Nitrogen Addition Experiments


Aber Forest

 

Contact:  Bridget Emmett

Email:  b.emmett@ite.ac.uk

Site Location:  Bangor, Gwynedd, United Kingdom

Latitude:  53.48 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -4.00 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  8.8 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1849 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  36 kg NH4NO3, 35 kg and 70 kg  NaNO3 

Application Frequency:  52 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  October 15, 1990

End Date:  1996

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site: 

 

Aber Forest Publications

 


Alptal

 

Contact:  Patrick Schleppi

Email: schleppi@wsl.ch

Site Location:  Einsiedeln, Switzerland

Latitude:  47.05 decimal degrees

Longitude:  8.72 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  5.3 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  2350 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 25.6 kg NH4NO3 

Application frequency: 210 times per year 

Technology: 

Start Date:  April 1, 1995

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Alptal Publications


Amli

 

Contact:  Live Semb Vestgarden

Email: live.semb.vestgarden@jordforsk.no

Site Location:  Amli, Norway

Latitude:  59.90 decimal degrees

Longitude:  8.72 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  5.2 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1100 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Plantation

Experimental Manipulation: 90 NH4NO3 

Application frequency:  1 per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1990

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Publications:

 


 Artic LTER Wet Sedge

 

Contact: Gus Shaver

Email:  gshaver@mbl.edu

Site Location:  Toolik Lake, Alaska, USA

Latitude: 68.63 decimal degrees

Longitude: -149.60 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  -9 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  330 mm

Biome:  Wet Sedge Meadow

Experimental Manipulation:   

Application frequency: 

Technology:

Start Date:  July 1997  

End Date:  Ongoing  

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Publications:

 


Bear Brook Watershed Maine (BBWM)

 

Contact:  Ivan J. Fernandez, Lindsey Rustad             

Email: ivanjf@maine.edu, rustad@maine.edu

Site Location:  Township 28, Maine, USA

Latitude:  44.86 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -68.10 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  7.1 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1303 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  25.2 kg (NH4)2SO4  

Application frequency:  6 times per year

Technology:  Aerial application of dry ammonium sulphate

Start Date:  1989

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:  Evaluate the decadal scale response of a forested catchment to chronic additions of N and S

 

Key Findings: 

S treatments to the West Bear watershed. As such, we are able to describe ecosystem processes not evident in short-term experimental research. The treated West Bear watershed has shown evidence in soils, soil solutions, vegetation and stream chemistry to validate our concepts of the evolution of base cation depletion due to chronic acidification stressors. Recent assessments of stream base cation trajectories suggest both the reference and treatment watersheds may be approaching a new steady-state with respect to base cation losses. Nitrogen export differences between streams has decreased despite a continued evolution of internal ecosystem processes that reflect continued and cumulative N enrichment. Stream SO4 export in both streams appears to be in equilibrium with inputs, but a mechanism controlling the SO4 concentrations in West Bear is undefined. Conventional theory and models based on adsorption mechanisms do not accurately predict stream export in the treated watershed after two decades. We are currently studying the possibility of mineral phases in the soil as controllers of SO4 through thermodynamic calculations of both stream and soil solution chemistry. Extensive research has recently been conducted on P dynamics and the LTREB data are essential to support an understanding of P mass balance and cycling. Soil solution measurements in 2007 demonstrated that significant P is exported in soil solutions beyond ortho-P. In addition, the new soil solution data shows the continuation of long-term soil solution trends in response to treatments when added to historical soil solution data. These time series suggest good agreement in the evolution of ecosystem biogeochemistry with streams, but poor agreement from a mass export basis. Most recently we are developing techniques to evaluate C, N and P enzymatic activities in soils to better define biotic mechanisms controlling stream CNP stoichiometry and export.

