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Abstract

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests of northern Sweden are often considered to be N limited. This limitation may have been exacerbated by the elimination of wildfire as a natural disturbance factor in these boreal forests. Phenolic inhibition of N mineralization and nitrification (due to litter and exudates of ericaceous shrubs) has been proposed as a mechanism for N limitation of these forests, but this hypothesis remains largely untested. N mineralization rates, nitrification rates, and sorption of free phenolic compounds were assessed along a fire-induced chronosequence in northern Sweden. A total of 34 forest stands varying in age since the last fire were identified and characterized. Overstorey and understorey vegetative composition and depth of humus were analysed in replicated plots at all 34 sites. Eight of the forest stands aged 3-352 years since the last fire were selected for intensive investigation in which ten replicate ionic resin capsules (used to assess net N mineralization and nitrification) and non-ionic carbonaceous resin capsules (used to assess free phenolic compounds) were installed at the interface of humus and mineral soil. A highly significant correlation was observed between site age and net sorption of inorganic N to resin capsules. Net accumulation of NH4+ and NO3- on resin capsules followed a linear decrease (R-2=0.61, P

Keywords

boreal forest; succession; charcoal; nitrogen transformations

Published in

Oecologia
2002, volume: 133, number: 2, pages: 206-214
Publisher: SPRINGER-VERLAG

SLU Authors

  • Zackrisson, Olle

    • Department of Forest Vegetation Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-002-1025-2

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/115284