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Nitrogen biogeochemistry of a mature Scots pine forest subjected to high nitrogen loads

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Abstract

Nitrogen (N) biogeochemistry of a mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand subjected to an average total atmospheric N deposition of 48 kg ha−1 year−1 was studied during the period 1992–2007. The annual amount of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) in throughfall (TF) averaged 34 kg ha−1 year−1 over the 16-year monitoring period. The throughfall fluxes contained also considerable amounts of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) (5–8.5 kg N ha−1 year−1), which should be incorporated in the estimate of N flux using throughfall collectors. Throughfall DIN fluxes declined at a rate of −0.9 kg N ha−1 year−1, mainly due to the decreasing TF fluxes of ammonium (NH4), which accounted for 70% to TF DIN. The decrease in TF DIN was accompanied by a decrease in DIN leaching in the seepage water (−1.6 kg N ha−1 year−1), which occurred exclusively as nitrate (NO3 −). Nitrate losses in the leachate of the forest floor (LFH) equalled the TF NO3 − delivered to the LFH-layer. On the contrary, about half of the TF NH4 + was retained within the LFH-layer. Approximately 60% of the TF DIN fluxes were leached indicating that N inputs were far in excess of the N requirements of the forest. For DON, losses were only substantial from the LFH-layer, but no DON was leached in the seepage water. Despite the high N losses through nitrate leaching and NO x emission, the forest was still accumulating N, especially in the aggrading LFH-layer. The forest stand, on the contrary, was found to be a poor N sink.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for the purchase of the AMANDA monitor, dry denuder/filter pack measurements and for the employment of technical staff was provided by the VLINA (Flemish Impuls Program on Nature Development). This project was performed under the authority of the Flemish Minister of Environment. Sampling of throughfall, soil water and litterfall was carried out within the framework of the UN/ECE intensive monitoring of forest ecosystems (ICP-Forests). We’d like to thank S. Coenen and A. Verstraeten for the supply of level II-data. We acknowledge chief laboratory engineer G. Genouw for additional N analyses. Data from biomass analysis were collected by Linda Meiresonne and N incubation experiments were run by M. Carnol within the framework of the BELFOR program (contract CG/DD/05) financed by the Belgian Federal Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs. IAJ and RC acknowledge support by UA-Methusalem.

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  1. Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Gaverstraat 4, 9500, Geraardsbergen, Belgium

    J. Neirynck, P. Roskams, P. Quataert & P. Verschelde

  2. Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium

    I. A. Janssens & R. Ceulemans

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  1. J. Neirynck
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Neirynck, J., Janssens, I.A., Roskams, P. et al. Nitrogen biogeochemistry of a mature Scots pine forest subjected to high nitrogen loads. Biogeochemistry 91, 201–222 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-008-9280-x

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