Abstract
Dune slacks are biodiverse seasonal wetlands which experience considerable fluctuations in water table depths. They are subject to multiple threats such as eutrophication and climate change, and the interactions of both of these pressures are poorly understood. In this study we measured the impact of groundwater nitrogen contamination, as ammonium nitrate (0, 0.2, 10 mg/L of DIN, dissolved inorganic nitrogen), lowered water table depth (lowered by 10 cm) and the interactions of these factors, in a mesocosm study. We measured gross nutrient budgets, evapotranspiration rates, the growth of individual species and plant tissue chemistry. This study found that nitrogen uptake within dune slack habitats is substantial. Atmospheric inputs of 23 kg N ha−1 yr.−1 were retained by the mesocosms, with no increase of nutrient levels in the groundwater, i.e. there was no leaching of excess N. When N was added to the groundwater (in addition to atmospheric N), total uptake was equivalent to 116 kg N ha−1 yr.−1, at a groundwater DIN concentration of 10 mg/L. This resulted in increased plant tissue N concentrations showing uptake by the vegetation. The effect of lowering water tables did not influence N uptake, but did alter vegetation composition. This suggests that groundwater can be a substantial input of N to these habitats and should be considered in combination with atmospheric inputs, when assessing potential ecosystem damage.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Achermann B, Bobbink R (2003) Empirical critical loads for nitrogen. Environmental documentation 164:327
Adema EB, Van de Koppel J, Meijer HA, Grootjans AP (2005) Enhanced nitrogen loss may explain alternative stable states in dune slack succession. Oikos 109(2):374–386. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0030-1299.2005.13339.x
Berendse F, Lammerts E, Olff H (1998) Soil organic matter accumulation and its implications for nitrogen mineralization and plant species composition during succession in coastal dune slacks. Plant Ecol 137(1):71–78. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008051931963
Bettez ND, Groffman PM (2013) Nitrogen deposition in and near an urban ecosystem. Environ Sci Technol 47:6047–6051
Bobbink R, Hettelingh J-P (2010) Review and revision of empirical critical loads and dose-response relationships. Proceedings of an expert workshop, Noordwijkerhout, pp 23–25
Clarke D, Ayutthaya SSN (2010) Predicted effects of climate change, vegetation and tree cover on dune slack habitats at Ainsdale on the Sefton Coast, UK. J Coast Conserv 14(2):115–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-009-0066-7
Curreli A, Wallace H, Freeman C, Hollingham M, Stratford C, Johnson H, Jones L (2013) Eco-hydrological requirements of dune slack vegetation and the implications of climate change. Sci Total Environ 443:910–919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.11.035
Field CD, Dise NB, Payne RJ, Britton AJ, Emmett BA, Helliwell RC, Hughes S, Jones L, Lees S, Leake JR, Leith ID (2014) The role of nitrogen deposition in widespread plant community change across semi-natural habitats. Ecosystems 17(5):864–877
Grootjans A, Adema E, Bekker R, Lammerts E (2004) Why coastal dune slacks sustain a high biodiversity, Coastal Dunes. Springer, Berlin, pp 85–101
Hope-Simpson JF, Yemm EW (1979) Braunton burrows: developing vegetation in dune slacks, 1948–1977. Ecological processes in coastal environments. Blackwell, London, pp 115–127
Jones MLM, Wallace HL, Norris D, Brittain SA, Haria S, Jones RE, Rhind PM, Reynolds BR, Emmett BA (2004) Changes in vegetation and soil characteristics in coastal sand dunes along a gradient of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Plant Biol 6(5):598–605. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-821004
Jones M, Reynolds B, Brittain S, Norris D, Rhind P, Jones R (2006) Complex hydrological controls on wet dune slacks: the importance of local variability. Sci Total Environ 372(1):266–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.08.040
Jones L, Nizam M, Reynolds B, Bareham S, Oxley E (2013) Upwind impacts of ammonia from an intensive poultry unit. Environ Pollut 180:221–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2013.05.012
Meltzer J, Van Dijk H (1986) The effects of dissolved macro-nutrients on the herbaceous vegetation around dune pools. Vegetatio 65(1):53–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00032127
Nilsson J (1988) Critical loads for sulphur and nitrogen, air pollution and ecosystems. Springer, New York, pp 85–91
Provoost S, Jones MLM, Edmondson SE (2011) Changes in landscape and vegetation of coastal dunes in northwest Europe: a review. J Coast Conserv 15(1):207–226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-009-0068-5
Ranwell D (1959) Newborough Warren, Anglesey: I. The dune system and dune slack habitat. J Ecol 571–601. https://doi.org/10.2307/2257291
Rhymes J, Wallace H, Fenner N, Jones L (2014) Evidence for sensitivity of dune wetlands to groundwater nutrients. Sci Total Environ 490C:106–113
Rhymes J, Jones L, Lapworth DJ, White D, Fenner N, McDonald JE, Perkins TL (2015) Using chemical, microbial and fluorescence techniques to understand contaminant sources and pathways to wetlands in a conservation site. Sci Total Environ 511:703–710. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.085
Rhymes J, Jones L, Wallace H, Jones T, Dunn C, Fenner N (2016) Small changes in water levels and groundwater nutrients alter nitrogen and carbon processing in dune slack soils. Soil Biol Biochem 99:28–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.04.018
Rodwell J, Dring J, Averis A, Proctor M, Malloch A, Schaminée J, Dargie T (2000) Review of coverage of the national vegetation classification. Report-joint nature conservation committee
Stratford C, Ratcliffe J, Hughes AG, Roberts J, Robins NS (2007) Complex interaction between shallow groundwater and changing woodland, surface water, grazing and other influences in partly wooded duneland in Anglesey, Wales. Proceedings of the CDXXXV congress International association of hydrogeologists: groundwater and ecosystems. International association of Hydrogeologists, pp 1-10
Stratford CJ, Robins NS, Clarke D, Jones L, Weaver G (2013) An ecohydrological review of dune slacks on the west coast of England and Wales. Ecohydrology 6(1):162–171. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.1355
Tang Y, Cape J, Sutton M (2001) Development and types of passive samplers for monitoring atmospheric NO2 and NH3 concentrations. Sci World J 1:513–529. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2001.82
van der Laan D (1979) Spatial and temporal variation in the vegetation of dune slacks in relation to the ground water regime. Vegetatio 39(1):43–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00055327
Willis A, Folkes B, Hope-Simpson J, Yemm E (1959) Braunton burrows: the dune system and its vegetation. J Ecol 47(2):249–288. https://doi.org/10.2307/2257366
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rhymes, J., Wallace, H., Tang, S.Y. et al. Substantial uptake of atmospheric and groundwater nitrogen by dune slacks under different water table regimes. J Coast Conserv 22, 615–622 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-018-0595-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-018-0595-z