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- Title
Plant and soil natural abundance δ <sup>15</sup>N: indicators of relative rates of nitrogen cycling in temperate forest ecosystems.
- Authors
Templer, Pamela H.; Arthur, Mary A.; Lovett, Gary M.; Weathers, Kathleen C.
- Abstract
Watersheds within the Catskill Mountains, New York, receive among the highest rates of nitrogen (N) deposition in the northeastern United States and are beginning to show signs of N saturation. Despite similar amounts of N deposition across watersheds within the Catskill Mountains, rates of soil N cycling and N retention vary significantly among stands of different tree species. We examined the potential use of δ 15N of plants and soils as an indicator of relative forest soil N cycling rates. We analyzed the δ 15N of foliage, litterfall, bole wood, surface litter layer, fine roots and organic soil from single-species stands of American beech ( Fagus grandifolia), eastern hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis), red oak ( Quercus rubra), and sugar maple ( Acer saccharum). Fine root and organic soil δ 15N values were highest within sugar maple stands, which correlated significantly with higher rates of net mineralization and nitrification. Results from this study suggest that fine root and organic soil δ 15N can be used as an indicator of relative rates of soil N cycling. Although not statistically significant, δ 15N was highest within foliage, wood and litterfall of beech stands, a tree species associated with intermediate levels of soil N cycling rates and forest N retention. Our results show that belowground δ 15N values are a better indicator of relative rates of soil N cycling than are aboveground δ 15N values.
- Publication
Oecologia, 2007, Vol 153, Issue 2, p399
- ISSN
0029-8549
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.1007/s00442-007-0746-7