 

 

Web Site:  http://www.umaine.edu/DrSoils/bbwm/bbwm.html

 

BBWM Publications

 


Catskills Forest

 

Contact:  Gary Lovett         

Email: LovettG@ecostudies.org

Site Location:  Ulster County, New York, USA

Latitude:  42 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -74 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  4.3 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1530 mm

Biome:  Mixed Hardwood Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  50 kg NH4NO3    

Application frequency:  4 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  November 1997

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Catskills Forest Publications

 


Dinghushan

 

Contact:  Fang Yunting         

Email: fangyt@scbg.ac.cn

Site Location:  Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China

Latitude:  23.17 decimal degrees

Longitude:  112.17 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  21 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1927 mm

Biome:  Subtropical monsoon evergreen broadleaf mixed forest, pine forest

Experimental Manipulation:  50, 100 and 150 kg NH4NO3-N

Application frequency:  12 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  July 2003

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Dinghushan Publications

 


Experimental Lakes Area (ELA)

 

Contact:  Sherry, Schiff          

Email: sschiff@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca

Site Location:  Kenora, Ontario, Canada

Latitude:  49.50 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -93.50 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  2.3 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  673 mm

Biome:  Open Boreal Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  38 kg NaNO3  

Application frequency:  38 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  May 1995

End Date:  Mid-August 1996

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

ELA Publications

 


FERNOW

 

Contact:  Mary Beth Adams          

Email: mbadams@fs.fed.us

Site Location:  Parsons, West Virginia, USA

Latitude:  39.08 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -79.68 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  9.13 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1458 mm

Biome:  Mixed Hardwood Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  35.4 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  3 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  January 1989

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

FERNOW Publications

 


Fraser

 

Contact:  Heather Rueth         

Email: hrueth@mbl.edu

Site Location:  Fraser, Colorado, USA

Latitude:  39.87 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -105.87 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  1.1 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1120 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  25 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  8 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1996

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Fraser Publications

 


Gårdsjön

 

Contact:  Filip Moldan           

Email: Filip.Moldan@ivl.se

Site Location:  Stenungsund, Sweden

Latitude:  58.07 decimal degrees

Longitude:  12.02 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  6.4 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1100 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  40 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  25 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  April 1991

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Gardsjon Publications

 


Harvard Forest

 

Contact:  Alison Magill          

Email: alison@shooter.sr.unh.edu

Site Location:  Petersham, Massachusetts, USA

Latitude:  42.50 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -72.17 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  6.74 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1119 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  150 kg and 50 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  6 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  May 1988

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Harvard Publications

 


Howland Forest

 

Contact:  Eric Davidson    

Email: edavidson@whrc.org

Site Location:  Howland, Maine, USA

Latitude:  45.20 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -68.73 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  7.1 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1303 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation:    

Application frequency:  

Technology:

Start Date:  

End Date:  

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Publications:

 

 


Huntington Forest

 

Contact: Myron Mitchell    

Email: mitchell@mailbox.syr.edu

Site Location:  Newcomb, New York, USA

Latitude:  43.98 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -74.23 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  4.4 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1010 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation:  28 kg and 14 kg (NH4)2SO4    

Application frequency:  1 time per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1991

End Date:  1993

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Huntington Forest Publication

 

 


IES

 

Contact: Gary Lovett    

Email: LovettG@ecostudies.org

Site Location:  Millbrook, New York, USA

Latitude:  41.83 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -73.75 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  9.5 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1089 mm

Biome:  Mixed Hardwood Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 100 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  4 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  August 1996

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

IES Publications

 

 


Klosterhede

 

Contact: Per Gunderson      

Email:  PGU@FSL.DK

Site Location:  Lemvig, Denmark

Latitude:  56.48 decimal degrees

Longitude:  8.40 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  8.2 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  888 mm

Biome:  Norway Spruce Plantation

Experimental Manipulation: 35 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  12 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  February 1992

End Date:  December 1997

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Klosterhede Publications

 

 


Loch Vale

 

Contact: Heather Rueth

Email:  hrueth@mbl.edu

Site Location:  Estes Park, Colorado, USA

Latitude:  39.87 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -105.87 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  0.8 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  860 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 25 kg NH4NO3  

Application frequency:  8 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1996

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Loch Vale Publications

 

 


Michigan Gradient

 

Contact: Kurt Pregitzer

Email:  ajburton@mtu.edu

Site Location:  Michigan, USA

Latitude: 45.55 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -84.85 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  5.6 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  872 mm

Biome:  Northern Hardwood Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 30 kg NaNO3 

Application frequency:  6 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  May 1994

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Michigan Gradient Publications

 

 


Mount Ascutney

 

