title: Effects of grass species and grass growth on atmospheric nitrogen deposition to a bog ecosystem surrounded by intensive agricultural land use.
abstract: We applied a (15)N dilution technique called "Integrated Total Nitrogen Input" (ITNI) to quantify annual atmospheric N input into a peatland surrounded by intensive agricultural practices over a 2-year period. Grass species and grass growth effects on atmospheric N deposition were investigated using Lolium multiflorum and Eriophorum vaginatum and different levels of added N resulting in increased biomass production. Plant biomass production was positively correlated with atmospheric N uptake (up to 102.7 mg N pot(-1)) when using Lolium multiflorum. In contrast, atmospheric N deposition to Eriophorum vaginatum did not show a clear dependency to produced biomass and ranged from 81.9 to 138.2 mg N pot(-1). Both species revealed a relationship between atmospheric N input and total biomass N contents. Airborne N deposition varied from about 24 to 55 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1). Partitioning of airborne N within the monitor system differed such that most of the deposited N was found in roots of Eriophorum vaginatum while the highest share was allocated in aboveground biomass of Lolium multiflorum. Compared to other approaches determining atmospheric N deposition, ITNI showed highest airborne N input and an up to fivefold exceedance of the ecosystem-specific critical load of 5-10 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1).
authors.affiliation: Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hurkuck
authors.affiliation: Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brümmer
authors.affiliation: Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen Mars-la-Tour Str. 1-13, Oldenburg, 26121, Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.affiliation: Department of Soil Physics, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4, Halle, 06120, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Spott
authors.affiliation: Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Well
authors.affiliation: Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flessa
authors.affiliation: Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries Bundesallee 50, Braunschweig, 38116, Germany ; Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS), University of Helsinki Headoffice, FI-00014, Finland.
authors.forename: Werner L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Kutsch
keywords: 15N isotope dilution technique; Eriophorum vaginatum; Lolium multiflorum; biomonitoring; critical load; integrated total nitrogen input; nitrogen deposition; ombrotrophic bog