Abstract
Nitrogen (N) deposition alters ecosystem structure and functioning. To study potential impacts on Mediterranean ecosystems, we designed a field fertilization experiment where NH4NO3 was added at four rates (0, 10, 20 and 50 kg N ha−1 year−1). The terricolous moss Pleurochaete squarrosa was sampled and pigments extracted in spring-autumn 2008 and spring 2009. Simulated N deposition increased lutein and VAZ pigments to chlorophyll ratios in autumn 2008; β-carotene to chlorophyll ratio was reduced in spring 2009; (neoxantin + lutein) to β-carotene increased with N supply and this was explained as higher investment in light-harvesting complexes than in reaction centres. Response of carotene to chlorophylls and of (neoxantin + lutein)/β-carotene to N enrichment were only evident when soil NH4 and Mn, respectively, were used as covariates. Thus, covariance analyses are highly recommended to detect N fertilization effects on terricolous species when field experiments are set up in highly heterogeneous environments.
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Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by an FPU grant of the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia to ROH (AP2006–04638) and by projects (CGL-2009–11015, AGL-2006–13848-C02–01/AGR, S2009/AMB-1783 and S-0505/AMB/0032 projects). We are thankful to Dr. Lucy J. Sheppard for instructive comments on an early version of the manuscript.
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Ochoa-Hueso, R., Paradela, C., Pérez-Corona, M., Manrique, E. (2014). Pigment Ratios of the Mediterranean Bryophyte Pleurochaete squarrosa Respond to Simulated Nitrogen Deposition. In: Sutton, M., Mason, K., Sheppard, L., Sverdrup, H., Haeuber, R., Hicks, W. (eds) Nitrogen Deposition, Critical Loads and Biodiversity. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7939-6_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7939-6_23
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