Nitrogen dynamics in the forest floor of interior Alaska black spruce ecosystems
Low addition levels of high enrichment isotope (>1% of the total nitrogen pool with 99 at.% excess 15 N) were used to follow nitrogen movement through selected forest floor components of permafrost-free and permafrost-dominated black spruce ecosystems in subarctic Alaska. The nitrogen pool examin...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Forest Research |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1981
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x81-106 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x81-106 |
| Summary: | Low addition levels of high enrichment isotope (>1% of the total nitrogen pool with 99 at.% excess 15 N) were used to follow nitrogen movement through selected forest floor components of permafrost-free and permafrost-dominated black spruce ecosystems in subarctic Alaska. The nitrogen pool examined in this study was the total nitrogen pool. 15 N was retained most effectively by the feather moss layer (Pleuroziumschreberi (BSG.) Mitt. and Hylocomiumsplendens (Hedw.) BSG.) on both black spruce sites. Twenty-eight months after isotope application the feather moss layer still contained over 90% of the 15 N that could be recovered. The limited movement of 15 N between feather moss layers and underlying forest floor horizons appeared to be slightly affected by climatological events. Differences in 15 N movement patterns between permafrost-free and permafrost-dominated black spruce sites are discussed in terms of precipitation, soil temperature, and biological controls. |
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