Responses of the Norwegian alpine Betula nana community to nitrogen fertilization

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Authors: Paal, Jaanus, Fremstad, Eli, Möls, Tõnu
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1997
• Subjects: Plant Science; Norway; Betula nana; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b97-013; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b97-013

The effect of nitrogen fertilization on species cover, increment of shrubs, tissue nitrogen, and soil parameters was tested during a 3-year experiment in a low alpine plant community dominated by Betula nana in the Dovre mountains, south-central Norway. The doses used were 1.2 and 6.1 g N/m 2 , corresponding to 0.72 and 3.6 times, respectively, the annual deposition of nitrogen in southwest Norway. Statistical analysis using SAS ANOVA and GLM procedures were applied to different types of models. The cover of species and growth forms showed no significant response to additional nitrogen supply. The increment of shrubs was not significantly affected by the fertilization, except for the year factor. Incorporation of nitrogen into plant tissue was not evident. No effects were found on soil parameters. Key words: fertilization, alpine tundra, shrubs, nitrogen.