Contact: Steve McNulty

Email:  steve_mcnulty@ncsu.edu

Site Location:  Mount Ascutney, Vermont, USA

Latitude: 43.43 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -72.45 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  4.69 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1000 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 15.7 kg NH3Cl; 19.8 kg  NaNO3, 25.6 kg  NH4NO3, 31.4 kg (NH4)2SO4 

Application frequency:  3 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  June 1988

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Mount Ascutney Publications

 


NITROF

 

Contact: Marife D. Corre (NITROF) and Joseph S. Wright (long –term nutrient manipulation in tropical lowland forest)  

Email:  mcorre@gwdg.de

Site Location:  Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama

Latitude: Montane Forest in Fortuna -8.75 decimal degrees; Lowland Forest in Gigante -9.17 decimal degrees

Longitude:  Montane Forest in Fortuna -  -82.25 decimal degrees   Lowland Forest in Gigante -  -79.85 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  Montane Forest in Fortuna – 21 degrees Celsius; Lowland Forest in Gigante – 27 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  Montane Forest in Fortuna - 6000 mm; Lowland Forest in Gigante 2637 mm

Biome:  Old growth tropical montane and lowland forests

Experimental Manipulation: N addition at 125 kg ha-1 yr-1

Application frequency:  Split in 4 applications per year 

Technology:

Start Date:  Montane Forest in Fortuna - 2006; Lowland Forest in Gigante - 1998

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

Study 1: Changes in internal fluxes and fates of N in forest soils

Study 2: Effects on forest net primary production and structure (only focus on the montane forest)

Study 3: Impact of chronic N addition on trace gas exchange (NO, N2O, CO2, CH4)     

Study 4: Effects of increased N input on leaching losses of N, C and cations

Key Findings:

Study 1 – soil N cycling and retention:

The long-term N addition to the lowland forest has increased gross N mineralization rates and significantly increased N availability such that NO3- pool (and thus, gross nitrification) became quantifiable. The 15N natural abundance and 15N-enrichment factor, which reflect the long-term behavior of soil N cycling of an ecosystem, tended to increase in the long-term N fertilized plots, signifying that long-term N addition to the lowland forest increased soil N cycling rates and consequently N losses. Microbial biomass slightly decreased under long-term N addition, and the microbial C:N ratio indicated a shift to a more bacterial dominated population. These results showed that long-term N addition to a tropical forest can result to changes in microbial biomass and microbial community structure. The baseline measurements (prior to treatment) of the gross rates of soil N cycling in the montane forest showed comparable rates as the lowland forest, which were higher than other N-limited montane forests. Abiotic immobilization of NH4+ decreased under long-term N addition in the lowland forest. Both the lowland and montane forest soils showed high abiotic NO3- immobilization.

Study 2 – net primary production and structure in a montane forest:

During the first year N addition to the montane forest, we observed a significant increase in diameter growth in trees with 10-30 cm diameter (0.7 ± 0.1 mm for the control plots and 1.1 ± 0.1 mm for the N plots from mid-February to mid-November 2006). There were also differences in species response. We did not detect N addition response from Oreomunnea mexicana. Vochysia guatemalensis tended to show higher (although not statistically significant) growth rates in the N than the control plots for trees with 30-50 cm diameter. In contrast, Eschweilera panamensis revealed a strongly positive reaction to N addition, particularly for trees with 10-30 cm diameter. The most responsive category of litterfall was the leaf litter; total and leaf litterfall significantly increased in the N plots after the third N application during the first year.

Study 3 – trace gases emissions:

The total emissions from the montane forest (0.77 ± 0.12 kg NO-N ha-1 and 0.61 ± 0.12 kg N2O-N ha-1 from mid-February to November 2006) were higher than other N-limited montane forests. These emissions significantly increased during the first-year N addition (6.93 ± 2.1 kg NO-N ha-1 and 3.59 ± 1.23 kg N2O-N ha-1 within the same period). Although study 2 revealed that trees responded to N addition (signifying N limitation), relatively high N oxide emissions also concurrently occurred. Our results revealed that N oxide losses do not follow the notion that all sinks for N have to be filled up first before losses occur. As shown in study 1, gross rates of N cycling in this montane forest were comparable with the lowland forest. Background emissions (control plots) from the lowland forest were (1.97 ± 0.65 kg NO-N ha-1 and 1.06 ± 0.10 N2O-N ha-1) higher than the montane forest. These increased further with long-term (9 years) N addition (19.07 ± 4.34 kg NO-N ha-1 and 5.66 ± 1.69 kg N2O-N ha-1). CO2 fluxes were lower from the montane than the lowland forest. There was no difference in the CH4 uptake between the montane and lowland forests. In both forest sites, N fertilization did not affect CO2 and CH4 fluxes.

