Foliar 15N natural abundance in Hawaiian rainforest: patterns and possible mechanisms

Vitousek, Peter M.; Shearer, Georgia; Kohl, Daniel H.

doi:10.1007/bf00379113

Cited by 196 publications

(159 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…This pattern has been widely reported for non-nitrogen-fixing plants (Vitousek et al, 1989;Garten and Van Miegroet, 1994;Johannisson and Högberg, 1994;Högberg et al, 1995;Hobbie et al, 2000;Wang et al, 2007). Hobbie et al (2000) suggest that the positive correlations reflect the changes in the proportion of nitrogen obtained through mycorrhizae.…”

Section: Relationships Of Leaf Characteristicssupporting

confidence: 76%

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

Zhao¹,

Wang²,

Hu³

et al. 2013

Ecological Engineering

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Section: Relationships Of Leaf Characteristicssupporting

confidence: 76%

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

Zhao¹,

Wang²,

Hu³

et al. 2013

Ecological Engineering

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“…Reference species may have positi\e or negative S^^K (e.g. Vitousek, Shearer & Kohl, 1989); eqn (12) will work either way. The method is often described as if reference species need to have positive S^^'S, but this is not the case.…”

Section: Estimation Of N^-fixation By the ^^N Natural Abundance Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tansley Review No. 95¹⁵N natural abundance in soil‐plant systems

1997

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summary Equilibrium and kinetic isotope fractionations during incomplete reactions result in minute differences in the ratio between the two stable X isotopes, 15N and 14N, in various N pools. In ecosystems such variations (usually expressed in per mil [δ15N] deviations from the standard atmospheric N2) depend on isotopic signatures of inputs and outputs, the input‐output balance, N transformations and their specific isotope effects, and compartmentation of N within the system. Products along a sequence of reactions, e.g. the N mineralization‐N uptake pathway, should, if fractionation factors were equal for the different reactions, become progressively depleted. However, fractionation factors van. For example, because nitrification discriminates against 15N in the substrate more than does N mineralization, NH4+can become isotopically heavier than the organic N from which it is derived. Levels of isotopic enrichment depend dynamically on the stoichiometry of reactions, as well as on specific abiotic and biotic conditions. Thus, the δ15N of a specific N pool is not a constant, and 15N of a N compound added to the system is not a conservative, unchanging tracer. This fact, together with analytical problems of measuring 15N in small and dynamic pools of N in the soil‐plant system, and the complexity of the X cycle itself (for instance the abundance of reversible reactions), limit the possibilities of making inferences based on observations of 15N abundance in one or a few pools of N in a system. Nevertheless, measurements of δ15N might offer the advantage of giving insights into the N cycle without disturbing the system by adding 15N tracer. Such attempts require, however, that the complex factors affecting 15N in plants be taken into account, viz. (i) the source(s) of N (soil, precipitation, NOX, NH3, N2‐fixation), (ii) the depth(s) in soil from which N is taken up, (iii) the form(s) of soil‐N used (organic N, NH4+, NO3−), (iv) influences of mycorrhizal symbioses and fractionations during and after N uptake by plants, and (v) interactions between these factors and plant phenology. Because of this complexity, data on δ15N can only be used alone when certain requirements are met, e.g. when a clearly discrete N source in terms of amount and isotopic signature is studied. For example, it is recommended that N in non‐N2‐fixing species should differ more than 5% from N derived by N2‐fixation, and that several non‐N2‐fixing references are used, when data on δ15N are used to estimate Na‐fixation in poorly described ecosystems. As well as giving information on N source effects, δ15N can give insights into N cycle rates. For example, high levels of N deposition onto previously N‐limited systems leads to increased nitrification, which produces 15N‐enriched NH4 and N‐depleted NO3. As many forest plants prefer NH4−they become enriched in 15N in such circumstances. This change in plant 15N will subsequently also occur in the soil surface horizon after litter‐fall, and might be a useful indicator of N saturation, especially since ...

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“…It has been demonstrated convincingly in Hawaii [Vitousek et al, 1989;Martinelli et al, 1999], and also California [Brenner et al, 2001], that the d 15 N values of soils and plants vary as sites age from 10 3 to 10 6 years. All these sites may be viewed as having obtained their own steady state, but the N cycling processes differ between sites due to changes in the relative importance of N versus P (or other elements) as limiting nutrients versus time.…”

Section: Other Controls On Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 98%

Global patterns of the isotopic composition of soil and plant nitrogen

Amundson

Austin

Schuur

et al. 2003

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

946

955

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[1] We compiled new and published data on the natural abundance N isotope composition (d 15 N values) of soil and plant organic matter from around the world. Across a broad range of climate and ecosystem types, we found that soil and plant d ) with climate. Nitrogen isotopes reflect time integrated measures of the controls on N storage that are critical for predictions of how these ecosystems will respond to humanmediated disturbances of the global N cycle.

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Foliar 15N natural abundance in Hawaiian rainforest: patterns and possible mechanisms

Cited by 196 publications

References 20 publications

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

Tansley Review No. 95¹⁵N natural abundance in soil‐plant systems

Global patterns of the isotopic composition of soil and plant nitrogen

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Foliar 15N natural abundance in Hawaiian rainforest: patterns and possible mechanisms

Cited by 196 publications

References 20 publications

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

The effects of short-term rainfall variability on leaf isotopic traits of desert plants in sand-binding ecosystems

Tansley Review No. 9515N natural abundance in soil‐plant systems

Global patterns of the isotopic composition of soil and plant nitrogen

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Product

Resources

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Tansley Review No. 95¹⁵N natural abundance in soil‐plant systems