Spatial distributions of plants and gross N transformation rates in a forest soil
(2006) In Journal of Ecology 94(4). p.754-764- Abstract
- 1 This work demonstrates that spatial distribution of understorey vegetation and gross N transformation rates in a mixed beach-oak forest is closely correlated within a distance of a few metres. The findings imply that plant diversity and productivity have a major influence on gross rates of N transformation and vice versa.
2 A geostatistical analysis was used to evaluate the spatial relationships between abundance and species composition of the understorey vegetation and in situ gross N mineralization, NH4+ immobolization and nitrification rates.
3 The gross N transformation rates and the plants spatial variation were correlated within the forest, but plant distribution was more dependent on the fraction of... (More) - 1 This work demonstrates that spatial distribution of understorey vegetation and gross N transformation rates in a mixed beach-oak forest is closely correlated within a distance of a few metres. The findings imply that plant diversity and productivity have a major influence on gross rates of N transformation and vice versa.
2 A geostatistical analysis was used to evaluate the spatial relationships between abundance and species composition of the understorey vegetation and in situ gross N mineralization, NH4+ immobolization and nitrification rates.
3 The gross N transformation rates and the plants spatial variation were correlated within the forest, but plant distribution was more dependent on the fraction of mineralized N that was nitrified than on individual N transformation rates.
4 The total cover of the understorey vegetation varied more in space than the species composition, and was higher in areas with high N transformation rates.
5 Plant species benefiting from high net nitrification rates were more common in areas with a low activity of mineralizing and nitrifying microorganisms, possibly because the net and gross rates were independent of each other. In fact, those species occurred most often in areas in which a large fraction of mineralized N was nitrified.
6 Beech and oak trees also had an effect on the spatial variation of the understorey vegetation. Beech trees provided conditions more suitable for plants benefiting from NO3-, whereas the vascular plant cover was greater under oak trees, probably in response to a higher light interception than under beech trees.
7 Oak generally had a positive impact on gross N transformation rates compared with beech, perhaps reflecting differences in litter quality and climate caused by the two species.
8 The influence of trees alone could not explain the full magnitude of the variation of N transformation rates or the presence of overlapping areas with high mineralization and immobilization rates. These were probably caused by other factors, such as soil moisture content.
9 This work sheds new light on the small-scale spatial links between above-ground plant diversity and abundance, and below-ground microbial N transformations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/159620
- author
- Bengtson, Per LU ; Falkengren-Grerup, Ursula LU and Bengtsson, Göran LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2006
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Journal of Ecology
- volume
- 94
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 754 - 764
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000237972700004
- scopus:33745256485
- ISSN
- 1365-2745
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2006.01143.x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8426acfd-22fe-4b9c-a534-31a23b1c0c5c (old id 159620)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:03:21
- date last changed
- 2024-01-08 06:40:41
@article{8426acfd-22fe-4b9c-a534-31a23b1c0c5c,
abstract = {{1 This work demonstrates that spatial distribution of understorey vegetation and gross N transformation rates in a mixed beach-oak forest is closely correlated within a distance of a few metres. The findings imply that plant diversity and productivity have a major influence on gross rates of N transformation and vice versa. <br/><br>
2 A geostatistical analysis was used to evaluate the spatial relationships between abundance and species composition of the understorey vegetation and in situ gross N mineralization, NH4+ immobolization and nitrification rates.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
3 The gross N transformation rates and the plants spatial variation were correlated within the forest, but plant distribution was more dependent on the fraction of mineralized N that was nitrified than on individual N transformation rates.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
4 The total cover of the understorey vegetation varied more in space than the species composition, and was higher in areas with high N transformation rates.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
5 Plant species benefiting from high net nitrification rates were more common in areas with a low activity of mineralizing and nitrifying microorganisms, possibly because the net and gross rates were independent of each other. In fact, those species occurred most often in areas in which a large fraction of mineralized N was nitrified.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
6 Beech and oak trees also had an effect on the spatial variation of the understorey vegetation. Beech trees provided conditions more suitable for plants benefiting from NO3-, whereas the vascular plant cover was greater under oak trees, probably in response to a higher light interception than under beech trees.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
7 Oak generally had a positive impact on gross N transformation rates compared with beech, perhaps reflecting differences in litter quality and climate caused by the two species.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
8 The influence of trees alone could not explain the full magnitude of the variation of N transformation rates or the presence of overlapping areas with high mineralization and immobilization rates. These were probably caused by other factors, such as soil moisture content.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
9 This work sheds new light on the small-scale spatial links between above-ground plant diversity and abundance, and below-ground microbial N transformations.}},
author = {{Bengtson, Per and Falkengren-Grerup, Ursula and Bengtsson, Göran}},
issn = {{1365-2745}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{754--764}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Journal of Ecology}},
title = {{Spatial distributions of plants and gross N transformation rates in a forest soil}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2006.01143.x}},
doi = {{10.1111/j.1365-2745.2006.01143.x}},
volume = {{94}},
year = {{2006}},
}