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Bueno, A.* ; Greenfield, L.* ; Pritsch, K. ; Schmidt, S.* ; Simon, J.*

Responses to competition for nitrogen between subtropical native tree seedlings and exotic grasses are species-specific and mediated by soil N availability.

Tree Physiol. 39, 404-416 (2018)
Publ. Version/Full Text Postprint Research data DOI PMC
Open Access Green
Competitive interactions between native tree seedlings and exotic grasses frequently hinder forest restoration. We investigated the consequences of competition with exotic grasses on the growth and net nitrogen (N) uptake capacity of native rainforest seedlings used for reforestation depending on soil N availability and N source. Tree seedlings and grasses were grown in the greenhouse in different competition regimes (one tree species vs one grass species) and controls (grass monocultures or single tree seedlings) at low and high soil N. After 8 weeks, we quantified net N uptake capacity using N-15-labelled organic (i.e., glutamine and arginine) and inorganic (i.e., ammonium and nitrate) N sources and biomass indices. Depending on soil N availability, we observed different species-specific responses to growth and N acquisition. Tree seedlings generally increased their net N uptake capacity in response to competition with grasses, although overall seedling growth was unaffected. In contrast, the responses to competition by the grasses were species-specific and varied with soil N availability. The different N acquisition strategies suggest the avoidance of competition for N between trees and grasses. Overall, the results highlight that quantifying underlying mechanisms of N acquisition complements the information on biomass allocation as a measure of responses to competition, particularly with varying environmental conditions.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
Keywords Ammonium ; Interspecific Competition ; Net Nitrogen Uptake Capacity ; Nitrate ; Nitrogen Acquisition ; Organic Nitrogen ; Reforestation ; Subtropics; Beech Fagus-sylvatica; Warming Alters Competition; Plant-plant Interactions; Spruce Picea-abies; European Beech; Herbaceous Vegetation; Organic Nitrogen; Fraxinus-excelsior; Biomass Allocation; Tropical Forest
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0829-318X
e-ISSN 1758-4469
Journal Tree Physiology
Quellenangaben Volume: 39, Issue: 3, Pages: 404-416 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher Oxford University Press
Publishing Place Great Clarendon St, Oxford Ox2 6dp, England
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Research Unit Environmental Simulation (BIOP-EUS)
Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology (BIOP)