Abstract
The availability of nitrogen (N) often limits net primary production (NPP) and other processes in terrestrial ecosystems. N limits NPP in the long term; two conditions must be met to limit processes: (1) N must be lost from terrestrial ecosystems by pathways that cannot be prevented fully by N-demanding organisms and (2) the power of N2 fixation to add new N to N-limited ecosystems must be constrained. This chapter utilizes a simple model to explore the consequences of (1) losses by dissolved organic nitrogen, transformation dependent trace gas fluxes, and spatial/temporal variation in the supply versus demand for N and (2) constraints on N2 fixation caused by disproportionately severe effects of phosphorus limitation, grazing, and shade intolerance on symbiotic N2 fixers. The results of these analyses suggest that the pervasiveness of N limitation in terrestrial ecosystems is strongly shaped by processes that are not well understood.
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