Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition alters growth responses of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to climate change

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Carsten Hess - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Thomas Niemeyer - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Andreas Fichtner - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Kristin Jansen - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Matthias Kunz - , Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection (Author)
  • Moritz Maneke - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (Author)
  • Henrik von Wehrden - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Markus Quante - , Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (Author)
  • David Walmsley - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)
  • Goddert von Oheimb - , Institute of General Ecology and Environmental Protection, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle—Jena—Leipzig (Author)
  • Werner Härdtle - , Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Author)

Abstract

Global change affects the functioning of forest ecosystems and the services they provide, but little is known about the interactive effects of co-occurring global change drivers on important functions such as tree growth and vitality. In the present study we quantified the interactive (i.e. synergistic or antagonistic) effects of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition and climatic variables (temperature, precipitation) on tree growth (in terms of tree-ring width, TRW), taking forest ecosystems with European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) as an example. We hypothesised that (i) N deposition and climatic variables can evoke non-additive responses of the radial increment of beech trees, and (ii) N loads have the potential to strengthen the trees' sensitivity to climate change. In young stands, we found a synergistic positive effect of N deposition and annual mean temperature on TRW, possibly linked to the alleviation of an N shortage in young stands. In mature stands, however, high N deposition significantly increased the trees' sensitivity to increasing annual mean temperatures (antagonistic effect on TRW), possibly due to increased fine root dieback, decreasing mycorrhizal colonization or shifts in biomass allocation patterns (aboveground vs. belowground). Accordingly, N deposition and climatic variables caused both synergistic and antagonistic effects on the radial increment of beech trees, depending on tree age and stand characteristics. Hence, the nature of interactions could mediate the long-term effects of global change drivers (including N deposition) on forest carbon sequestration. In conclusion, our findings illustrate that interaction processes between climatic variables and N deposition are complex and have the potential to impair growth and performance of European beech. This in turn emphasises the importance of multiple-factor studies to foster an integrated understanding and models aiming at improved projections of tree growth responses to co-occurring drivers of global change.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)92 - 98
Number of pages7
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume233
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-7408-425X/work/147141710

Keywords

Keywords

  • ecosystem functioning, Global change, Luxembourg, Radial increment