Search

Nitrogen (N) deposition is known to increase carbon (C) sequestration in N‐limited boreal forests. However, the long‐term effects of N deposition on ecosystem carbon fluxes have been rarely investigated in old‐growth boreal forests. Here we show that decade‐long experimental N additions significantly stimulated net primary production (NPP) but the effect decreased with increasing N loads. The effect on soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) shifted from a stimulation at low‐level N additions to an inhibition at higher levels of N additions. Consequently, low‐level N additions resulted in a neutral effect on net ecosystem productivity (NEP), due to a comparable stimulating effect on NPP and Rh, while NEP was increased by high‐level N additions. Moreover, we found nonlinear temporal responses of NPP, Rh and NEP to low‐level N additions. Our findings imply that actual N deposition in boreal forests likely exerts a minor contribution to their soil C storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]