Recovery of terrestrial ecosystems from long term exposure to elevated N

This presentation discusses the processes for recovery of biogeochemical cycling, and the plant community, following long term exposure to elevated nitrogen. It draws from experimental and observational studies, and finds that: (1) natural recovery (i.e., after deposition decreases) is slower than we once expected, (2) single-factor interventions appear insufficient in grasslands and forests (though more work is needed), and (3) multi-factor interventions show promise for inducing ecosystem recovery over time scales that are relevant to management (e.g., decades).

Impact/Purpose

The purpose of this presentation is to give an overview of how terrestrial ecosystems recover from long term nitrogen (N)deposition, what is known and not known, and areas of further study. Recovery from elevated N is increasingly important as deposition decreases from the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This overview will be presented at the National Atmospheric Deposition Program's (NADP's) spring meeting in Madison, Wisconsin.

Citation

Clark, C. Recovery of terrestrial ecosystems from long term exposure to elevated N. National Atmospheric Deposition Program, Madison, Wisconsin, May 13 - 16, 2019.