Experimental Investigation of Fertilization and Irrigation Effects on an Alpine Heath, Northwestern Caucasus, Russia

Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda A.; Онипченко, В. Г.

doi:10.1657/1523-0430(2005)037[0602:eiofai]2.0.co;2

Cited by 28 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…In terrestrial ecosystems, primary production is often nutrientlimited (Schlesinger 1991;Bowman et al 1993;Soudzilovskaia and Onipchenko 2005). By contrast, in many disturbed ecosystems nutrient availability is above the community uptake capacity, leading to eutrophication of soils and waters (Correll 1997;Carpenter et al 1998; Baron et al 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of exotic invasive trees on nitrogen cycling: a case study in Central Spain

et al. 2008

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We assess the hypothesis that rates of nitrogen transformations in the soil are altered upon replacement of native by exotic trees, differing in litter properties. Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia, two common exotic trees naturalized in the Iberian Peninsula, were compared with the native trees Ulmus minor and Fraxinus angustifolia, respectively. Naturally senesced leaves of each species were collected and C:N ratio, N and lignin content assessed. We prepared 64 litter bags per species and left them to decompose, below the canopy of the same species and below the canopy of the paired species. Dry mass, N concentration and N pool of the remaining litter were assessed after 5 and 7 months. Soil samples were collected three times during the experiment to assess soil moisture, organic matter, pH, potential mineralization rates and mineral N pools. Mineral N availability was assessed three times in the field by using ion-exchange resin-impregnated membranes. Ailanthus litter decomposed faster than Ulmus litter, probably due to the higher toughness of the latter. In spite of its high N content, Robinia litter decomposed slower than Fraxinus one, probably due to its high lignin content. In both cases, litter decomposition was faster below the exotic than the native canopies. The release of N per unit of initial litter mass was higher under both invaded situations (Ailanthus below Ailanthus and Robinia below Robinia) than under the native ones. However, soils collected below native and exotic trees neither differed in potential N mineralization rate nor in mineral N. This may be attributed to a quick plant uptake of released N and/or to a high organic matter accumulation in the soil previous to invasion that can exert a tighter control on soil N transformations than the current exotic litter.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of exotic invasive trees on nitrogen cycling: a case study in Central Spain

et al. 2008

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“…tussocks of C. sempervirens decomposition rates are lowered by a drier microclimate (Yu et al, 2011). An increase in the abundance of Cyperaceae species in alpine vegetation is often observed in response to elevated N deposition (Bassin et al, 2012;Soudzilovskaia and Onipchenko, 2005). With the prevalence of poorly degrading graminoids, added nutrients are long-term stabilized in necromass, thus preventing the community from quickly acquiring features such as high decomposition rates and high nutrient availability typical of eutrophication (Soudzilovskaia et al, 2007).…”

Section: Maymentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevated ozone and nitrogen deposition affect nitrogen pools of subalpine grassland

Bassin

Käch

Valsangiacomo

et al. 2015

Environmental Pollution

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“…However, the results obtained in this study and from other studies of various subarctic ecosystems suggest that the following processes, including loss of the nitrogen-fixing feathermoss-Nostoc complexes, may explain the changes detected in Adamvalta. Both subarctic forests and alpine heaths are generally nitrogen-limited, but the latter also experience available phosphorus deficiencies (Soudzilovskaia and Onipchenko 2005). Nitrogen is introduced to the ecosystem via epiphytic cyanobacteria that live in the leaf incurves of the dominant feathermosses and reduce N 2 gas to ammonia, some of which is used by the mosses and ultimately converted to organic soil nitrogen (DeLuca et al 2002;Zackrisson et al 2009).…”

Section: Deforestation and Its Long-term Ecosystem Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intensive land use in the Swedish mountains between AD 800 and 1200 led to deforestation and ecosystem transformation with long-lasting effects

Östlund

Hörnberg²,

DeLuca

et al. 2015

Ambio

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Anthropogenic deforestation has shaped ecosystems worldwide. In subarctic ecosystems, primarily inhabited by native peoples, deforestation is generally considered to be mainly associated with the industrial period. Here we examined mechanisms underlying deforestation a thousand years ago in a high-mountain valley with settlement artifacts located in subarctic Scandinavia. Using the Heureka Forestry Decision Support System, we modeled pre-settlement conditions and effects of tree cutting on forest cover. To examine lack of regeneration and present nutrient status, we analyzed soil nitrogen. We found that tree cutting could have deforested the valley within some hundred years. Overexploitation left the soil depleted beyond the capacity of re-establishment of trees. We suggest that pre-historical deforestation has occurred also in subarctic ecosystems and that ecosystem boundaries were especially vulnerable to this process. This study improves our understanding of mechanisms behind human-induced ecosystem transformations and tree-line changes, and of the concept of wilderness in the Scandinavian mountain range.

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Experimental Investigation of Fertilization and Irrigation Effects on an Alpine Heath, Northwestern Caucasus, Russia

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 28 publications

References 45 publications

Effects of exotic invasive trees on nitrogen cycling: a case study in Central Spain

Effects of exotic invasive trees on nitrogen cycling: a case study in Central Spain

Elevated ozone and nitrogen deposition affect nitrogen pools of subalpine grassland

Intensive land use in the Swedish mountains between AD 800 and 1200 led to deforestation and ecosystem transformation with long-lasting effects

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