Nitrogen isotope fractionation explains the 15N enrichment of Antarctic cryptogams by volatilized ammonia from penguin and seal colonies

• Published in: Polar Research
• Main Authors: Bokhorst, Stef, van Logtestijn, Richard, Convey, Peter, Aerts, Rien
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Norwegian Polar Institute 2019
• Subjects: lichen; Moss; nitrogen pathway; nutrient transfer; ocean-land interaction; Antarctic; Guano; Antarc*; Antarctica; Elephant Seal; Polar Research
• Online Access: https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/3355; https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v38.3355

Vegetation near bird and seal rookeries typically has high δ15N signatures and these high values are linked to the enriched δ15N values of rookery soils. However, Antarctic cryptogams are mostly dependent on atmospheric ammonia (NH3) and volatized NH3from rookeries is severely depleted in δ15N-NH3....