Increased emissions of ammonia from intensive farming have been identified as the major cause of many of the changes in species composition in plant communities in Europe (Bobbink et al. 1993; Sutton et al. 1993). Transect studies at intensive livestock farms in the UK, have provided important information on the impact of NH3 and deposited N on woodland groundflora (Pitcairn et al. 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005). Several parameters have been measured to understand the basis of species composition change in woodland vegetation and to identify possible biomonitors of vegetation change (Pitcairn et al. 2003; Sutton et al. 2004; Leith et al. 2005).
The value of 3 biomonitors of N impacts, are described in this paper, for 2 different woodland sites impacted by poultry farm ammonia emissions, Earlston, a Scots pine open plantation in southern Scotland, and Piddles Wood, a mixed deciduous woodland in south west England.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bobbink, R., Boxman, D., Fremstad, E., Heil, G., Houdijk, A., Roelofs, J. (1993) Nitrogen eutrophica-tion and critical load for nitrogen based upon changes in flora and fauna in (semi)-natural terrestrial ecosystems. In: Critical Loads for Nitrogen, Proceedings of a UN-ECE workshop at Lökeberg, Sweden. 6 –10 April 1992, 111 –159. Nordic Council of Ministers, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ellenberg, H. (1979) Indicator values of vascular plants in Central Europe. Scripta Geobotanica 9, 7 –122.
Ellenberg, H., Weber, H.E., Dull, R., Wirth, V. , Werner, W., Paulissen, D. (1991) Zeigerwerte von Pflanzen in Mitteleuropa. Scripta Geobotanica 18, 1 –248.
Hill, M.O., Mountford, J.O., Roy, D.B, Bunce, R.G.H. (1999) Ellenbergs' indicator values for British plants. ECOFACT Volume 2, Technical Annex. ITE Monkswood, Huntingdon. Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London.
Leith, I.D., van Dijk, N., Pitcairn, C.E.R., Wolseley, P.A., Sutton, M.A. (2005) Biomonitoring methods for assessing the impacts of nitrogen pollution: refinement and testing. JNCC Report No. 386, Peterborough, UK.
Krupa, S.V. (2003) Effects of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) on terrestrial vegetation: a review. Environmental Pollution 124, 179 –221.
Pitcairn, C.E.R., Leith, I.D., Sheppard, L.J., Sutton, M.A., Fowler, D., Munro, R.C., Tang, S., Wilson, D. (1998) The relationship between nitrogen deposition, species composition and foliar nitrogen concentrations in woodland flora in the vicinity of livestock farms. Environmental Pollution 102, 41 –48.
Pitcairn, C.E.R., Skiba, U.M., Sutton, M.A., Fowler, D., Munro, R., Kennedy, V.K. (2002) Defining the spatial impacts of poultry farm ammonia emissions on species composition of adjacent woodland groundflora using Ellenberg indicators, nitrous oxide and nitric oxide and foliar nitrogen as marker variables. Environmental Pollution 119, 9 –21.
Pitcairn, C.E.R., Fowler, D., Leith, I.D., Sheppard, L.J., Sutton, M.A., Kennedy, V. , Okello, E. (2003) Bioindicators of enhanced nitrogen deposition. Environmental Pollution 126 (3), 353 –361.
Pitcairn, C.E.R., Leith, I.D., van Dijk, N., Sutton, M.A. (2005) Refining and testing the Ellenberg index biomonitoring method at the intensive sites. In: Leith I.D., van Dijk N., Pitcairn C.E.R., Wolseley P.A., Sutton M.A. (eds.) Biomonitoring Methods for Assessing the Impacts of Nitrogen Pollution: Refinement and Testing. JNCC Report No. 386, Peterborough, UK.
Pitcairn, C.E.R., Leith, I.D., Sheppard, L.J., Sutton, M.A. (2006) Development of a nitrophobe/ nitrophiles classification for woodlands, grasslands and upland vegetation in Scotland. CEH Edinburgh, Report to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
Rodwell, J.S. (1992) British Plant Communities. Cambridge University Press.
Siebel, H.N. (1993) Indicatiegetallen van blad -en levermossen. IBN-rapport 047, Wageningen.
Sutton, M.A., Pitcairn, C.E.R., Fowler, D. (1993) The exchange of ammonia between the atmosphere and plant communities. Advances in Ecological Research 24, 301 –393.
Sutton, M.A., Pitcairn, C.E.R., Leith, I.D., Sheppard, L.J., van Dijk, N., Tang, Y.S., Skiba, U., Smart, S., Mitchell, R., Wolseley, P., James, P., Purvis, W., Fowler, D. (2004) Bioindicator and biomonitoring methods for assessing the effects of atmospheric nitrogen on statutory nature conservation sites. In: Sutton M.A., Pitcairn C.E.R., Whitfield C.P. (eds) JNCC (JNCC Report No: 356), Peterborough, UK.
Tang, Y.S., Cape, J.N., Sutton, M.A. (2001) Development and types of passive samplers for NH3 and NOx. The ScientificWorld 1, 513 –529.
van Herk, C.M. (1999) Mapping of ammonia pollution with epiphytic lichens in the Netherlands. Lichenologist 31, 9 –20.
Wolseley, P.A., James, P.W. (2002) Using lichens as biomonitors of ammonia concentrations in Norfolk and Devon. British Lichen Society Bulletin 91, 1 –5. http:/www.nhm.ac.uk/botany/lichen/twig (accessed March 2006).
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pitcairn, C.E., Leith, I.D., van Dijk, N., Sheppard, L.J., Sutton, M.A., Fowler, D. (2009). The Application of Transects to Assess the Effects of Ammonia on Woodland Groundflora. In: Sutton, M.A., Reis, S., Baker, S.M. (eds) Atmospheric Ammonia. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9121-6_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9121-6_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-9120-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-9121-6
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)