Net Throughfall Research Articles

Total deposition of sulphur to coniferous forests in Sweden - Taking canopy exchange into account

In the low deposition situation of today at many of the long-term Swedish forest monitoring sites, the deposition measured as precipitation to the open field, i.e. bulk deposition of oxidized sulphur (S) is often higher or equal to deposition of S sampled under the forest canopies, i.e. as throughfall. This suggests that the total S deposition estimated using throughfall is underestimated. The reason for this is direct exchange of S with the forest canopies, leading to an underestimation which becomes evident in low-deposition areas. We describe a new method to estimate the dry deposition of S to coniferous forest based on measurements with Teflon string samplers as surrogate surfaces, in combination with measurements of the net throughfall for sodium (throughfall subtracted with wet deposition). The wet deposition was estimated from bulk deposition measurements on the open field, corrected for dry deposition to the collectors. The method was applied for Norway spruce forests at monitoring sites across Sweden during nine years 2014–2022, and total deposition was calculated based on wet deposition and the estimated dry deposition. The estimated annual total deposition of S as a mean value for coniferous forests ranged between 0.8 and 5.2 kg S ha−1 yr−1 with lowest values in northern Sweden and highest in southwest Sweden. The share of dry deposition of the total S deposition was between 20 and 53%. The mean annual deposition of S measured as throughfall during 2014–2022 for three different regions in Sweden was between 16 and 41% lower compared to the corresponding total deposition estimated with the new method. The canopy exchange of S was analyzed on a monthly basis as the difference between the estimated total deposition and the measured throughfall deposition of S. At most sites, there was a canopy uptake of S during the summer months and a leakage of S during the winter months. This indicates that the canopy exchange of S is a phenomenon that involves some biological activity.

Gap edge canopy buffering of throughfall deposition in a subalpine natural forest

Base cation loads are rarely considered in forest gap edge canopies, but they can play critical roles in capturing or buffering atmospheric deposition in forests with frequent gap disturbances, such as subalpine forests. We selected an expanded gap edge canopy and a closed canopy in a subalpine natural forest on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The throughfall deposition and canopy exchange processes of common base cations (K + , Ca 2+ , Na + , and Mg 2+ ) were continuously studied over two years. The results showed that the enrichment ratio and fluxes had lower levels of base cations in the gap-edge canopy than in the closed canopy, which indicated that base cations were concentrated more in the closed canopy than in the gap-edge canopy. Although Ca 2+ in the gap-edge canopy showed a higher net throughfall flux, the annual net throughfall fluxes of K + , Na + and Mg 2+ within the gap-edge canopy were 1.83, 6.75 and 2.95 times lower than those in the closed canopy, respectively. Moreover, dry deposition fluxes of base cations significantly decreased in the gap edge canopy compared to those in the closed canopy, and the decreasing tendency was more significant during the snowy season than during the rainy season. Overall, these results suggest that the amount of base cations in subalpine natural forest ecosystems may be overestimated when the throughfall deposition of ions in gap edge canopies is ignored.

Hydrochemical Fluxes in Rainfall, Throughfall, and Stemflow in Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Plantation, northeast China

<p>Rainfall is one of the primary sources of chemical inputs in forest ecosystems, and the basis of forest nutrient cycling. Urban trees play an important role in the built environment, reducing the rainfall reaching the ground by rainfall interception. To explore the variations of nutrient cycling and nutrient balance in rainfall redistribution process in urban forest ecosystem, we investigated the chemistry of rainfall, throughfall and stemflow in a plantation of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica distributed in Harbin city of Northeastern China. Mean nutrient concentrations in stemflow were higher than in throughfall and rainfall. Over the growing season observation, the nutrients (NO3-, PO43-, SO42-, Cl-, F-, K, Ca and Mg) fluxes in rainfall, throughfall and stemflow were 66.392 kg·ha-1, 46.900 kg·ha-1 and 15.723 kg·ha-1 respectively. The net throughfall and stemflow deposit was -3.769 kg·ha-1, in the growing season. The nutrient input in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow were mainly NO3-, SO42- and Ca, and the canopy of P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantation can net leaching of NO3- and Mg in rainfall, but filter out of PO43-, SO42-, Cl-, F-, K and Ca slightly. Our findings will facilitate a greater understanding of nutrient balance in canopy water fluxes in an urban area.</p>

Canopy modification of base cations deposition in a subtropical broadleaved forest: Spatial characteristics, canopy budgets and acid neutralizing capacity