Study 4 – leaching losses:

After nine years of N addition in the lowland forest, NO3- leaching losses significantly increased. Soil acidification and decrease in base saturation were also observed. For the montane forest, there was no N addition effects observed on leaching losses during the first two N applications in the first-year N addition. It is then apparent that effects of elevated N input on N losses were manifested earlier on soil N oxide emissions rather than on leaching losses from our montane forest.

 

 

Web Site:  http://www.nitrof.forst.uni-goettingen.de

 

Publications:

 

 


Pack Forest

 

Contact: Myron Mitchell

Email:  mitchell@mailbox.syr.edu

Site Location:  Warrensburg, New York, USA

Latitude: 43.55 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -73.80 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  8 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1000 mm

Biome:  Red Pine Plantation

Experimental Manipulation: 28 kg and 14 kg (NH4)2SO4  

Application frequency:  1 time per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1991

End Date:  1993

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Pack Forest Publications

 

 


Pancake Hall Creek

 

Contact: Myron Mitchell

Email:  mitchell@mailbox.syr.edu

Site Location:  Pancake Hall Creek, New York, USA

Latitude: 43.83 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -74.85 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  4.4 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1024 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 28 kg and 14 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  1 time per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1991

End Date:  1993

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Pancake Hall Publications

 

 


Skogaby

 

Contact: Tryggve Persson

Email:  Tryggve.Persson@eom.slu.se

Site Location:  Halmsted, Sweden

Latitude: 56.55 decimal degrees

Longitude:  13.22 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  7.5 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1145 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 100 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  3 times per year

Technology:

Start Date:  June 1988

End Date:  August 2001

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Publications:

 

 


Solling

 

Contact: Marife Corre

Email:  mcorre@gwdg.de

Site Location:  Solling, Lower Saxony, Germany

Latitude: 51.52 decimal degrees

Longitude:  9.76 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  7.3 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1100 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation: 140 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  1 time per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1983

End Date:  1993

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Solling Publications

 

 


Spueld

 

Contact: Wim Wessel

Email:  wwessel@science.uva.nl

Site Location:  Garderen, Spueld, The Netherlands

Latitude: 52.22 decimal degrees

Longitude:  5.65 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  9.25 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  800 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Plantation

Experimental Manipulation: -32.5 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  continuous

Technology:

Start Date:  May 1989

End Date:  May 1995

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Spueld Publications

 

 


THP

 

Contact: Rich Phillips

Email: 

Site Location:  Ithaca, New York, USA

Latitude: 42.45 decimal degrees

Longitude: -76.41 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  

Mean Annual Precipitation:  

Biome: 

Experimental Manipulation:   

Application frequency:  

Technology:

Start Date:  

End Date:  

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Publications:

 


Woods Lake

 

Contact: Myron Mitchell

Email:  mitchell@mailbox.syr.edu

Site Location:  Woods Lake, New York, USA

Latitude: 43.88 decimal degrees

Longitude:  -74.95 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  4.4 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  1407 mm

Biome:  Mixed Forest

Experimental Manipulation: (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  1 time per year

Technology:

Start Date:  1991

End Date:  1993

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Woods Lake Publications

 

 


Ysselstyn

 

Contact: Win Wessel

Email:  wwessel@science.uva.nl

Site Location:  Ysselsteyn, The Netherlands

Latitude: 51.50 decimal degrees

Longitude:  5.92 decimal degrees

Mean Annual Temperature:  9.8 degrees Celsius

Mean Annual Precipitation:  793 mm

Biome:  Coniferous Plantation

Experimental Manipulation: -45.2 kg (NH4)2SO4   

Application frequency:  continuous

Technology:

Start Date:  May 1989

End Date:  Ongoing

Key Research Questions:

 

Key Findings:

 

 

Web Site:

 

Ysselstyn Publications