Soil functional responses to excess nitrogen inputs at global scale

TY - JOUR

T1 - Soil functional responses to excess nitrogen inputs at global scale

AU - Adams, M.

AU - Ineson, P.

AU - Binkley, D.

AU - Cadisch, G.

AU - Tokuchi, N.

AU - Scholes, M.

AU - Hicks, K.

PY - 2004/12/1

Y1 - 2004/12/1

N2 - There is little evidence that nitrogen (N) cycling in the highly weathered, low-phosphorus (P), acidic soils found in Southern Hemisphere continents will differ greatly from that in North America and Europe. Evidence from the 'south' shows: the similarity in forms and temporal patterns in losses of N from different land uses; that the C:N ratios of the forest floor/litter layer from different continents are strongly predictive of a range of processes on a global scale; that generalizations based on Northern Hemisphere experience of the impact of N additions to 'P-limited' ecosystems are likely to fail for southern ecosystems where anatomical and physiological adaptation of native plants to low-P soils makes questionable the concept of 'P-limitation'; that the greatest threats in the 'south' are probably changes in land use that may greatly increase N inputs and turnover; that localized increases in N inputs produce similar effects to those seen in the 'north'.

AB - There is little evidence that nitrogen (N) cycling in the highly weathered, low-phosphorus (P), acidic soils found in Southern Hemisphere continents will differ greatly from that in North America and Europe. Evidence from the 'south' shows: the similarity in forms and temporal patterns in losses of N from different land uses; that the C:N ratios of the forest floor/litter layer from different continents are strongly predictive of a range of processes on a global scale; that generalizations based on Northern Hemisphere experience of the impact of N additions to 'P-limited' ecosystems are likely to fail for southern ecosystems where anatomical and physiological adaptation of native plants to low-P soils makes questionable the concept of 'P-limitation'; that the greatest threats in the 'south' are probably changes in land use that may greatly increase N inputs and turnover; that localized increases in N inputs produce similar effects to those seen in the 'north'.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=11144294806&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1579/0044-7447-33.8.530

DO - 10.1579/0044-7447-33.8.530

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:11144294806

SN - 0044-7447

VL - 33

SP - 530

EP - 536

JO - AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment

JF - AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment

IS - 8

ER -