Variation in Soil Nitrate Concentrations in Two N-Saturated Norway Spruce Forests (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in Southern Bavaria

Mellert, Karl H.; Gensior, Andreas; Göttlein, Axel; Kölling, Christian; Rücker, Gernot

Variation in Soil Nitrate Concentrations in Two N-Saturated Norway Spruce Forests (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in Southern Bavaria

2008

Mellert, Karl H. | Gensior, Andreas | Göttlein, Axel | Kölling, Christian | Rücker, Gernot

Persistently high Nitrogen (N) deposition may have caused widespread N saturation in Central Europe's forests. Simple and inexpensive methods are required for estimating the N status. This study suggests that the current N status of forest ecosystems can be estimated by measuring CaCl₂-extractable nitrate concentrations in the soil below the main rooting zone. We tested this possibility using a large number of samples (135 in total) in a nested sampling design in two homogeneous Norway spruce forests in southern Bavaria. This approach was accompanied by a small scale survey with suction cups (N = 54) in one forest. Nitrate concentrations determined by soil extracts varied widely (coefficients of variance 95 and 125%) and were well comparable with those of the simultaneous investigation of seepage water. Site and stand conditions explained only a small portion (<10%) of the total variation. Mineral soil nitrate concentrations were not spatially dependent at the medium and large scales (about 10 m to several km) in both forests. Therefore the reliability of estimates at these scales depends mainly on the sample size. At the small scale (<about 10 m) large variation in nitrate concentrations and a considerable spatial dependency could be observed. Therefore intensive sampling is necessary at short distances in order to estimate the mean adequately. From our results, we deduct possibilities and limitations of nitrate inventories as a tool for regional assessment of the N status of forests.

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