Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest
Forest plants that can assimilate nitrate may act as nitrate sink and, consequently, reduce nitrate losses from watershed ecosystems through leaching. This study, conducted at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, quantified via nitrogen reductase activity (NRA) the nitrate assimilation o...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Nitrogen |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/2/22 |
| _version_ | 1797483713999667200 |
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| author | Sian E. Eisenhut Ida Holásková Kirsten Stephan |
| author_facet | Sian E. Eisenhut Ida Holásková Kirsten Stephan |
| author_sort | Sian E. Eisenhut |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forest plants that can assimilate nitrate may act as nitrate sink and, consequently, reduce nitrate losses from watershed ecosystems through leaching. This study, conducted at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, quantified via nitrogen reductase activity (NRA) the nitrate assimilation of two tree species, red maple and sugar maple, and surrounding common herb-layer species at the tissue (foliage, roots) and plot level. NRA measurements were conducted in summer and spring. Furthermore, NRA was quantified under varying levels of soil nitrate availability due to fertilization, different stages in secondary forest succession, and watershed aspect. This study confirmed that NRA of mature maples does not respond to varying levels of soil nitrate availability. However, some herb-layer species’ NRA did increase with nitrogen fertilization, and it may be greater in spring than in summer. Combined with biomass, the herb layer’s NRA at the plot-level (NRAA) comprised 9 to 41% of the total (tree + herb-layer) foliar NRAA during the growing season. This demonstrates that the herb layer contributes to nitrate assimilation disproportionally to its small biomass in the forest and may provide a vernal dam to nitrate loss not only by its early presence but also by increased spring NRA relative to summer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:50:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-13c9e67afb6a4291a01fdbd8f38dc965 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-3129 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:50:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nitrogen |
| spelling | doaj.art-13c9e67afb6a4291a01fdbd8f38dc9652023-11-23T18:19:19ZengMDPI AGNitrogen2504-31292022-06-013233335210.3390/nitrogen3020022Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood ForestSian E. Eisenhut0Ida Holásková1Kirsten Stephan2Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADavis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USADivision of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAForest plants that can assimilate nitrate may act as nitrate sink and, consequently, reduce nitrate losses from watershed ecosystems through leaching. This study, conducted at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia, quantified via nitrogen reductase activity (NRA) the nitrate assimilation of two tree species, red maple and sugar maple, and surrounding common herb-layer species at the tissue (foliage, roots) and plot level. NRA measurements were conducted in summer and spring. Furthermore, NRA was quantified under varying levels of soil nitrate availability due to fertilization, different stages in secondary forest succession, and watershed aspect. This study confirmed that NRA of mature maples does not respond to varying levels of soil nitrate availability. However, some herb-layer species’ NRA did increase with nitrogen fertilization, and it may be greater in spring than in summer. Combined with biomass, the herb layer’s NRA at the plot-level (NRAA) comprised 9 to 41% of the total (tree + herb-layer) foliar NRAA during the growing season. This demonstrates that the herb layer contributes to nitrate assimilation disproportionally to its small biomass in the forest and may provide a vernal dam to nitrate loss not only by its early presence but also by increased spring NRA relative to summer.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/2/22nitrate reductase activityfoliagerootsred maplesugar maplenitrogen fertilization |
| spellingShingle | Sian E. Eisenhut Ida Holásková Kirsten Stephan Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest Nitrogen nitrate reductase activity foliage roots red maple sugar maple nitrogen fertilization |
| title | Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest |
| title_full | Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest |
| title_fullStr | Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest |
| title_short | Role of Tree Species, the Herb Layer and Watershed Characteristics in Nitrate Assimilation in a Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest |
| title_sort | role of tree species the herb layer and watershed characteristics in nitrate assimilation in a central appalachian hardwood forest |
| topic | nitrate reductase activity foliage roots red maple sugar maple nitrogen fertilization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3129/3/2/22 |
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