Nitrogen leaching and acidification during 19 years of NH₄NO₃ additions to a coniferous-forested catchment at Gårdsjön, Sweden (NITREX)

Abstract

The role of nitrogen (N) in acidification of soil and water has become relatively more important as the deposition of sulphur has decreased. Starting in 1991, we have conducted a whole-catchment experiment with N addition at Gårdsjön, Sweden, to investigate the risk of N saturation. We have added 41 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) as NH(4)NO(3) to the ambient 9 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) in fortnightly doses by means of sprinkling system. The fraction of input N lost to runoff has increased from 0% to 10%. Increased concentrations of NO(3) in runoff partially offset the decreasing concentrations of SO(4) and slowed ecosystem recovery from acid deposition. From 1990-2002, about 5% of the total N input went to runoff, 44% to biomass, and the remaining 51% to soil. The soil N pool increased by 5%. N deposition enhanced carbon (C) sequestration at a mean C/N ratio of 42-59 g g(-1).