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Dissolved organic nitrogen dominates in European bogs under increasing atmospheric N deposition
Author(s) -
Bragazza Luca,
Limpens Juul
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
global biogeochemical cycles
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.512
H-Index - 187
eISSN - 1944-9224
pISSN - 0886-6236
DOI - 10.1029/2004gb002267
Subject(s) - ombrotrophic , bog , environmental chemistry , peat , sphagnum , biogeochemistry , moss , nitrogen , organic matter , dissolved organic carbon , deposition (geology) , chemistry , nitrate , leaching (pedology) , nutrient , saturation (graph theory) , environmental science , ecology , soil science , soil water , sediment , geology , biology , organic chemistry , paleontology , mathematics , combinatorics
To assess the effects of increased atmospheric N input on N availability in ombrotrophic peatlands, the relative concentrations of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) to dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were measured in bog waters along a natural gradient of atmospheric N deposition. Six European bogs were selected, spanning a range of chronic atmospheric N inputs from 0.2 to 2.0 g m −2 yr −1 . DIN as well as DON concentrations increased with N deposition, the latter increasing at a sharper incline. The increase in DIN concentrations was related to the reduced capacity of the moss layer to trap atmospheric N, which in turn was a result of N saturation of the moss layer. The enhanced DON concentrations appear to be a consequence of increased leaching of organic N compounds by Sphagnum . The importance of DON on N biogeochemistry in bogs opens new perspectives in relation to nutrient limitation and organic matter turnover.