Atmospheric deposition of base cations in contact with the canopy alters their chemical characteristics and plays a vital role in offsetting soil acidification and nutrient imbalance by replenishing the base cationic pool in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of site characteristics on deliveries of base cations fluxes via throughfall (TF) and stemflow (SF) across topographic gradients within a watershed remain less understood. Here, we examined the concentrations and fluxes of base cations (potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and sodium (Na+)), acid neutralizing capacities (ANC) and alkalinity (ALK) in bulk precipitation (BP), TF and SF in an upper slope plot (UP) and a lower slope plot (LP) in a subtropical broadleaved montane forest, Southeast China. In addition, a canopy budget model was applied to distinguish the relative contributions of dry deposition (DD) and canopy exchange (CE) to net TF + SF (NTF) flux. Results showed that annual volume weighted mean concentrations of base cations in TF and SF were significantly higher than those in BP in both UP and LP. Annual fluxes of TF or SF base cations had no significant differences between UP and LP, resulting in a comparable of the NTF fluxes. However, the relative contributions of DD and CE to NTF were different at the two slope plots. NTF K+ flux was dominated by CE regardless of slope position. Unlike K+, NTF Ca2+ and Mg2+ fluxes were dominated by DD in UP, while CE in LP. In addition, ANC and ALK of TF and SF were significantly higher compared to BP, suggesting rainwater beneath the canopy became less acidic and may mitigate in part the risk of soil acidification, especially in the dormant season. This study can provide insights into the spatial variability of chemical characteristics of base cations, and improve our understanding of the quantities and controls of external and internal nutrient inputs occurring within the canopy in forest watershed.

Organic and inorganic nitrogen deposition in an urban evergreen broad-leaved forest in central Japan

Chronic atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition could influence the functioning of ecosystems as well as their biodiversity. However, N deposition in urban forest ecosystems, especially natural evergreen broad-leaved forests, is not well known. In this study, the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved inorganic N (DIN) and dissolved organic N (DON) in bulk deposition, throughfall, and stemflow were assessed in an urban evergreen broad-leaved forest site over three years, in order to clarify the characteristics of N deposition. At the study site, bulk DIN deposition was 3.7 kg N ha−1 year−1 (1.5 kg N ha−1 year−1 for NH4–N and 2.2 kg N ha−1 year−1 for NO3 + NO2–N), which is the same level as that found in rural areas. In contrast, 6.5 kg N ha−1 year−1 for bulk DON deposition contributed to 66% of the bulk N deposition, which suggests the importance of bulk DON deposition in Japanese forest ecosystems. Passing through the tree canopy, DIN was enriched by 8.8 kg N ha−1 year−1 (3.7 kg N ha−1 year−1 for NH4–N and 5.1 kg N ha−1 year−1 for NO3 + NO2–N) and DON was enriched by 1.5 kg N ha−1 year−1 as net throughfall in the evergreen broad-leaved forest. This reveals that dry deposition of DIN dominates the total DIN deposition onto the urban forest floor, compared to that found in the rural areas, due to the non-negligible N emissions from outside and possibly because of the evergreen broad-leaved forest's greater ability to capture N.

Rainfall partitioning and associated nitrate and sulfate fluxes along a slope gradient in a subtropical broadleaved forest

Forest canopies create a high spatial variability of both canopy interception (Ei) and acid deposition. However, spatial characteristics of these hydrochemical fluxes along a slope gradient in forest watersheds remain unclear. Here we monitored bulk precipitation (BP), throughfall (TF), stemflow (SF), and associated nitrate (NO3−) and sulfate (SO42−) in an upper slope plot (UP) and a lower slope plot (LP) in a subtropical broadleaved forest, Southeast China. Results showed that annual rates of TF, SF and Ei to BP in UP were 85.2%, 2.6%, and 12.2%, respectively. Corresponding values in LP were 88.6%, 2.2%, and 9.2%. There were no significant differences among these rainfall partitioning components between UP and LP. Additionally, annual volume weighted mean concentrations of NO3−-N in TF and SF were significantly lower than in BP, whereas no significant differences were found for SO42−-S among BP, TF and SF. Unlike annual TF NO3−-N fluxes were similar in UP and LP, annual TF SO42−-S fluxes significantly increased along the UP to LP. Net TF + SF (NTF) fluxes were negative for NO3−-N and SO42−-S at the two slope plots, illustrating retained/uptake in the canopy. Dormant season NTF S fluxes were close to zero, indicating that dry deposition does not appear to play a major role, whereas exchange with foliage surfaces should be the dominant factor controlling the spatial patterns of TF N and S fluxes in the watershed. This study can contribute to the evaluation of watershed-scale water and acidifying input into the soil during canopy passage, and further consequent effects on forest ecosystems.

