Nitrogen deposition threatens species richness of grasslands across Europe
2010
Stevens, Carly J. | Dupre, Cecilia | Dorland, Edu | Gaudnik, Cassandre | Gowing, David J.G. | Bleeker, Albert | Diekmann, Martin | Alard, Didier | Bobbink, Roland | Fowler, David | Corcket, Emmanuel | Mountford, J. Owen | Vandvik, Vigdis | Aarrestad, Per Arild | Muller, Serge | Dise, Nancy B. | Open University | Lancaster Environment Centre ; Lancaster University | University of Bremen | Biodiversité, Gènes & Communautés (BioGeCo) ; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Bordeaux (UB) | Department of Air Quality and Climate Change ; Energy Research Centre for the Netherlands | Radboud University [Nijmegen] | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) | Department of Biology ; University of Washington [Seattle] | Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) | Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) | University of Manchester [Manchester]
International audience
Mostrar más [+] Menos [-]Inglés. Evidence from an international survey in the Atlantic biogeographic region of Europe indicates that chronic nitrogen deposition is reducing plant species richness in acid grasslands. Across the deposition gradient in this region (2–44 kg N ha−1 yr−1) species richness showed a curvilinear response, with greatest reductions in species richness when deposition increased from low levels. This has important implications for conservation policies, suggesting that to protect the most sensitive grasslands resources should be focussed where deposition is currently low. Soil pH is also an important driver of species richness indicating that the acidifying effect of nitrogen deposition may be contributing to species richness reductions. The results of this survey suggest that the impacts of nitrogen deposition can be observed over a large geographical range. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is reducing biodiversity in grasslands across Europe.
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