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Nitrogen Deposition Effects on Soil Properties, Microbial Abundance, and Litter Decomposition Across Three Shrublands Ecosystems From the Mediterranean Basin

Authors :
Lo Cascio, Mario
Morillas, Lourdes
Ochoa-Hueso, Raúl
Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Munzi, Silvana
Roales, Javier
Spano, Donatella
Cruz, Cristina
Gallardo, Antonio
Manrique, Esteban
Pérez-Corona, María Esther
Dias, Teresa
Sirca, Costantino
Mereu, Simone
Lo Cascio, Mario
Morillas, Lourdes
Ochoa-Hueso, Raúl
Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Munzi, Silvana
Roales, Javier
Spano, Donatella
Cruz, Cristina
Gallardo, Antonio
Manrique, Esteban
Pérez-Corona, María Esther
Dias, Teresa
Sirca, Costantino
Mereu, Simone
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs in the Mediterranean Basin are projected to increase due to fossil fuel combustion, fertilizer use, and the exacerbation of agricultural production processes. Although increasing N deposition is recognized as a major threat to ecosystem functioning, little is known about how local environmental conditions modulate ecosystem function response to N addition, particularly in the context of Mediterranean-Basin ecosystems. Here, we assess how N addition affects important ecosystem properties associated with litter decomposition, soil physical-chemical properties, soil extracellular enzymatic activity and microbial abundance across three long-term N addition experimental sites in the Mediterranean Basin. Sites were located in El Regajal (Madrid, Spain), Capo Caccia (Alghero, Italy), and Arrábida (Lisbon, Portugal) and are all representative of Mediterranean shrublands. No common pattern for litter decomposition process or other studied variables emerged among the control plots of the studied sites. Nitrogen supply only affected soil pH, a major driver of decomposition, in two out of three experimental sites. Moreover, when we explored the role of N addition and soil pH in controlling litter decay, we found that the effects of these factors were site-dependent. Our results point out to local ecosystem features modulating N addition effects in controlling litter decomposition rates in Mediterranean ecosystems, suggesting that the responses of soil functioning to N deposition are site-dependent. These findings provide further knowledge to understand contrasting ecosystem responses to N additions based on a single field experiments.

Details

Database :
OAIster
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.on1333180804
Document Type :
Electronic Resource