Exchange of atmospheric ammonia with European ecosystems

Objective

The goals of the proposed project are to :

A. determine the rates of atmospheric NH3 dry deposition to sensitive semi-natural ecosystems in Europe.

B. quantify the net exchange of NH3 over managed agricultural ecosystems in Europe.

C. identify the environmental and biological parameters controlling the deposition/emission of NH3 within terrestrial ecosystems.

D. generate a mechanistic basis for describing NH3 surface/atmosphere exchange within models of atmospheric deposition.


The core of the project is the measurement of NH3 fluxes by micrometeorological techniques over a wide range of ecosystem types (semi-natural moorlands and grasslands, arable croplands and grazed pastures) for a large geographical range of European conditions. This work will be supported by detailed measurement of environmental conditions (e.g. sensible and latent heat fluxes, energy balance, bulk canopy resistances to water vapour loss), together with key measures of plant and soil nitrogen status related to ecosystem type and management (e.g. plant phenology, foliar and soil nitrogen contents, foliar enzyme activity, soil structure and pH). Ammonia fluxes are well suited to field measurement by micrometeorological techniques and these will therefore form the main thrust of the measurement activities. These field measurements will be completed by detailed laboratory experiments of ammonia fluxes using chamber techniques, which will aim to characterize the plant physiological processes controlling NH3 fluxes, for both native and agricultural plant species.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology › ecosystems
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biochemistry › biomolecules › proteins › enzymes

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

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL

Address

C/o Bush Estate
EH26 0QB Penicuik
United Kingdom

Participants (6)

Den Kongelige Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole

Denmark

Address

13,bülowsvej
1870 Frederiksberg C

ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE NETHERLANDS

Netherlands

Address

Westerduinweg 3
Petten

Links

Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Agrikulturchemie und Umwelthygiene

Switzerland

Address

155,schwarzenburgstrasse
3097 Liebefeld-bern

MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN E.V.

Germany

Address

Saarstraße 23
55020 Mainz

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

United Kingdom

Address

Sackville Street
M60 1QD Manchester

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Spain

Address

Boadilla Del Monte
28660 Madrid