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Related Experiment Videos

Diagnostic indicators of elevated nitrogen deposition.

Carole Pitcairn1, David Fowler, Ian Leith

  • 1Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Edinburgh, Atmospheric Sciences, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK. thepitcairns@yahoo.ac.uk

Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|April 6, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Moss tissue nitrogen content indicates nitrogen deposition. Dry deposited ammonia significantly increases moss nitrogen, while wet deposition shows a lesser response to total nitrogen but a stronger one to nitrate and ammonium concentrations.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Ecology
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Moss tissue nitrogen (N) content serves as a key indicator of enhanced nitrogen deposition.
  • Nitrogen deposition occurs through both wet (e.g., rain, snow) and dry (e.g., ammonia gas) pathways.
  • Understanding the differential response of mosses to various N forms is crucial for ecological monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how moss tissue N content responds to different types and forms of nitrogen deposition.
  • To compare the sensitivity of moss N to wet versus dry deposition, and oxidized versus reduced N forms.
  • To evaluate moss N as a bioindicator for specific nitrogen deposition scenarios.

Main Methods:

  • Studied moss tissue N content across various locations with differing dominant N deposition types (wet vs. dry) and forms (oxidized vs. reduced).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Correlated tissue N concentrations with measured N deposition rates and chemical species (NO3-, NH4+) in precipitation.
  • Analyzed the relationship between N deposition load (kg ha(-1) y(-1)) and tissue N percentage.

    • Main Results:

    • Moss tissue N showed differential responses to wet and dry N deposition.
    • A 1 kg ha(-1) y(-1) increase in N deposition led to a 0.03% increase in tissue N at dry deposition sites (dominated by NH3), versus 0.01% at wet deposition sites.
    • At wet deposition sites, tissue N correlated more strongly with precipitation concentrations of nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) (r(2)=0.63) than with total N deposition (r(2)=0.27).

    Conclusions:

    • Moss tissue N concentration is a reliable indicator of N deposition, particularly where ammonia (NH3) dominates dry deposition.
    • Mosses are valuable for identifying vegetation exposed to high concentrations of NH4+ or NO3- in wet deposition-dominated areas.
    • Specific site characteristics, like hilltops and exposed woodland edges, are highlighted as areas where moss N monitoring is particularly informative.