Seasonal and Spatial Variations of Bulk Nitrogen Deposition and the Impacts on the Carbon Cycle in the Arid/Semiarid Grassland of Inner Mongolia, China.

ABSTRACT: Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is an important component that affects the structure and function of different terrestrial ecosystem worldwide. However, much uncertainty still remains concerning the magnitude of N deposition on grassland ecosystem in China. To study the spatial and temporal patterns of bulk N deposition, the levels of N (NH4+-N and NO3--N) concentration in rainfall were measured at 12 sites across a 1200 km grassland transect in Inner Mongolia, China, and the respective N deposition rates were estimated. The inorganic N deposition rates ranged from 4.53 kg N ha-1 to 12.21 kg N ha-1 with a mean value of 8.07 kg N ha-1 during the entire growing season, decreasing steadily from the eastern to the western regions. Inorganic N deposition occurred mainly in July and August a

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4687917 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature