We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Soil diffusive fluxes constitute the bottleneck to tree nitrogen nutrition in a Scots pine forest.
- Authors
Oyewole, Olusegun; Jämtgård, Sandra; Gruffman, Linda; Inselsbacher, Erich; Näsholm, Torgny
- Abstract
Background and aims: In nutrient poor environments, plant nitrogen (N) acquisition is governed by soil diffusive fluxes and root uptake capacities. However, the relationship between these two processes is not well understood. We explored a way of comparing the processes, enabling identification of the limiting factor for tree N acquisition. Methods: The study comprised N-fertilized and N-limited Scots pine stands, and measurements of uptake capacities of detached tree roots and of induced soil diffusive fluxes (through in-situ microdialysis) done at the onset and the end of the growing season. Results: Soil N fluxes were higher at the onset than at the end of the growing season and amino acids comprised a larger fraction of N than inorganic N. N fertilization reduced root uptake capacities of NH, glycine and NO but not of arginine. For all N compounds except NO, diffusive fluxes were significantly lower than root N uptake capacities. Conclusions: Our results suggest that soil N supply in both, N-fertilized and N-limited forest stands, is dominated by amino acids, thus being the major component of plant-available N. Uptake of N appears more constrained by the diffusive fluxes of N compounds rather than root uptake capacity, except for NO.
- Subjects
SOIL diffusion; SOIL chemistry; SOIL mechanics; NUTRITION; PHYSIOLOGY
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2016, Vol 399, Issue 1/2, p109
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-015-2680-5