TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic Nitrogen Enrichment at the Watershed Scale Does Not Enhance Microbial Phosphorus Limitation
AU - Tatariw, Corianne
AU - MacRae, Jean D.
AU - Fernandez, Ivan J.
AU - Gruselle, Marie Cécile
AU - Salvino, Cayce J.
AU - Simon, Kevin S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Increased N inputs through chronic atmospheric deposition has enriched temperate forest ecosystems, altering critical ecosystem functions such as decomposition and potentially resulting in a shift to P limitation. We used a combination of microbial biomass stoichiometry and enzymatic activity analyses to evaluate the potential for microbial nutrient limitation over the course of a growing season in response to multi-decadal, whole-watershed N enrichments and a one time, plot-scale P addition that occurred in the 22nd year of whole-watershed treatments. The one-time P addition increased microbial biomass threefold and reduced N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) and acid phosphatase (AP) activity 1 week after application, but there was no interaction with long-term experimental N enrichment to indicate a shift to P limitation. However, both N and P treatments increased C limitation independently of each other over the duration of the study based on measured increases in β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity relative to NAG and AP. Microbial biomass stoichiometry and enzyme activity indicated that BBWM is P limited regardless of N status. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between C, N, and P use and limitation in a forested ecosystem subjected to long-term N enrichment.
AB - Increased N inputs through chronic atmospheric deposition has enriched temperate forest ecosystems, altering critical ecosystem functions such as decomposition and potentially resulting in a shift to P limitation. We used a combination of microbial biomass stoichiometry and enzymatic activity analyses to evaluate the potential for microbial nutrient limitation over the course of a growing season in response to multi-decadal, whole-watershed N enrichments and a one time, plot-scale P addition that occurred in the 22nd year of whole-watershed treatments. The one-time P addition increased microbial biomass threefold and reduced N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) and acid phosphatase (AP) activity 1 week after application, but there was no interaction with long-term experimental N enrichment to indicate a shift to P limitation. However, both N and P treatments increased C limitation independently of each other over the duration of the study based on measured increases in β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) activity relative to NAG and AP. Microbial biomass stoichiometry and enzyme activity indicated that BBWM is P limited regardless of N status. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between C, N, and P use and limitation in a forested ecosystem subjected to long-term N enrichment.
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U2 - 10.1007/s10021-017-0140-1
DO - 10.1007/s10021-017-0140-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85017415101
SN - 1432-9840
VL - 21
SP - 178
EP - 189
JO - Ecosystems
JF - Ecosystems
IS - 1
ER -