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Even low to medium nitrogen deposition impacts vegetation of dry, coastal dunes around the Baltic Sea |
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| Authors: | Eva Remke Emiel Brouwer |
| Affiliation: | a Biological Station of Hiddensee, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Biologenweg 15, 18565 Kloster, Germany b Research Center B-WARE B.V., Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands c Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Physical Geography, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Prinsengracht 130, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands d Bargerveen Foundation, Department of Animal Ecology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands e Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands |
| Abstract: | Coastal dunes around the Baltic Sea have received small amounts of atmospheric nitrogen and are rather pristine ecosystems in this respect. In 19 investigated dune sites the atmospheric wet nitrogen deposition is 3-8 kg N ha−1 yr−1. The nitrogen content of Cladonia portentosa appeared to be a suitable biomonitor of these low to medium deposition levels. Comparison with EMEP-deposition data showed that Cladonia reflects the deposition history of the last 3-6 years. With increasing nitrogen load, we observed a shift from lichen-rich short grass vegetation towards species-poor vegetation dominated by the tall graminoid Carex arenaria. Plant species richness per field site, however, does not decrease directly with these low to medium N deposition loads, but with change in vegetation composition. Critical loads for acidic, dry coastal dunes might be lower than previously thought, in the range of 4-6 kg N ha−1 yr−1 wet deposition. |
| Keywords: | Nitrogen deposition Carex arenaria Vegetation change Biomonitor Baltic dune |
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