Rainfall as an important process for net N gain during the initial phase of natural recovery in karst desertification.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen (N) losses driven by rapid hydrologic processes in karst regions were once considered a potentially key mechanism of N limitation during the initial phase of natural recovery following karst desertification. However, field data are still lacking for studying the hydrologic N budget. To address this issue, we monitored the rainfall and N-related hydrologic processes in karst grass and grass-shrub ecosystems for 3 years. Our results showed rainfall N input of 12.0 kg N ha-1 y-1, of which 56.1% was inorganic N. Hydrologic N loss was 8.1 and 9.0 kg N ha-1 y-1 in karst grass and grass-shrub ecosystems, respectively, and both had no significant difference. The mean hydrologic N loss was 8.5 kg N ha-1 y-1, of which 74.1% was dissolved organic N (DON). Rainfall net N gain was 3.9 and 3.0 

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12223050 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature