Response of tree growth to nitrogen addition in a Larix gmelinii primitive forest

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2015.0042

Abstract

Abstract: Aims

Global nitrogen (N) deposition has been consistently enhanced and significantly influenced the carbon (C) cycle of forest ecosystem. However, studies on the quantitive response of C sequestration to N deposition in China’s boreal forest ecosystem still remains insufficient. Tree growth is one of important components of C sequestration in forest ecosystem. In order to accurately evaluate the influence of N deposition on C sequestration in China’s boreal forest ecosystem, This study was designed to investigate how N deposition influenced the tree diameter at breast height (DBH) growth of a Larix gmelinii primitive forest.

Methods

We carried out a N enrichment experiment in an L. gmelinii primitive forest in Greater Khingan Mountains with four N addition levels (control (0), low N (20 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1), medium N (50 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1) and high N (100 kg N·hm^-2·a^-1)). DBH was measured from 2012-2014 within all treatments.

Important findings

Medium N and high N additions significantly influenced the relative DBH growth of L. gmelinii, and the influence became more pronounced through time. N deposition significantly affected the DBH growth among different tree height classes: low height class (tree height <16.5 m) did not show significant response to N deposition, while high height class (tree height >16.5 m) showed significantly accelerated growth under medium and high N additions (the relevant DBH growth rate >79.5%), and this acceleration effect decreased as the tree height increased. This study indicated that N addition did enhance the DBH growth of L. gmelinii, but this enhancement mainly affected taller L. gmelinii trees.

Key words: boreal forest, diameter at breast height, Larix gmelinii, nitrogen deposition, tree growth

LIU Xiu-Yuan,DU En-Zai,XU Long-Chao,SHEN Hai-Hua,FANG Jing-Yun,HU Hui-Feng. Response of tree growth to nitrogen addition in a Larix gmelinii primitive forest[J]. Chin J Plan Ecolo, 2015, 39(5): 433-441.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2015.0042

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2015/V39/I5/433

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Diameter at breast height (DBH) and tree height frequency distribution in Larix gmelinii primitive forest stand (Du, 2013).

Table 1 Two-way ANOVA between Larix gmelinii diameter at breast height relative growth rate and N addition and year

方差来源 Sources of variation	df	均方 Mean square	F	p
氮添加 N addition	3	4.21	32.64	<0.001
年份 Year	2	11.26	87.31	<0.001
氮添加×年份 N addition × Year	6	0.19	1.44	0.20
误差 Residuals	1 107	0.13

Fig. 3 Responses of Larix gmelinii diameter at breast height (DBH) relative growth rate under different N treatments in different years. a and b represent the significant level of multiple comparisons of mean DBH relevant growth rate under different N treatments in each year (p < 0.05).

Table 2 Larix gmelinii diameter at breast height relevant growth rate(%) of all tree height classes from 2012 to 2014(mean±SE)

Fig. 4 The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) between Larix gmelinii diameter at breast height (DBH) relevant growth rate and tree height and N addition. The solid line represents there exists significant correlativity between DBH relevant growth rate and tree height (p < 0.05). The dash line represents there does not exist significant correlativity between DBH relevant growth rate and tree height, but the ANOVA shows significant difference between different nitrogen treatments (p < 0.01). The figure with only point represents there does not exist significant correlativity between DBH relevant growth rate and tree height, and the ANOVA shows no significant difference between different nitrogen treatments.

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