High nitrogen-fixing rates associated with ground-covering mosses in a tropical mountain cloud forest will decrease drastically in a future climate
(2022) In Functional Ecology 36(7). p.1772-1781- Abstract
Tropical mountain cloud forests (TMCF) harbour a high bryophyte (mosses and liverworts) biomass and diversity. Furthermore, the high air humidity makes these forests well suited for bryophyte-associated nitrogen (N2) fixation by cyanobacteria, providing a potentially important source of N input to the ecosystem. However, few studies have assessed bryophyte-associated N input in these ecosystems, and these have focused on epiphytic bryophytes, whereas abundant ground-covering bryophytes have not been included. In this study, we quantified N2 fixation rates associated with bryophytes, focusing on ground-covering mosses in a neotropical mountain cloud forest. Furthermore, we identified the effects of climate change... (More)
Tropical mountain cloud forests (TMCF) harbour a high bryophyte (mosses and liverworts) biomass and diversity. Furthermore, the high air humidity makes these forests well suited for bryophyte-associated nitrogen (N2) fixation by cyanobacteria, providing a potentially important source of N input to the ecosystem. However, few studies have assessed bryophyte-associated N input in these ecosystems, and these have focused on epiphytic bryophytes, whereas abundant ground-covering bryophytes have not been included. In this study, we quantified N2 fixation rates associated with bryophytes, focusing on ground-covering mosses in a neotropical mountain cloud forest. Furthermore, we identified the effects of climate change (higher temperature 10 vs. 20° and lower bryophyte moisture level 50% vs. 100%) on N2 fixation across bryophyte species and groups (mosses and liverworts). Nitrogen fixation rates associated with ground-covering moss species were up to 2 kg N ha−1 year−1, which is comparable to other N inputs (e.g. N deposition) in tropical cloud forests. Furthermore, changes in temperature showed little effect on N2 fixation, but low moisture levels significantly suppressed N2 fixation activity. We found low N2 fixation activity associated with the investigated liverworts. Our results demonstrate the importance of ground-covering, moss-associated N2 fixation as a N source in tropical cloud forests and suggest that predicted future declines in precipitation in these systems will reduce N inputs from bryophyte-associated cyanobacteria. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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- author
- Permin, Aya ; Horwath, Aline B. ; Metcalfe, Daniel B. LU ; Priemé, Anders and Rousk, Kathrin LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- bryophytes, climate change, cyanobacteria, liverworts, mosses, nitrogen fixation, nitrogen input, tropical mountain cloud forest
- in
- Functional Ecology
- volume
- 36
- issue
- 7
- pages
- 10 pages
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85130961961
- ISSN
- 0269-8463
- DOI
- 10.1111/1365-2435.14088
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- feba0e89-97f9-4ff5-bb7b-a46441d9843e
- date added to LUP
- 2022-07-15 13:25:50
- date last changed
- 2022-07-15 13:25:50
@article{feba0e89-97f9-4ff5-bb7b-a46441d9843e,
abstract = {{<p>Tropical mountain cloud forests (TMCF) harbour a high bryophyte (mosses and liverworts) biomass and diversity. Furthermore, the high air humidity makes these forests well suited for bryophyte-associated nitrogen (N<sub>2</sub>) fixation by cyanobacteria, providing a potentially important source of N input to the ecosystem. However, few studies have assessed bryophyte-associated N input in these ecosystems, and these have focused on epiphytic bryophytes, whereas abundant ground-covering bryophytes have not been included. In this study, we quantified N<sub>2</sub> fixation rates associated with bryophytes, focusing on ground-covering mosses in a neotropical mountain cloud forest. Furthermore, we identified the effects of climate change (higher temperature 10 vs. 20° and lower bryophyte moisture level 50% vs. 100%) on N<sub>2</sub> fixation across bryophyte species and groups (mosses and liverworts). Nitrogen fixation rates associated with ground-covering moss species were up to 2 kg N ha<sup>−1</sup> year<sup>−1</sup>, which is comparable to other N inputs (e.g. N deposition) in tropical cloud forests. Furthermore, changes in temperature showed little effect on N<sub>2</sub> fixation, but low moisture levels significantly suppressed N<sub>2</sub> fixation activity. We found low N<sub>2</sub> fixation activity associated with the investigated liverworts. Our results demonstrate the importance of ground-covering, moss-associated N<sub>2</sub> fixation as a N source in tropical cloud forests and suggest that predicted future declines in precipitation in these systems will reduce N inputs from bryophyte-associated cyanobacteria. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.</p>}},
author = {{Permin, Aya and Horwath, Aline B. and Metcalfe, Daniel B. and Priemé, Anders and Rousk, Kathrin}},
issn = {{0269-8463}},
keywords = {{bryophytes; climate change; cyanobacteria; liverworts; mosses; nitrogen fixation; nitrogen input; tropical mountain cloud forest}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{7}},
pages = {{1772--1781}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Functional Ecology}},
title = {{High nitrogen-fixing rates associated with ground-covering mosses in a tropical mountain cloud forest will decrease drastically in a future climate}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14088}},
doi = {{10.1111/1365-2435.14088}},
volume = {{36}},
year = {{2022}},
}