Nitrogen uptake in needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) when exposed to gaseous ammonia and ammonium fertilizer in the soil

Abstract

Young saplings of Pinus sylvestris L. were exposed to gaseous NH3 at 53 or 105 μg m−3 for one year in open-top chambers. Saplings received 15N-labelled (NH4)2SO4 via the soil. To examine the importance of foliar N uptake, changes in the concentration of total and labelled N in the needles were followed. Increase in needle biomass and N concentration were found in trees exposed to NH3, confirming that atmospheric NH3 acted as a N fertilizer. NH3 had a greater and quicker effect than (NH4)2SO4: compared with the growth in ambient air, the N concentration in the needles exposed to NH3 had increased by 49% in four months, while the increase after highest N-fertilization (200 kg N ha−1 y−1) was only 8%. The small contribution of NH4 + fertilization to the total N concentration was not due to a deficient N uptake: the 15N concentration in the needles increased significantly with time. On the other hand, NH3 uptake in shoots may have a negative effect on the NH4 + root uptake. The relation between plant N and atmospheric NH3 concentration was non-linear and possible reasons for this observation are discussed. Fumigation with NH3 significantly decreased the ratios of K/N and P/N, showing that fumigation disrupted the nutrient balance.