Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2025

A CO2 Concentration Gradient Facility for Testing CO2 Enrichment and Soil Effects on Grassland Ecosystem Function
Published on: November 21, 2015
Long-Term Nitrogen Addition Eliminates the Cooling Effect on Climate in a Temperate Peatland
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Coal-Based Greenhouse Gas Control and Utilization, School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
Abstract:
Peatlands play a crucial role in global carbon (C) sequestration, but their response to long-term nitrogen (N) deposition remains uncertain. This study investigates the effects of 12 years of simulated N addition on CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a temperate peatland through in situ monitoring. The results demonstrate that long-term N addition significantly reduces net ecosystem exchange (NEE), shifting the peatland from a C sink to a C source. This transition is primarily driven by a decline in aboveground plant productivity, as Sphagnum mosses were suppressed and even experienced mortality, while graminoid plants thrived under elevated N conditions. Although graminoid cover increased, it did not compensate for the GPP loss caused by Sphagnum decline. Instead, it further increased CH4 emissions. These findings suggest that sustained N input may diminish the C sequestration function of peatlands, significantly weakening their global cooling effect.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
What is Climate?
The Nitrogen Cycle

