NDLI: Ecosystem-scale spatial heterogeneity of stable isotopes of soil nitrogen in African savannas

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Wang, Lixin Okin, Gregory S. D’Odorico, Paolo Caylor, Kelly K. Macko, Stephen A.
Copyright Year	2012
Abstract	Soil $^{15}$N is a natural tracer of nitrogen (N) cycling. Its spatial distribution is a good indicator of processes that are critical to N cycling and of their controlling factors integrated both in time and space. The spatial distribution of soil δ$^{15}$N and its underlying drivers at sub-kilometer scales are rarely investigated. This study utilizes two sites (dry vs. wet) from a megatransect in southern Africa encompassing locations with similar soil substrate but different rainfall and vegetation, to explore the effects of soil moisture and vegetation distribution on ecosystem-scale patterns of soil δ$^{15}$N. A 300-m long transect was set up at each site and surface soil samples were randomly collected for analyses of δ$^{15}$N, %N and nitrate content. At each soil sampling location the presence of grasses, woody plants, Acacia species (potential N fixer) as well as soil moisture levels were recorded. A spatial pattern of soil δ$^{15}$N existed at the dry site, but not at the wet site. Woody cover distribution determined the soil δ$^{15}$N spatial pattern at ecosystem-scale; however, the two Acacia species did not contribute to the spatial pattern of soil δ$^{15}$N. Grass cover was negatively correlated with soil δ$^{15}$N at both sites owing to the lower foliar δ$^{15}$N values of grasses. Soil moisture did not play a role in the spatial pattern of soil δ$^{15}$N at either site. These results suggest that vegetation distribution, directly, and water availability, indirectly, affect the spatial patterns of soil δ$^{15}$N through their effects on woody plant and grass distributions.
Starting Page	685
Ending Page	698
Page Count	14
File Format	PDF
ISSN	09212973
Journal	Landscape Ecology
Volume Number	28
Issue Number	4
e-ISSN	15729761
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Netherlands
Publisher Date	2012-07-20
Publisher Place	Dordrecht
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Subject Keyword	C$_{3}$ plants C$_{4}$ plants Geostatistics Isotope Kalahari Savannas Soil δ$^{15}$N Soil nitrogen Stable isotopes Landscape Ecology Plant Ecology Forestry Management Forestry Ecology Plant Sciences
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Geography, Planning and Development Ecology Nature and Landscape Conservation

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