Substantial contribution of tree canopy nitrifiers to nitrogen fluxes in European forests
Springer Nature
2024
s41561-023-01364-3.pdf - Publisher's version - 5.51 MB
How to cite: Guerrieri, R., Cáliz, J., Mattana, S. et al. Substantial contribution of tree canopy nitrifiers to nitrogen fluxes in European forests. Nat. Geosci. 17, 130–136 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-023-01364-3
Pysyvä osoite
Tiivistelmä
Human activities have greatly increased the reactive nitrogen in the biosphere, thus profoundly altering global nitrogen cycling. The large increase in nitrogen deposition over the past few decades has led to eutrophication in natural ecosystems, with negative effects on forest health and biodiversity. Recent studies, however, have reported oligotrophication in forest ecosystems, constraining their capacity as carbon sinks. Here we demonstrate the widespread biological transformation of atmospheric reactive nitrogen in the canopies of European forests by combining nitrogen deposition quantification with measurements of the stable isotopes in nitrate and molecular analyses across ten forests through August–October 2016. We estimate that up to 80% of the nitrate reaching the soil via throughfall was derived from canopy nitrification, equivalent to a flux of up to 5.76 kg N ha−1 yr−1. We also document the presence of autotrophic nitrifiers on foliar surfaces throughout European forests. Canopy nitrification thus consumes deposited ammonium and increases nitrate inputs to the soil. The results of this study highlight widespread canopy nitrification in European forests and its important contribution to forest nitrogen cycling.
ISBN
OKM-julkaisutyyppi
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
Julkaisusarja
Nature geoscience
Volyymi
17
Numero
2
Sivut
Sivut
130-136
ISSN
1752-0894
1752-0908
1752-0908