of competitive interactions of beech with other vegetation components and soil microbial communities. Obvious forest management practices such as selective felling did not necessarily counteract negative effects of climate change.

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Acknowledgements

The research summarized in this review was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within SFB 433, FOR 788, and PAK 538, as well as contract numbers GE 1090/8-1, GE 1090/9-1, and PE 2256/1-1 and by the Swiss National Science Foundation SNF (31003A_159866). We thank the Stadt Tuttlingen, the Gemeinde Möhringen and the State Forest Services Baden-Württemberg for their continuous support of the studies at the Tuttlingen field site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany

    Judy Simon

  2. Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research – Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kreuzeckbahnstrasse 19, 82467, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

    Michael Dannenmann

  3. Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, Georg-August Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    Rodica Pena

  4. Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

    Arthur Gessler

  5. Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Georges-Köhler-Allee 53/54, 79110, Freiburg, Germany

    Heinz Rennenberg

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Correspondence to Judy Simon.

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Simon, J., Dannenmann, M., Pena, R. et al. Nitrogen nutrition of beech forests in a changing climate: importance of plant-soil-microbe water, carbon, and nitrogen interactions. Plant Soil 418, 89–114 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3293-y

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