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Field measurements of nitrogen‐fixing activity of intact saplings of Alnus maximowiczii in the subalpine zone of Mt Fuji
Author(s) -
Tsutsumi Hiroshi,
Nakatsubo Takayuki,
Ino Yoshio
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1007/bf02348611
Subject(s) - nitrogen fixation , nitrogen , montane ecology , botany , subalpine forest , acetylene , ground level , environmental science , horticulture , chemistry , biology , ecology , organic chemistry , architectural engineering , ground floor , engineering
Nitrogen‐fixing (acetylene‐reducing) activity of intact saplings of Alnus maximowiczii was measured under natural conditions in the subalpine zone of Mt Fuji. The nitrogen‐fixing activity was detected from the middle of June when expansion of leaves had just begun to the end of October when the shedding of leaves was almost completed. Diurnal changes in the activity were almost parallel with those of ground temperature. The measured nitrogen‐fixing activity was related to ground temperature and total leaf area. Using this relation, annual nitrogen fixation was estimated from the data of ground temperature and leaf area measured in the field. The amount of annual nitrogen fixation was almost the same as that of nitrogen used for annual growth. It was concluded that nitrogen fixation by nodules made a considerable contribution to the nitrogen economy in the saplings of A. maximowiczii .