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The effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity

April 1, 2014

This chapter reports the findings of a Working Group on how atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition affects both terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity. Regional and global scale impacts on biodiversity are addressed, together with potential indicators. Key conclusions are that: the rates of loss in biodiversity are greatest at the lowest and initial stages of N deposition increase; changes in species compositions are related to the relative amounts of N, carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) in the plant soil system; enhanced N inputs have implications for C cycling; N deposition is known to be having adverse effects on European and North American vegetation composition; very little is known about tropical ecosystem responses, while tropical ecosystems are major biodiversity hotspots and are increasingly recipients of very high N deposition rates; N deposition alters forest fungi and mycorrhyzal relations with plants; the rapid response of forest fungi and arthropods makes them good indicators of change; predictive tools (models) that address ecosystem scale processes are necessary to address complex drivers and responses, including the integration of N deposition, climate change and land use effects; criteria can be identified for projecting sensitivity of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to N deposition. Future research and policy-relevant recommendations are identified.

Publication Year 2014
Title The effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7939-6_49
Authors Jill Baron, Mary C. Barber, Mark Adams, Julius I. Agboola, Edith B. Allen, William J. Bealey, Roland Bobbink, Maxim V. Bobrovsky, William D. Bowman, Cristina Branquinho, Mercedes M. C. Bustamente, Christopher L. Clark, Edward C. Cocking, Cristina Cruz, Eric A. Davidson, O. Tom Denmead, Teresa Dias, Nancy B. Dise, Alan Feest, James N. Galloway, Linda H. Geiser, Frank S. Gilliam, Ian J. Harrison, Larisa G. Khanina, Xiankai Lu, Esteban Manrique, Raul Ochoa-Hueso, Jean P. H. B. Ometto, Richard Payne, Thomas Scheuschner, Lucy J. Sheppard, Gavin L. Simpson, Y. V. Singh, Carly J. Stevens, Ian Strachan, Harald Sverdrup, Naoko Tokuchi, Hans van Dobben, Sarah Woodin
Publication Type Book Chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Index ID 70194378
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Fort Collins Science Center