More efficient aboveground nitrogen use in more diverse Central European forest canopies

Schwarz, Martin T.; Bischoff, Sebastian; Blaser, Stefan; Boch, Steffen; Schmitt, Barbara; Thieme, Lisa; Fischer, Markus; Michalzik, Beate; Schulze, Ernst-Detlef; Siemens, Jan; Wilcke, Wolfgang (2014). More efficient aboveground nitrogen use in more diverse Central European forest canopies. Forest Ecology and Management, 313, pp. 274-282. Elsevier 10.1016/j.foreco.2013.11.021

[img] Text
blaser_boch.pdf - Published Version
Restricted to registered users only
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (434kB) | Request a copy
[img]
Preview
Text
Schwarzetal2014ForEcolManagement.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (811kB) | Preview

We hypothesized that biodiversity improves ecosystem functioning and services such as nutrient cycling because of increased complementarity. We examined N canopy budgets of 27 Central European forests of varying dominant tree species, stand density, and tree and shrub species diversity (Shannon index) in three study regions by quantifying bulk and fine particulate dry deposition and dissolved below canopy N fluxes. Average regional canopy N retention ranged from 16% to 51%, because of differences in the N status of the ecosystems. Canopy N budgets of coniferous forests differed from deciduous forest which we attribute to differences in biogeochemical N cycling, tree functional traits and canopy surface area. The canopy budgets of N were related to the Shannon index which explained 14% of the variance of the canopy budgets of N, suggesting complementary aboveground N use of trees and diverse understorey vegetation. The relationship between plant diversity and canopy N retention varied among regional site conditions and forest types. Our results suggest that the traditional view of belowground complementarity of nutrient uptake by roots in diverse plant communities can be transferred to foliar uptake in forest canopies.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Institute of Geography
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Plant Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)

UniBE Contributor:

Schwarz, Martin, Blaser, Stefan, Boch, Steffen, Schmitt, Barbara, Fischer, Markus, Wilcke, Wolfgang

Subjects:

900 History > 910 Geography & travel
500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

ISSN:

0378-1127

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

27 Apr 2014 15:37

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:33

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.foreco.2013.11.021

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Terrestrial nitrogen cycling, Nitrogen deposition, Canopy N retention, Ecosystem functioning, Complementarity, Biodiversity Exploratories

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.51401

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/51401

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback