Atmospheric deposition and impact of forest thinning on the throughfall of mountain forest ecosystems in the Bavarian Alps

The input into two forested watersheds in the Bavarian Alps is characterised by 2000 mm mean annual precipitation. Evaporation from the tree crown surfaces varies between 25 and 30%. The input is influenced by multiple natural and man-made processes. In addition to the general climate, these are local weather conditions, the growing season, processes of combustion (traffic and domestic fuel), tourism, farming, and not least by processes in the canopy. The input of SO₄-S is comparatively low, while high amounts of acidity and nitrogen are deposited. The input occurs mainly as dissolved salts. A considerable amount of the acidity deposited is buffered in the canopy by cation exchange and by calcareous dusts, which are blown out from the limestone and dolomite mountains nearby, and redeposited on leaf surfaces. Forest thinning (removal of 40% of the stem volume) caused marked changes in the deposition pattern. Interception and deposition rates of individual ions were reduced by up to 45%. The amount and chemical composition of the throughfall occupied an intermediate position between bulk precipitation and the throughfall of the control watershed. Ions which are preferentially exchanged and leached from the leaves, e.g. potassium and organic compounds, were affected the most.     

SIMULATION OF SOIL NITROGEN MINERALIZATION AND NITRIFICATION IN TWO NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

INTRODUCTIoNMeasurementsofNmincralizationinun-fertilizedforestsoilsprovideanindexofavail-ableNfortreegrowth(AuchmoodyandFilipl973,Stonel973,AbereIal.l989,BinklcyandHartl989,MclilIoela/.l993).Histori-cally,tWoapproaches(IaboratoryandinsitlIincubations)havebcenuscdtoestimatetheratCofNmineralization,butneitheriswidelyaccepted(Keeney,l98o).Thegenerallackofagrementamongthemethodsisduetodiffer-encesintheirsensitivitytocnvironmentalfac-torswhichinfluencesoilNmineralization(Raisonetal.l987…     

Boron in forest trees and forest ecosystems

This review critically examines the role of boron (B) in forests in view of recent findings on B nutrition and the continuing occurrence of B deficiency. Many perceptions about the role of B in plants and its uptake and mobility have been altered since the last review on B in forest trees in 1990. Now there is evidence for a fundamental role of B in the formation of the pectic structure in primary cell walls in plants, and further roles in membrane function are being explored. In plants, channel-mediated B uptake, active B uptake and B uptake by mycorrhizas have been shown, B transporters have been identified, and B retranslocation has been shown. We explore these findings and their consequences on forest trees and on ecosystems that they dominate. Particular emphasis is placed on B retranslocation and B in mycorrhizal symbiosis, given their importance in trees.     

氮沉降对森林土壤碳动态过程的影响

本文综述了国内外关于森林土壤碳动态过程对氮沉降响应机制的研究进展,概述了大气氮沉降对土壤碳释放及其影响因子的作用机制,从土壤生物学特性、凋落物动态、土壤碳释放等方面揭示大气氮沉降对土壤碳平衡过程影响机制和机理,探讨了森林土壤碳动态过程对氮沉降响应的不确定性因素,并指出未来该领域研究重点。     

Characterisation of and changes in the atmospheric deposition situation in German forest ecosystems using multivariate statistics

Based on the results of the atmospheric deposition classification of the year 1989, a methodical approach should be introduced, which—based on the modelled total deposition rates—enables us to characterise the input situation of forest monitoring plots and to delimit load areas in Germany. In 1989, the deposition situation in nearly 1,800 forest monitoring sites (BZE/extensive Soil Condition Inventory) in Germany could be explained by four factors (or three, excluding sea salt impact) with the help of a factor analysis. The factor values were grouped into six deposition types with typical compounds and regional patterns. The classified input rates of the soil inventory plots adequately represent the stress situation and deposition changes in Germany. The application of the statistical approach on the level of Brandenburg clarifies the special local input situation. Due to the special combination of deposed elements, the sources of emissions can be characterised as well. When the soil inventory is repeated, a project planned for 2006, this approach can be used in order to determine homogenous areas for stratified data evaluation.     

Undergrowth as a biomonitor for deposition of nitrogen and acidity in pine forest

The possible use of the understorey vegetation as a biomonitor for atmospheric deposition of acid and nutrients was explored by analyzing the vegetation of two pine forest stands in central and northern Sweden. Percentage cover of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens was estimated in four factorial experiments with a total of 122 plots. In these experiments N, P, K, lime and sulphuric acid had been regularly added over a period of ca. 15 years. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to detect treatment effects on the composition of the vegetation, and was compared to analysis of variance (ANOVA) on Ellenberg's indicator values. Of all treatments nitrogen addition had by far the strongest effect, causing a shift in dominance from cryptogams and Ericaceae towards Deschampsia flexuosa and ruderal species. Acidification caused a decrease in the cover of most species, while liming increased the dominance of Ericaceae. There was a fairly good correspondence among the N fertilization, acidification and liming treatments and the indicator scores for nitrogen and acidity. Although the indicator method was not as sensitive as RDA in discriminating between the treatments, it may have a wider applicability in biomonitoring because it yields information on possible causal factors behind differences in vegetation.     

Carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus leaching after site preparation at a boreal forest clear-cut area

Clear-cutting followed by mechanical site preparation is the major disturbance influencing nutrient and water fluxes in Fennoscandian boreal forests. The effects of soil harrowing on the fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved nitrogen compounds (organic N, NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻) and water soluble phosphorus (PO₄³⁻) through a podzolic soil were studied in a clear-cut in eastern Finland for 5 years. The old, mixed coniferous stand was clear-cut and stem only harvested in 1996 followed by soil harrowing in 1998 and planting in June 1999. Zero-tension lysimeters were used to collect soil water from below different soil horizons in the three types of microsites that resulted from site preparation treatment: low ridges (25% of clear-cut area), shallow furrows (30%) and the undisturbed soil (45%). After soil harrowing, the leaching of DOC, N and P from below the B-horizon increased compared to pre-treatment levels. However, the increases were short-lasting; 1–2 years for inorganic N and P, and 5 years for DOC and organic N. The highest concentrations were associated with the ridges and lowest with the furrows, reflecting the differences in amount of organic matter present in each microsite type and, for N, to enhanced mineralization and nitrification. Leaching from below the B-horizon over the 5 years following soil harrowing for the whole clear-cut area was 36.5 kg ha⁻¹ for DOC, 0.88 kg ha⁻¹ for NH₄-N, 0.46 kg ha⁻¹ for NO₃-N, 1.24 kg ha⁻¹ for organic N and 0.09 kg ha⁻¹ for PO₄-P. Site preparation increased temporarily the risk for nutrient leaching into watercourses and groundwater from the clear-cut area but soil fertility was not affected since the leached amounts remained small. The main reasons for the observed low leaching values were the rapid recovery of ground vegetation and low N deposition loads.     

Oak forest development as a result of historical land-use patterns and present nitrogen deposition

Historical sources of the use of the forests around the manor Hald during three centuries are used to outline a typical development for many areas on poor sandy soils in Denmark. The balance between forest, shrub, agricultural land, fallow and heathlands in the zone depended on the intensity of land-use for agriculture, grazing and wooden products. The forests at Hald were never totally deforested, and since the forest act of 1805 and first conservation in the early 20th century, the open and shrubby oak woods have developed into oak forest. In a preliminary analysis, data on under-storey vegetation and light conditions from 1916 are compared to data from 1995. Due to conservation of the forest, light penetration has been drastically reduced in the forest since early this century and the reduced light penetration in combination with increased nitrogen deposition has changed the under-storey vegetation significantly. Species diversity and abundance have declined and the typical raw humus species are relatively better adapted to the present conditions. The relative importance of management and air pollution is discussed in relation to succession and preservation of oak forests at a certain successive stage on oligotrophic sandy soils.     

Soil enzyme activities as potential indicators of soluble organic nitrogen pools in forest ecosystems of Northeast China

Context

Soluble organic nitrogen is considered to reflect the effect of forest types on soil nitrogen status. As a major process affecting the soil-soluble organic nitrogen pool, degradation of insoluble organic nitrogen in the production of soluble organic nitrogen is mediated by a suite of soil enzymes.

Aims

This study aims to examine soil-soluble organic nitrogen pools and their relationships with the activities of soil enzymes in natural secondary forest stands and adjacent larch plantation stands.

Methods

Four pairs of larch plantation stands and secondary forest stands were randomly selected from a mountainous area, and the top 15?cm of the mineral soils were sampled from each field.

Results

The soil-soluble organic nitrogen concentrations were up to 2-fold greater in the secondary forest stands than in the larch plantation stands, whereas the ratio of soluble organic nitrogen/total nitrogen was comparable between the two forest types. The concentrations of soluble organic nitrogen were positively correlated with approximately 2-fold differences in urease and protease activities, a 1.2-fold difference in N-acetyl-??-glucosaminidase and a 1.7-fold difference in l-asparaginase between the two forest types.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that relationships between soil-soluble organic nitrogen and enzyme activities are independent on sampling time, and that the soil enzyme activities can be used as potential indicators of soil soluble organic nitrogen pools in the temperate forest ecosystem.     

