2
|
Limpens J, Granath G, Aerts R, Heijmans MMPD, Sheppard LJ, Bragazza L, Williams BL, Rydin H, Bubier J, Moore T, Rochefort L, Mitchell EAD, Buttler A, van den Berg LJL, Gunnarsson U, Francez AJ, Gerdol R, Thormann M, Grosvernier P, Wiedermann MM, Nilsson MB, Hoosbeek MR, Bayley S, Nordbakken JF, Paulissen MPCP, Hotes S, Breeuwer A, Ilomets M, Tomassen HBM, Leith I, Xu B. Glasshouse vs field experiments: do they yield ecologically similar results for assessing N impacts on peat mosses? New Phytol 2012; 195:408-418. [PMID: 22537052 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04157.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
• Peat bogs have accumulated more atmospheric carbon (C) than any other terrestrial ecosystem today. Most of this C is associated with peat moss (Sphagnum) litter. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition can decrease Sphagnum production, compromising the C sequestration capacity of peat bogs. The mechanisms underlying the reduced production are uncertain, necessitating multifactorial experiments. • We investigated whether glasshouse experiments are reliable proxies for field experiments for assessing interactions between N deposition and environment as controls on Sphagnum N concentration and production. We performed a meta-analysis over 115 glasshouse experiments and 107 field experiments. • We found that glasshouse and field experiments gave similar qualitative and quantitative estimates of changes in Sphagnum N concentration in response to N application. However, glasshouse-based estimates of changes in production--even qualitative assessments-- diverged from field experiments owing to a stronger N effect on production response in absence of vascular plants in the glasshouse, and a weaker N effect on production response in presence of vascular plants compared to field experiments. • Thus, although we need glasshouse experiments to study how interacting environmental factors affect the response of Sphagnum to increased N deposition, we need field experiments to properly quantify these effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Limpens
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - G Granath
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R Aerts
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Systems Ecology, Free University of Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M M P D Heijmans
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - L J Sheppard
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Edinburgh Bush Estate Penicuik, EH26 0QB, Scotland
| | - L Bragazza
- Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Corso Ercole I d'Este 32, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Wetlands Research Group, Site Lausanne, Station 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), Batiment GR, Station 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - B L Williams
- Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK
| | - H Rydin
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - J Bubier
- Mount Holyoke College, Environmental Studies Department, Clapp Laboratory, 50 College Street, South Hadley, Massachusetts 01075, USA
| | - T Moore
- Department of Geography, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke St. W. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2K6
| | - L Rochefort
- Department of Plant Sciences, Université Laval, 2425 rue de l'Agriculture, Quebec, QC, Canada G1V 0A6
| | - E A D Mitchell
- Laboratory of Soil Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, CH-2009 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - A Buttler
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Wetlands Research Group, Site Lausanne, Station 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), Batiment GR, Station 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Chrono-Environnement, UMR 6249 CNRS - INRA, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
| | - L J L van den Berg
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - U Gunnarsson
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A-J Francez
- UMR 6553 ECOBIO & FR90 CAREN, Rennes University, CNRS, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France
| | - R Gerdol
- Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Corso Ercole I d'Este 32, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - M Thormann
- Aquilon Environmental Consulting Ltd., 3111 Spence Wynd SW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6X 0H7
| | - P Grosvernier
- LIN'eco, Case postale 80, 2732 Reconvilier, Switzerland
| | - M M Wiedermann
- Soil Science, Biogeochemistry, Department of Forest Ecology & Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - M B Nilsson
- Soil Science, Biogeochemistry, Department of Forest Ecology & Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - M R Hoosbeek
- Earth System Science - Climate Change, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - S Bayley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
| | - J-F Nordbakken
- The Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Postbox 115, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - M P C P Paulissen
- Alterra, Team Ecological Modelling and Monitoring, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - S Hotes
- Department of Animal Ecology, Justus-Liebig-University, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 (IFZ), D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - A Breeuwer
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - M Ilomets
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Institute of Ecology, Tallinn University, Uus-Sadama 5, EE-10120 Tallinn, Estonia
| | | | - I Leith
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Edinburgh Bush Estate Penicuik, EH26 0QB, Scotland
| | - B Xu
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale 1125 Lincoln Drive, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
| |
Collapse
|