Ecologically implausible carbon response?

Wim de Vries, Svein Solberg, Matthias Dobbertin, Hubert Sterba, Daniel Laubhahn, Gert Jan Reinds, Gert-Jan Nabuurs, Per Gundersen and Mark A. Sutton
Additional contact information
Wim de Vries: Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. wim.devries@wur.nl
Svein Solberg: † Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, PO Box 115, N-1431 Ås, Norway
Matthias Dobbertin: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL
Hubert Sterba: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter Jordan-Straße 82, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Daniel Laubhahn: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Peter Jordan-Straße 82, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Gert Jan Reinds: Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. wim.devries@wur.nl
Gert-Jan Nabuurs: Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. wim.devries@wur.nl
Per Gundersen: Danish Centre for Forest, Landscape and Planning, University of Copenhagen
Mark A. Sutton: Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh Research Station, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0QB, UK

Nature, 2008, vol. 451, issue 7180, E1-E3

Abstract: Abstract Arising from: F. Magnani et al. Nature 447, 849–851 (2007)10.1038/nature05847 ; Magnani et al. reply Magnani et al.1 present a very strong correlation between mean lifetime net ecosystem production (NEP, defined as the net rate of carbon (C) accumulation in ecosystems2) and wet nitrogen (N) deposition. For their data in the range 4.9–9.8 kg N ha-1 yr-1, on which the correlation largely depends, the response is approximately 725 kg C per kg N in wet deposition. According to the authors, the maximum N wet deposition level of 9.8 kg N ha-1 yr-1 is equivalent to a total deposition of 15 kg N ha-1yr-1, implying a net sequestration near 470 kg C per kg N of total deposition. We question the ecological plausibility of the relationship and show, from a multi-factor analysis of European forest measurements, how interactions with site productivity and environment imply a much smaller NEP response to N deposition.

Date: 2008
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DOI: 10.1038/nature06579

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