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Seasonality and nitrogen supply modify carbon partitioning in understory vegetation of a boreal coniferous forest
Author(s) -
Hasselquist N. J.,
Metcalfe D. B.,
Marshall J. D.,
Lucas R. W.,
Högberg P.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.1890/15-0831.1
Subject(s) - understory , vegetation (pathology) , boreal , taiga , moss , growing season , temperate climate , ecology , ecosystem , seasonality , lichen , environmental science , botany , agronomy , biology , canopy , medicine , pathology
Given the strong coupling between the carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles, there is substantial interest in understanding how N availability affects C cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, especially in ecosystems limited by N. However, most studies in temperate and boreal forests have focused on the effects of N addition on tree growth. By comparison, less is known about the effects of N availability on the cycling of C in understory vegetation despite some evidence that dwarf shrubs, mosses, and lichens play an important role in the forest C balance. In this study, we used an in situ 13 CO 2 pulse‐labeling technique to examine the short‐term dynamics of C partitioning in understory vegetation in three boreal Pinus sylvestris forest stands exposed to different rates of N addition: a low and high N addition that receive annual additions of NH 4 NO 3 of 20 and 100 kg N/ha, respectively, and an unfertilized control. Labeling was conducted at two distinct periods (early vs. late growing season), which provided a seasonal picture of how N addition affects C dynamics in understory vegetation. In contrast to what has been found in trees, there was no obvious trend in belowground C partitioning in ericaceous plants in response to N additions or seasonality. Increasing N addition led to a greater percentage of 13 C being incorporated into ericaceous leaves with a high turnover, whereas high rates of N addition strongly reduced the incorporation of 13 C into less degradable moss tissues. Addition of N also resulted in a greater percentage of the 13 C label being respired back to the atmosphere and an overall reduction in total understory carbon use efficiency. Taken together, our results suggest a faster cycling of C in understory vegetation with increasing N additions; yet the magnitude of this general response was strongly dependent on the amount of N added and varied seasonally. These results provide some of the first in situ C and N partitioning estimates for plants growing under the complex web of resource limitations in the boreal understory.