首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
     


Contribution of understory vegetation to minimizing nitrate leaching in a Japanese cedar plantation
Authors:Mitsuhisa Baba  Shintaro Abe  Makiko Kasai  Toshihiro Sugiura  Hiroshi Kobayashi
Affiliation:(1) School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Japan;(2) School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Kitasato University, Towada Aomori, 034-8628, Japan
Abstract:Understory vegetation may affect nitrate (NO3 ) leaching, even in coniferous forests. Our objective was to estimate the contribution of understory vegetation to nutrient cycling, especially nitrogen, in a Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) stand. We therefore cut down and removed understory vegetation in one plot of the stand (the cutting plot) to compare nutrient budgets in the cutting plot with those in a control plot in which understory vegetation was allowed to grow. We also examined neutralization of the acid produced due to an increase in NO3 leaching. A monitoring study on precipitation and soil-percolated water was carried out in both plots. When the understory vegetation was cut down, NO3 flux at a soil depth of 10 cm increased remarkably in summer, with values significantly higher than those in the control plot. This resulted in an increase in proton load associated with N transformation ([H+]load). The increase in [H+]load enhanced mobilization of Ca2+, Mg2+, and SiO2 ([SiO2]mob). In addition, the correlations between [SiO2]mob and mobilization of each base cation were distinct in the cutting plot. These results indicated that the acids produced because of N transformation were buffered not only by ion exchange but also by chemical weathering. The contribution of understory vegetation to minimizing NO3 leaching suggested that understory vegetation might reduce the risk of N saturation because of chronic atmospheric N inputs.
Keywords:
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录!
设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号