Long-term increases in soil carbon due to ecosystem fertilization by atmospheric nitrogen deposition demonstrated by regional-scale modelling and observations.

ABSTRACT: Fertilization of nitrogen (N)-limited ecosystems by anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen deposition (N_dep) may promote CO₂ removal from the atmosphere, thereby buffering human effects on global radiative forcing. We used the biogeochemical ecosystem model N14CP, which considers interactions among C (carbon), N and P (phosphorus), driven by a new reconstruction of historical N_dep, to assess the responses of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in British semi-natural landscapes to anthropogenic change. We calculate that increased net primary production due to N_dep has enhanced detrital inputs of C to soils, causing an average increase of 1.2 kgCm^-2 (c. 10%) in soil SOC over the period 1750-2010. The simulation results are consistent with obse

SUBMITTER: Tipping E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5432490 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature