Nitrogen saturation experiments phase II

Objective

The overall objective of NITREX II is to obtain direct experimental data at the ecosystem scale regarding (1) the risk of nitrogen saturation due to nitrogen deposition and (2) the recovery of nitrogen saturated systems in response to decreased nitrogen deposition.


NITREX is an international, interdisciplinary research project focused on the impact of nitrogen on forest ecosystems. The project addresses the role of nitrate and ammonium in acidification of soil and water by addition or removal of nitrogen to precipitation falling on headwater catchments and forest stands. These experiments comprise a six-nation European network spanning the gradient in nitrogen deposition form <5 kg ha-1 yr-1 in Norway to >50 kg N ha-1 yr-1 in the Netherlands.

Among questions central to NITREX are :

(1) What is the threshold for nitrogen saturation in coniferous forest ecosystems ?
(2) Is nitrogen saturation reversible, and if so, when and how does recovery proceed ?
(3) What is the critical load for nitrogen in coniferous forests of Europe ?
(4) What is the role of nitrogen in ecosystem acidification and forest decline ?

A detailed description of the project is made in Ecosystems Research Report no 2 of the Commission of the European Communities.

This report is available from P. Mathy (Fax : [phone]).

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology › ecosystems

Programme(s)

• FP3-ENV 1C - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the environment, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 0106 - Biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem dynamics

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen

Address

10,duivendaal
6701 AR Wageningen
Netherlands

Participants (13)

DANISH FOREST AND LANDSCAPE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Denmark

Address

11,hoersholm Kongevej 11
2970 Hoersholm

Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - ETH Zürich

Switzerland

Address

3,grabenstrasse
8952 Schlieren

GEORG-AUGUST-UNIVERSITY GOETTINGEN

Germany

Address

Buesgenweg 2
37077 Goettingen

Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen - Stichting Katholieke Universiteit

Netherlands

Address

Toernooiveld
6500 HC Nijmegen

NERC Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

United Kingdom

Address

Deiniol Road
LL57 2UW Bangor

NORWEGIAN FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Norway

Address

Hoegskoleveien, 12
1432 Aas

NORWEGIAN INSTITUTE FOR WATER RESEARCH

Norway

Address

19,brekkeveien 19
0411 Oslo

Links

SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE LTD-IVL SVENSKA MILJOININSTITUTET AB

Sweden

Address

43,valhallavagen 81
11427 Stockholm

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape

Switzerland

Address

111,zürcherstrasse
8903 Birmensdorf

THE SWEDISH UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Sweden

Address

Ulls V.33
750 07 Uppsala

Universiteit van Amsterdam

Netherlands

Address

130,nieuwe Prinsengracht
1018 VZ Amsterdam

Universität Bayreuth

Germany

Address

Dr-hans-frisch-straße 1-3
95448 Bayreuth

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Netherlands

Address

1087,de Boelelaan
1081 HV Amsterdam