We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Photosynthetic performance in Sphagnum transplanted along a latitudinal nitrogen deposition gradient.
- Authors
Granath, Gustaf; Strengbom, Joachim; Breeuwer, Angela; Heijmans, Monique M. P. D.; Berendse, Frank; Rydin, Håkan
- Abstract
Increased N deposition in Europe has affected mire ecosystems. However, knowledge on the physiological responses is poor. We measured photosynthetic responses to increasing N deposition in two peatmoss species ( Sphagnum balticum and Sphagnum fuscum) from a 3-year, north–south transplant experiment in northern Europe, covering a latitudinal N deposition gradient ranging from 0.28 g N m−2 year−1 in the north, to 1.49 g N m−2 year−1 in the south. The maximum photosynthetic rate (NPmax) increased southwards, and was mainly explained by tissue N concentration, secondly by allocation of N to the photosynthesis, and to a lesser degree by modified photosystem II activity (variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence yield). Although climatic factors may have contributed, these results were most likely attributable to an increase in N deposition southwards. For S. fuscum, photosynthetic rate continued to increase up to a deposition level of 1.49 g N m−2 year−1, but for S. balticum it seemed to level out at 1.14 g N m−2 year−1. The results for S. balticum suggested that transplants from different origin (with low or intermediate N deposition) respond differently to high N deposition. This indicates that Sphagnum species may be able to adapt or physiologically adjust to high N deposition. Our results also suggest that S. balticum might be more sensitive to N deposition than S. fuscum. Surprisingly, NPmax was not ( S. balticum), or only weakly ( S. fuscum) correlated with biomass production, indicating that production is to a great extent is governed by factors other than the photosynthetic capacity.
- Subjects
PHOTOSYNTHESIS; PHOTOBIOLOGY; PEAT mosses; MOSSES; BRYOPHYTES; NITROGEN
- Publication
Oecologia, 2009, Vol 159, Issue 4, p705
- ISSN
0029-8549
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00442-008-1261-1