Abstract
The potential of alpine moss-sedge heath to recover from elevated nitrogen (N) deposition was assessed by transplanting Racomitrium lanuginosum shoots and vegetation turfs between 10 elevated N deposition sites (8.2-32.9 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)) and a low N deposition site, Ben Wyvis (7.2 kg ha(-1) yr(-1)). After two years, tissue N of Racomitrium shoots transplanted from higher N sites to Ben Wyvis only partially equilibrated to reduced N deposition whereas reciprocal transplants almost matched the tissue N of indigenous moss. Unexpectedly, moss shoot growth was stimulated at higher N deposition sites. However, moss depth and biomass increased in turfs transplanted to Ben Wyvis, apparently due to slower shoot turnover (suggested to result partly from decreased tissue C:N slowing decomposition), whilst abundance of vascular species declined. Racomitrium heath has the potential to recover from the impacts of N deposition; however, this is constrained by the persistence of enhanced moss tissue N contents. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 140-147 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Environmental Pollution |
Volume | 159 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 2 Oct 2010 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2011 |
Keywords
- nitrogen deposition
- racomitrium heath
- tissue N
- bryophytes
- recovery