Moss-nitrogen input to boreal forest soils: Tracking N-15 in a field experiment
(2014) In Soil Biology & Biochemistry 72. p.100-104- Abstract
- Cyanobacteria living epiphytically on mosses in pristine, unpolluted areas fix substantial amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) and therefore represent a primary source of N in N-limited boreal forests. However, the fate of this N is unclear, in particular, how the fixed N-2 enters the soil and becomes available to the ecosystem. In this study, we applied N-15-ammonium chloride (N-15-NH4Cl) onto carpets of the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi and traced the N-15 label into green (living) and brown (senescent) moss and into the upper soil layer over time. Further, we placed filters between moss and soil to assess the role of moss-associated fungi for N-transfer to the soil. The experiment was conducted at endpoints of a N-2 fixation... (More)
- Cyanobacteria living epiphytically on mosses in pristine, unpolluted areas fix substantial amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) and therefore represent a primary source of N in N-limited boreal forests. However, the fate of this N is unclear, in particular, how the fixed N-2 enters the soil and becomes available to the ecosystem. In this study, we applied N-15-ammonium chloride (N-15-NH4Cl) onto carpets of the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi and traced the N-15 label into green (living) and brown (senescent) moss and into the upper soil layer over time. Further, we placed filters between moss and soil to assess the role of moss-associated fungi for N-transfer to the soil. The experiment was conducted at endpoints of a N-2 fixation gradient in Northern Sweden. Feather moss retained the applied N in the green moss parts for up to 1 year and no increase of excess N-15 was found in the brown moss parts or in the soil within that same time frame. The filter treatment did not alter the N-15-distribution in moss or soil. Nitrogen retention in the moss was similar regardless of position along the N-2 fixation gradient. Our results suggest that mosses represent a short-term inorganic N sink and that transfer of N to the soil is not facilitated by fungal hyphae. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4488398
- author
- Rousk, Kathrin LU ; Jones, David L. and DeLuca, Thomas H.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2014
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Biological N-2 fixation, Bryophytes, Cyanobacteria, Forest ecology, N, cycle, N limitation, Stable isotopes
- in
- Soil Biology & Biochemistry
- volume
- 72
- pages
- 100 - 104
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000334973700013
- scopus:84894069902
- ISSN
- 0038-0717
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.01.031
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4a2104fd-ac81-4d34-a0bf-694b3ec321da (old id 4488398)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 13:28:01
- date last changed
- 2022-03-14 00:13:58
@article{4a2104fd-ac81-4d34-a0bf-694b3ec321da,
abstract = {{Cyanobacteria living epiphytically on mosses in pristine, unpolluted areas fix substantial amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) and therefore represent a primary source of N in N-limited boreal forests. However, the fate of this N is unclear, in particular, how the fixed N-2 enters the soil and becomes available to the ecosystem. In this study, we applied N-15-ammonium chloride (N-15-NH4Cl) onto carpets of the feather moss Pleurozium schreberi and traced the N-15 label into green (living) and brown (senescent) moss and into the upper soil layer over time. Further, we placed filters between moss and soil to assess the role of moss-associated fungi for N-transfer to the soil. The experiment was conducted at endpoints of a N-2 fixation gradient in Northern Sweden. Feather moss retained the applied N in the green moss parts for up to 1 year and no increase of excess N-15 was found in the brown moss parts or in the soil within that same time frame. The filter treatment did not alter the N-15-distribution in moss or soil. Nitrogen retention in the moss was similar regardless of position along the N-2 fixation gradient. Our results suggest that mosses represent a short-term inorganic N sink and that transfer of N to the soil is not facilitated by fungal hyphae. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}},
author = {{Rousk, Kathrin and Jones, David L. and DeLuca, Thomas H.}},
issn = {{0038-0717}},
keywords = {{Biological N-2 fixation; Bryophytes; Cyanobacteria; Forest ecology; N; cycle; N limitation; Stable isotopes}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{100--104}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Soil Biology & Biochemistry}},
title = {{Moss-nitrogen input to boreal forest soils: Tracking N-15 in a field experiment}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.01.031}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.01.031}},
volume = {{72}},
year = {{2014}},
}