title: The influence of nitrogen in stemflow and precipitation on epiphytic bryophytes, Isothecium myosuroides Brid., Dicranum scoparium Hewd. and Thuidium tamariscinum (Hewd.) Schimp of Atlantic oakwoods.
abstract: The spatial relationship between the concentration and deposition of the major ions in precipitation and stemflow and their influence on the tissue nitrogen concentration of three epiphytic bryophytes on Quercus petraea (Matt) Liebl. and Q. robur L. was investigated at seven UK Atlantic oak woodland sites with a range of total N deposition of 55-250 mmol m(-2). The main driver of change in tissue N concentrations of three epiphytic bryophytes (Isothecium myosuroides Brid. (Eurhynchium myosuroides (Brid.) Schp.), Dicranum scoparium Hewd. and Thuidium tamariscinum (Hewd.) Schimp.) was total N deposition in stemflow, dominated by ammonium deposition. The three epiphytic species also showed strong relationships between tissue N concentration and total N deposition in rainfall but a poor correlation with total N ion concentration in rainfall. This study shows that epiphytic bryophytes utilise stemflow N and thus increase their risk from inputs of total N deposition compared to terricolous species at the same site.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, UK. idl@ceh.ac.uk
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Leith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: A-M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Truscott
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cape
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sutton
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D044822:Biodiversity; D044002:Bryophyta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000633:toxicity*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D018526:Plant Transpiration; D029963:Quercus; D011891:Rain; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005308:Fertilizers; D000641:Ammonia; D009584:Nitrogen