Impact of nitrogen deposition on the species richness of grasslands.
A transect of 68 acid grasslands across Great Britain, covering the lower range of ambient annual nitrogen deposition in the industrialized world (5 to 35 kg Nha-1 year-1), indicates that long-term, chronic nitrogen deposition has significantly reduced plant species richness. Species richness declines as a linear function of the rate of inorganic nitrogen deposition, with a reduction of one species per 4-m2 quadrat for every 2.5 kg Nha-1 year-1 of chronic nitrogen deposition. Species adapted to infertile conditions are systematically reduced at high nitrogen deposition. At the mean chronic nitrogen deposition rate of central Europe (17 kg Nha-1 year-1), there is a 23% species reduction compared with grasslands receiving the lowest levels of nitrogen deposition.
Stevens
Carly J
CJ
Department of Earth Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK. c.j.stevens@open.ac.uk
Dise
Nancy B
NB
Mountford
J Owen
JO
Gowing
David J
DJ
D000397:Air Pollution; D000531:Altitude; D001272:Atmosphere; D044822:Biodiversity; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D063245:Plant Development; D006109:Poaceae / Q000254:growth & development*; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D006113:United Kingdom; D014887:Weather
D012987:Soil; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen