Direct and indirect effects of ammonia, ammonium and nitrate on phosphatase activity and carbon fluxes from decomposing litter in peatland

Johnson, David; Moore, Lucy; Green, Samuel; Leith, Ian D.; Sheppard, Lucy J.. 2010 Direct and indirect effects of ammonia, ammonium and nitrate on phosphatase activity and carbon fluxes from decomposing litter in peatland. Environmental Pollution, 158. 3157-3163. 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.06.038

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.06.038

Abstract/Summary

Here we investigate the response of soils and litter to 5 years of experimental additions of ammonium (NH4), nitrate (NO3), and ammonia (NH3) to an ombrotrophic peatland. We test the importance of direct (via soil) and indirect (via litter) effects on phosphatase activity and efflux of CO2. We also determined how species representing different functional types responded to the nitrogen treatments. Our results demonstrate that additions of NO3, NH4 and NH3 all stimulated phosphatase activity but the effects were dependent on species of litter and mechanism (direct or indirect). Deposition of NH3 had no effect on efflux of CO2 from Calluna vulgaris litter, despite it showing signs of stress in the field, whereas both NO3 and NH4 reduced CO2 fluxes. Our results show that the collective impacts on peatlands of the three principal forms of nitrogen in atmospheric deposition are a result of differential effects and mechanisms on individual components.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/j.envpol.2010.06.038
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry > BGC Topic 2 - Biogeochemistry and Climate System Processes
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Billett (to November 2013)
ISSN:	0269-7491
Additional Keywords:	Calluna vulgaris, Eriophorum vaginatum, Sphagnum capillifolium, nitrogen deposition, ombrotrophic bog
NORA Subject Terms:	Botany Biology and Microbiology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	16 Feb 2011 15:55 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13439

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/j.envpol.2010.06.038

Programmes:

CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry > BGC Topic 2 - Biogeochemistry and Climate System Processes

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Billett (to November 2013)

ISSN:

0269-7491

Additional Keywords:

Calluna vulgaris, Eriophorum vaginatum, Sphagnum capillifolium, nitrogen deposition, ombrotrophic bog