Objective Forest canopies play a significant role in regulating carbon and water exchanges with the atmosphere, with profound effects on our climate. However, their role in altering the chemical composition of precipitation and, consequently, the nutrient cycling within a forest has been less investigated. This is particular relevant for nitrogen (N)-limited forests in the Northern hemisphere, which have been exposed to a rapid human-induced increase in Ndep over the last decades. Much of the scientific attention has been focused on the role of Ndep in enhancing forest C-sink, while we still need to elucidate the fate of Ndep when entering forest and its contribution to N cycling. In particular, it is still not clear whether Ndep is retained, taken up and/or altered by biological transformations when interacting with tree canopies. By applying a quadruple isotope approach I recently demonstrated the occurrence of in-canopy biological nitrification of atmospheric N for UK forests at high Ndep. Hence, NITRIPHYLL intends to extend the multiple isotope approach a) to enlarge the range of conditions under which the process is demonstrated to occur, b) to investigate difference between species in the proportion of microbiologically-derived NO3 and c) the reasons of these differences. Furthermore, by using proteo-genomic techniques we aim to characterize phyllosphere microbial communities involved in canopy nitrification. We will consider i) forests along a gradient of climate and Ndep within the well established EU-ICP forest network and ii) existing N manipulation experiments. NITRIPHYLL for the first time merges two separate research avenues, i.e. the investigation of canopy nitrification with the study of the occurrence, abundance and diversity of bacteria communities in the phyllosphere. Thus, the project will contribute to providing a deeper understanding of how the phyllosphere affects the N, and consequently C, cycling within forests in relation to climate and Ndep. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencessoil sciencesnatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAnatural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologylimnologynatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeochemistrybiogeochemistry Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-RI - RI – Reintegration panel Coordinator CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION ECOLOGICA Y APLICACIONES FORESTALES Net EU contribution € 158 121,60 Address UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA EDIFICI C 08193 Bellaterra Spain See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 158 121,60
