TY  - JOUR
U1  - Zeitschriftenartikel, wissenschaftlich - begutachtet (reviewed)
A1  - Temperton, Vicky M.
A1  - Märtin, Lea L. A.
A1  - Röder, Daniela
A1  - Lücke, Andreas
A1  - Kiehl, Kathrin
T1  - Effects of four different restoration treatments on the natural abundance of 15N stable isotopes in plants
JF  - Frontiers in Plant Science
N2  - 15 δ N signals in plant and soil material integrate over a number of biogeochemical processes
related to nitrogen (N) and therefore provide information on net effects of multiple
processes on N dynamics. In general little is known in many grassland restoration projects
on soil–plant N dynamics in relation to the restoration treatments. In particular, 15 δ N signals
may be a useful tool to assess whether abiotic restoration treatments have produced the
desired result. In this study we used the range of abiotic and biotic conditions provided
by a restoration experiment to assess to whether the restoration treatments and/or plant
functional identity and legume neighborhood affected plant 15 δ N signals. The restoration
treatments consisted of hay transfer and topsoil removal, thus representing increasing
restoration effort, from no restoration measures, through biotic manipulation to major
abiotic manipulation. We measured 15 δ N and %N in six different plant species (two nonlegumes and four legumes) across the restoration treatments. We found that restoration
treatments were clearly reflected in 15 δ N of the non-legume species, with very depleted
15 δ N associated with low soil N, and our results suggest this may be linked to uptake of
ammonium (rather than nitrate). The two non-legume species differed considerably in their
15 δ N signals, which may be related to the two species forming different kinds of mycorrhizal
symbioses. Plant 15 δ N signals could clearly separate legumes from non-legumes, but our
results did not allow for an assessment of legume neighborhood effects on non-legume
15 δ N signals. We discuss our results in the light of what the 15 δ N signals may be telling
us about plant–soil N dynamics and their potential value as an indicator for N dynamics in
restoration.
KW  - stable isotopes
KW  - restoration
KW  - topsoil removal
KW  - functional type
KW  - legumes
Y1  - 2012
U6  - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2012.00070
DO  - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2012.00070
IS  - 3
SP  - 12
S1  - 12
ER  -