Impact of Nitrogen Deposition on the Species Richness of Grasslands

@article{Stevens2004ImpactON,
  title={Impact of Nitrogen Deposition on the Species Richness of Grasslands},
  author={Carly J. Stevens and Nancy B. Dise and J. O. Mountford and David J. G. Gowing},
  journal={Science},
  year={2004},
  volume={303},
  pages={1876 - 1879}
}
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… 
View on AAAS
sste.mmu.ac.uk
1,353 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
73
Background Citations
638
Methods Citations
26
Results Citations
38

1,353 Citations

Nitrogen deposition threatens species richness of grasslands across Europe.

The impact of nitrogen deposition on acid grasslands in the Atlantic region of Europe.

Biodiversity of European grasslands - gradient studies to investigate impacts of atmospheric nitrogen deposition on grasslands

Experiments have suggested that reactive nitrogen deposition may reduce species richness in plant communities. However, until recently there was no clear evidence that regional air pollution was…

Loss of plant species after chronic low-level nitrogen deposition to prairie grasslands

Results of the first multi-decadal experiment to examine the impacts of chronic, experimental nitrogen addition as low as 10 kg N ha-1 yr-1 above ambient atmospheric nitrogen deposition find that this chronic low-level nitrogen addition rate reduced plant species numbers by 17% relative to controls receiving ambient N deposition.

The relative importance of nitrogen deposition as a driver of Racomitrium heath species composition and richness across Europe

Direct and indirect effects of nitrogen deposition on species composition change in calcareous grasslands

It is implied that even focussed management on nature conservation objectives cannot prevent adverse effects of high rates of N deposition, as all sites had active management to maintain a high diversity and characteristic species.

Ecosystem properties of acid grasslands along a gradient of nitrogen deposition

Sixty-eight randomly selected grasslands belonging to the National Vegetation Classification group U4 ( Festuca ovina-Agrostis capillaris-Galium saxatile grassland) were studied during the summers of…

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition explains patterns of plant species loss

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition across Europe increased substantially from the 1950s to the 1990s. Targeted surveys suggest a negative correlation between N deposition and species richness within…

The effect of nitrogen deposition on the species richness of acid grasslands in Denmark: a comparison with a study performed on a European scale.

Nitrogen deposition causes widespread loss of species richness in British habitats

There was a significant reduction in species richness with N deposition in acid grassland and heathland even after fitting covarying factors, and evidence from trait changes suggested that acidification rather than increased fertility was responsible for species loss.
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 18 REFERENCES

Influence of Nitrogen Loading and Species Composition on the Carbon Balance of Grasslands

Grasslands with high N retention and C storage rates were the most vulnerable to species losses and major shifts in C and N cycling.

Ecological effects of atmospheric reactive nitrogen deposition on semi‐natural terrestrial ecosystems

Evidence that enhanced reactive nitrogen deposition is affecting semi-natural terrestrial ecosystems comes from historic increases in plant tissue N concentrations, correlations between tissue N…

THE DYNAMICS OF A GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM: BOTANICAL EQUILIBRIUM IN THE PARK GRASS EXPERIMENT

No regular or irregular cycles of component biomass operating between years were detected and it is inferred that populations were regulated by processes operating within individual years.

The effects of air‐borne nitrogen pollutants on species diversity in natural and semi‐natural European vegetation

The effects of increased atmospheric nitrogen inputs, from both NOy and NHx, on diversity in various semi‐natural and natural ecosystems are reviewed. The severity of these impacts depends on abiotic…

Nitrogen deposition and its contribution to nitrogen cycling and associated soil processes

Human activity has greatly perturbed the nitrogen cycle through increased fixation by legumes, by energy and fertilizer production, and by the mobilization of N from long-term storage pools. This…

Experimental assessment of the effects of nitrogen addition under hay-cutting and aftermath grazing on the vegetation of meadows on a Somerset peat moor

The impact on vegetation of applying a range of nitrogen levels to be investigated using a randomized block experiment with large plots at Tadham Moor, designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area has enabled the derivation of a number of measures of plant community structure.

Trends in nitrogen deposition and leaching in acid-sensitive streams in Europe

Abstract. Long-term records of nitrogen in deposition and streamwater were analysed at 30 sites covering major acid sensitive regions in Europe. Large regions of Europe have received high inputs of…

Nitrogen limitation on land and in the sea: How can it occur?

AbstractThe widespread occurrence of nitrogen limitation to net primary production in terrestrial and marine ecosystems is something of a puzzle; it would seem that nitrogen fixers should have a…

Acid deposition: Perspectives in time and space

Most acid-deposition investigations have been concerned with the impact of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions on Europe and North America. This paper examines three issues…

Grasslands and montane communities

List of figures Preface and acknowledgements Preamble MESOTROPHIC GRASSLANDS: Introduction to mesotrophic grasslands Key to mesotrophic grasslands Community descriptions CALCICOLOUS GRASSLANDS:…