Assessment of Critical Loads of Nitrogen Deposition in Natural Ecosystems of China

Abstract

Excessive nitrogen (N) deposition causes a series of environmental problems, including biodiversity loss. Therefore, assessing current N deposition thresholds of natural ecosystems is critical for regional N management and pollution control. In this study, the critical loads of N deposition in mainland China were estimated using the steady-state mass balance method, and the spatial distribution of ecosystems that exceeded the critical load was evaluated. The results showed that areas with critical loads of N deposition higher than 56, in the range of 14-56, and lower than 14 kg·(hm2·a)-1 accounted for 6%, 67%, and 27% of that in China, respectively. The areas with higher critical loads of N deposition were mainly distributed in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, northeastern Inner Mongolia, and parts of south China. Lower critical loads of N deposition were mainly distributed in the western Tibetan Plateau, northwest China, and parts of southeast China. Moreover, the areas where N deposition exceeded the critical loads accounted for 21% of that in mainland China, being mainly distributed in southeast and northeast China. The exceedances of critical loads of N deposition in northeast China, northwest China, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were generally lower than 14 kg·(hm2·a)-1. Therefore, the management and control of N in these areas that exceeded the critical load of deposition is more worthy of future attention.