Soil nitrogen availability in a temperate forest exhibits large variability at sub-tree spatial scales

In temperate forests, the availability of soil nitrogen (N) exhibits substantial spatial variation, although the variability at small scales (10 s of cm to 10 s of m) is not well understood. We characterized the spatial patterning of soil extractable inorganic N concentrations and net N mineralizati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biogeochemistry 2023-07, Vol.164 (3), p.537-553
Main Authors: Akana, Palani R., Mifsud, Isobel E. J., Menge, Duncan N. L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Availability
biogeochemistry
Biogeosciences
Cores
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Ecosystems
Environmental Chemistry
Life Sciences
Mineralization
New York
Nitrogen
Nitrogen balance
Oak
Quercus
Robinia pseudoacacia
Roots
Seedlings
Soil
Soils
Spatial variations
species recruitment
Temperate forests
total nitrogen
Variability
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Summary:In temperate forests, the availability of soil nitrogen (N) exhibits substantial spatial variation, although the variability at small scales (10 s of cm to 10 s of m) is not well understood. We characterized the spatial patterning of soil extractable inorganic N concentrations and net N mineralization rates in two 430 m 2 plots within Black Rock Forest, New York (USA). One plot was dominated by N-fixing black locusts ( Robinia pseudoacacia ) and the second by oaks ( Quercus spp.). The two plots exhibited similar levels of spatial inequality (10% of soil area contained 29–44% of extractable N concentrations and net N mineralization rates) and scales of spatial patterning, which was present over distances 
ISSN:0168-2563
1573-515X
DOI:10.1007/s10533-023-01056-5