Nitrogen deposition and plant biodiversity: past, present, and future

Payne, Richard J.; Dise, Nancy B.; Field, Christopher D.; Dore, Anthony J.; Caporn, Simon J.M.; Stevens, Carly J.

Nitrogen deposition and plant biodiversity: past, present, and future

Payne, Richard J.; Dise, Nancy B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0463-6885; Field, Christopher D.; Dore, Anthony J.; Caporn, Simon J.M.; Stevens, Carly J.. 2017 Nitrogen deposition and plant biodiversity: past, present, and future. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 15 (8). 431-436. 10.1002/fee.1528

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.1528

Abstract/Summary

Reactive nitrogen (N) deposition from intensive agricultural and industrial activity has been identified as the third greatest threat to global terrestrial biodiversity, after land-use and climate change. While the impacts of N deposition are widely acknowledged, their magnitude is poorly quantified. We combine N deposition models, empirical response functions, and vegetation mapping to simulate the effects of N deposition on plant species richness from 1900 to 2030, using the island of Great Britain as a case study. We find that current species richness values – when averaged across five widespread habitat types – are approximately one-third less than without N deposition. Our results suggest that currently expected reductions in emissions will achieve no more than modest increases in species richness by 2030, and that emissions cuts based on habitat-specific “critical loads” may be an inefficient approach to managing N deposition for the protection of plant biodiversity. The effects of N deposition on biodiversity are severe and are unlikely to be quickly reversed.

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1002/fee.1528

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects (Science Area 2017-24)

ISSN:

1540-9295

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment

Date made live:

30 Nov 2017 11:48 +0 (UTC)