Is coarse woody debris a net sink or source of nitrogen in the red spruce - Fraser fir forest of the southern Appalachians, USA?
Creed, IF; Morrison, DL; Nicholas, NS
| HERO ID | 2462251 |
|---|---|
| In Press | No |
| Year | 2004 |
| Title | Is coarse woody debris a net sink or source of nitrogen in the red spruce - Fraser fir forest of the southern Appalachians, USA? |
| Authors | Creed, IF; Morrison, DL; Nicholas, NS |
| Journal | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Page Numbers | 716-727 |
| Abstract | The red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) - Fraser fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.) forest of the southern Appalachians contains a significant amount of coarse woody debris (CWD) that may affect the nitrogen (N) export signal in streams originating from this N-saturated system. Interpretation of the N sink versus source status of CWD of red spruce and Fraser fir was dependent on the method used. Over a chronosequence of decay, (1) N concentrations suggested a N sink (i.e., a net gain of N of 923% in red spruce and 563% in Fraser fir relative to N in live trees); (2) N contents that reflected changes in density suggested a smaller N sink (i.e., a net gain of N of 218% in red spruce and 125% in Fraser fir relative to N in live trees), but the stoichiometry of N and C suggested a N source in early stages of decay and a N source in the most advanced stage of decay only; and (3) N contents that reflected changes in volume suggested a N source (i.e., a net N loss of -172% in red spruce and -122% in Fraser fir). The C/N ratios in CWD suggested that the shift from a N source to a N sink represented a shift from the mobilization of dissolved organic N to the immobilization of ammonium N and (or) nitrate N. The magnitude of the net change in N contents in both red spruce and Fraser fir was amongst the highest reported in literature, suggesting that CWD plays a particularly important role in N dynamics in N saturated forests. |
| Doi | 10.1139/X03-211 |
| Wosid | WOS:000220709700021 |
| Is Certified Translation | No |
| Dupe Override | No |
| Is Public | Yes |