Carbon pools and sequestration in forest ecosystems in Britain

British vegetation is estimated to contain 113.8 million tC,80 per cent of which is in forests and woodlands (91.9 milliontC). Sitka spruce plantations, although covering 21.4 per centof the forest/woodland area, contain only 8.2 per cent of theforest/woodland carbon, because the plantations are young andhave an average of only 14.1 tC ha^–1. Broadleaved woodlandsin Britain have an average of 61.9 tC ha^–1 and contain46.8 per cent of the total carbon in all vegetation. A breakdownis given of the carbon density (tC ha^–1) and content ofdifferent tree species. A carbon density map of Britain highlightsthe concentration of carbon in the broadleaved woodlands insouthern England and in the large conifer plantations in southernScotland and northern England. Carbon storage in the trees, products, litter and soil can beevaluated in terms of long-term equilibrium storage or short-termrate of storage. These two components vary among forest typesin Britain and globally. Plantations harvested at the time ofmaximum mean annual increment (MAI) will not store as much carbonas mature, old-growth forests on the same site unless they havelong-lasting products and/or are very fast growing. Maximumequilibrium carbon storage is generally achieved by harvestingat the time of maximum MAI when the lifetime of products exceedsthe time to maximum MAI. Undisturbed peatlands sequester CO₂and emit CH₄, and may be greenhouse neutral. When peatlandsare drained and planted with trees, they stop emitting CH₄ andstore carbon in the trees, forest litter, forest soil and woodproducts. However, these greenhouse gas ‘gains’are offset by the oxidation to CO₂ of the peat, and the gainsare exceeded by CO₂ losses when 20–40 cm depth of peathas been oxidized. Forests in Britain are currently sequestering1.5–1.7 million tC a^–1 in trees, 0.3–0.5 tCa^–1 in litter and 0.5 million tC a^–1 in wood products,totalling about 2.5 million tC, equivalent to about 1.5 percent of the carbon currently emitted by burning fossil fuelsin the UK. In order to maintain the current forest carbon sink,the forest area needs to continue to expand at about 25 000ha a^–1 of upland conifers or 10 000 ha a^–1 of poplarson good land.     

Long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems on sandstone in the Vosges Mountains (France) facing atmospheric deposition and silvicultural change

Since the 1980s, atmospheric deposition acidity has generally decreased in European forest ecosystems. However, at many sites, little or no sign of recovery has been observed yet. Concerns are rising about the sustainability of these ecosystems because of reduced nutrients inputs in atmospheric deposition and the increase in biomass harvesting to supply bio-energy.We used a silver fir plot of the French monitoring network (RENECOFOR, site SP57) typical of the ecosystems on sandstone in the Vosges Mountains, to investigate its functioning and its response facing past and possible future changes. We (1) calculated 12-year-mean “input-output” nutrient budgets, (2) measured the change in soil exchangeable cations and anions, (3) used monitoring data to calibrate a process oriented biogeochemical model, NuCM, that was then used to (4) simulate the consequences of two main scenarios and their combinations: constant or reduced atmospheric deposition, and traditional or whole-tree harvesting.Mean term changes in exchangeable nutrients and input-output budgets showed a loss of exchangeable sulphate and base cations, the level of which depended on the method. This combined efflux induced an acidification of soil solution and an alkalinisation of the soil. The model NuCM was successfully calibrated and scenarios were implemented. A slight recovery was simulated when deposition was maintained constant but combined acid and nutrient atmospheric deposition reduction delayed recovery. Whole-tree harvesting drastically decreased soil fertility compared to traditional silviculture. Hence, biomass harvesting in forests on poor soils may counter recovery in the future.     

Carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry in Pinus tabulaeformis forest ecosystems in warm temperate Shanxi Province,north China

Although carbon(C), nitrogen(N), and phosphorous(P) stoichiometric ratios are considered good indicators of nutrient excess/limitation and thus of ecosystem health, few reports have discussed the trends and the reciprocal effects of C:N:P stoichiometry in plant–litter–soil systems. The present study analyzed C:N:P ratios in four age groups of Chinese pine, Pinus tabulaeformis Carr., forests in Shanxi Province, China: plantation young forests(AY,20 year-old); plantation middle-aged forests(AM, 21–30 year-old); natural young forests(NY,30 year-old); and natural middle-aged forests(NM,31–50 year-old). The average C:N:P ratios calculated for tree, shrub, and herbaceous leaves, litter, and soil(0–100 cm) were generally higher in NY followed by NM,AM, and AY. C:N and C:P ratios were higher in litter than in leaves and soils, and reached higher values in the litter and leaves of young forests than in middle-aged forests;however, C:N and C:P ratios were higher in soils of middle-aged forests than in young forests. N:P ratios were higher in leaves than in litter and soils regardless of stand age; the consistent N:P14 values found in all forests indicated N limitations. With plant leaves, C:P ratios were highest in trees, followed by herbs and shrubs, indicating a higher efficiency in tree leaf formation. C:N ratios decreased with increasing soil depth, whereas there was no trend for C:P and N:P ratios. C:N:P stoichiometry of forest foliage did not exhibit a consistent variation according to stand age. Research on the relationships between N:P, and P, N nutrient limits and the characteristics of vegetation nutrient adaptation need to be continued.     

Water cycle investigations in Hungarian forest ecosystems

From the biological point of view the value of autotrophy plant association is determined by the carbon fixation and the carbon cycle. Among the plant associations of Hungary, forest has the largest biological carbon fixation and carbon cycle.In general, the annual water cycle is the key factor in the organic material production of the Hungarian forests. The most intensive water consumption and organic material production take place from May till July, which period is named main water consumption and respectively main growing period. In Hungary the categories of the forest climate are characterized by main tree species and based on the characteristic meteorological data (Jaro and Tatraaljai, 1985). In Hungary the forest area covered by stand is 1,650,000 hm2. Beech forest climate covers 8% of the forest area, hornbeam-oak forest climate covers 22%, sessile oak-Turkey oak forest climate covers 48% and forest steppe climate covers 22%. Partly in the frame of ICP-Forests, the Department of Ecology in the Forest Research Institute carries out long term, complex ecophysiological investigations on several sample plots (so-called basic plots) throughout the whole country. The organic material production (growth), the nutrient and water cycle, the measurements of air pollutants and meteorological parameters, as well as chemical analyses are all part of the investigations. As a comparison the figure of two basic plots (Sopron-Piispokladany) shows the water cycles of a good growing beech stand in beech climate and a weak pedunculate oak stand in forest steppe climate in the hydrological year of 2001-2002. In the Hungarian forest 60%-70% of the precipitation is used for interception, evaporation, and in the vegetation season, for the transpiration both in beech and forest steppe climate. From other point of view, only 30%-40% of the open air precipitation infiltrates into the soil and can be utilized by the forest.     

Imbalanced forest ecosystems: Assessments and consequences

Few ecosystems can maintain an ideal balance of available resources for primary producers, decomposing organisms, and consumers. When nutrition is optimal for plants, their tissue may be toxic for many consumers and their detritus nutritionally imbalanced for decomposers. Even conditions favoring high rates of primary production soon lead to limitation in light and possibly other resources. Because of the integrated nature of ecosystems, stress induced in one part permeates the entire system. With chronic stress induced by climatic change or air pollution, we might expect reductions in canopy leaf area, decomposition rates, and root mineral uptake, and increases in herbivory, pathological activity, and leaching of material into or through the rooting zone. Each of the six responses can be simply assessed. As a general index of stress to forest ecosystems, we may monitor changes in the ability of folaige to produce wood. Below a particular level of production, trees become susceptible to a variety of insects and diseases. Through an experimental approach, we can identify the relative importance of constraining factors and predict the consequences of management options.     

外来入侵种及其对森林生态系统的威胁:概念和对策

外来入侵种问题越来越受到关注，其对经济、人类生活、环境和生物多样性的危害也被广泛认识。结合介绍外来入侵种的定义、危害性和入侵过程，对入侵种的生物学特征、易受入侵种危害的生态系统的特征和控制措施进行了归纳；结合国内外研究和管理现状，对我国的外来入侵种研究和管理对策提出了具体建议。     

Integrating forest biodiversity conservation and restoration ecology principles to recover natural forest ecosystems

New Forests - Effective conservation of forest biodiversity and effective forest restoration are two of the biggest challenges facing forest managers globally. I present four general principles to...     

Nutrients in litterfall,forest floor and mineral soils in two adjacent forest ecosystems in Greece

The fluxes of masses and the nutrients Ca,Mg,K,N,P and S were determined in the litterfall of two adjacent forest ecosystems of Hungarian oak(Quercus frainetto L.)and European beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)in a mountainous area of northeastern Greece in 2010–2015.The foliar litterfall for both species reached about 70%of the total litterfall,and was significantly higher from the other two fractions(woody and rest litterfall).The fluxes of masses and nutrients were compared between ecosystems for each fraction separately.Only one significant statistical difference was found,that of K in the woody litterfall.In addition,the stocks of masses and nutrients were calculated in the forest floors and mineral soils of the two ecosystems.Likewise,the stocks of nutrients in the forest floors and mineral soils were compared between ecosystems.In the L horizon of the forest floors,statistical differences,as a result of species effect,were found for the stocks of Ca and N.In the FH horizons,the masses and all the nutrient stocks differed significantly,as the beech plot had much higher quantities of organic matter and nutrients.These higher quantities were probably due to low soil temperatures(microclimate)and high acidity in the beech plot(species effect)that slowed down decomposition.In the mineral soils,the propagation of random error derived from random errors of the individual soil layers was an important factor in the statistical comparisons.Because of the soil acidity in the beech plot,the stocks of exchangeable base cations were significantly higher in the oak plot,whereas the other nutrient stocks did not differ.