Inorganic Nutrient Inputs from Precipitation, Throughfall, and Stemflow in Pinus densiflora and Quercus mongolica Stands in an Urban Forest Ecosystem

We measured the amount of precipitation, stemflow, and throughfall and concentrations of nine major inorganic nutrients (H+, NH4 +, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Cl-, NO3 -, and SO4 2-) to investigate the nutrient inputs into soil from precipitation in Pinus densiflora and Quercus mongolica stands from September 2015 to August 2016. The precipitation inputs of H+, NH4 +, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Cl-, NO3 -, and SO4 2- into soil were 0.170, 15.124, 42.227, 19.218, 14.050, 15.887, 22.391, 5.431, and 129.440 kg·ha-1·yr-1, respectively. The P. densiflora stemflow inputs were 0.008, 0.784, 1.652, 1.044, 0.476, 0.651, 1.509, 0.278, and 9.098 kg·ha-1·yr-1, and those for Q. mongolica were 0.008, 0.684, 2.429, 2.417, 2.941, 1.398, 2.407, 0.436, and 13.504 kg·ha-1·yr-1, respectively. The P. densiflora throughfall inputs were 0.042, 21.518, 52.207 27.694, 20.060, 24.049, 37.229, 10.241, and 153.790 kg·ha-1·yr-1, and those for Q. mongolica were 0.032, 15.068, 42.834, 21.219, 20.294, 20.237, 24.288, 5.647, and 119.134 kg·ha-1·yr-1, respectively. Of the total throughfall flux (i.e., stemflow + throughfall flux) of the nine ions for the two species, SO4 2- had the greatest total throughfall flux and H+ had the lowest. The net throughfall fluxes of the ions for the two species had various correlations with the precedent dry period, rainfall intensity, rainfall amount, and pH of precipitation. The soil pH under the Q. mongolica canopy (4.88) was higher than that under the P. densiflora canopy (4.34). The difference in the soil pH between the two stands was significant (P 0.01). This study shows the enrichments of inorganic nutrients by two representative urban forests in temperate regions and the roles of urban forests during rainfall events in a year.

Total deposition of inorganic nitrogen to Norway spruce forests – Applying a surrogate surface method across a deposition gradient in Sweden

The dry and wet deposition of nitrate, NO3−, and ammonium, NH4+, were estimated for Norway spruce forests at ten monitoring sites across Sweden for the years 2014–2017. The particulate dry deposition was estimated based on measurements using Teflon string samplers as surrogate surfaces, in combination with the net throughfall deposition for sodium (throughfall subtracted with wet deposition). The wet deposition was estimated from bulk deposition measurements, corrected for dry deposition to the collectors. There was a strong gradient for total inorganic nitrogen (N) deposition across Sweden from north to southwest, ranging from 2 to 20 kg N ha−1 yr−1. The values for N deposition derived from measurements were for most sites exceeding the corresponding values derived from modelling with the MATCH and EMEP models, in southern Sweden by up to 4–6 kg N ha−1 y−1. Based on comparisons between total and throughfall deposition, the canopy uptake of atmospheric N deposition to Norway spruce forests in Sweden was estimated to be in the range of 0–7 kg N ha−1 yr−1.

Forest Canopy Can Efficiently Filter Trace Metals in Deposited Precipitation in a Subalpine Spruce Plantation

Trace metals can enter natural regions with low human disturbance through atmospheric circulation; however, little information is available regarding the filtering efficiency of trace metals by forest canopies. In this study, a representative subalpine spruce plantation was selected to investigate the net throughfall fluxes of eight trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, Pb, Cd and Cr) under a closed canopy and gap-edge canopy from August 2015 to July 2016. Over the one-year observation, the annual fluxes of Al, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Cd, Cr and Pb in the deposited precipitation were 7.29 kg·ha−1, 2.30 kg·ha−1, 7.02 kg·ha−1, 0.16 kg·ha−1, 0.19 kg·ha−1, 0.06 kg·ha−1, 0.56 kg·ha−1 and 0.24 kg·ha−1, respectively. The annual net throughfall fluxes of these trace metals were −1.73 kg·ha−1, −0.90 kg·ha−1, −1.68 kg·ha−1, 0.03 kg·ha−1, −0.03 kg·ha−1, −0.02 kg·ha−1, −0.09 kg·ha−1 and −0.08 kg·ha−1, respectively, under the gap-edge canopy and 1.59 kg·ha−1, −1.13 kg·ha−1, −1.65 kg·ha−1, 0.10 kg·ha−1, −0.04 kg·ha−1, −0.03 kg·ha−1, −0.26 kg·ha−1 and −0.15 kg·ha−1, respectively, under the closed canopy. The closed canopy displayed a greater filtering effect of the trace metals from precipitation than the gap-edge canopy in this subalpine forest. In the rainy season, the net filtering ratio of trace metals ranged from −66.01% to 89.05% for the closed canopy and from −52.32% to 33.09% for the gap-edge canopy. In contrast, the net filtering ratio of all trace metals exceeded 50.00% for the closed canopy in the snowy season. The results suggest that most of the trace metals moving through the forest canopy are filtered by canopy in the subalpine forest.

Nutrient Fluxes in Rainfall, Throughfall, and Stemflow in Pinus densata Natural Forest of Tibetan Plateau

This study aimed to measure the chemical components of the rainfall, throughfall, and stemflow, and to evaluate the characteristics of the solutes in the Pinus densata forest in Tibetan plateau. Rainfall, throughfall, and stemflow were monitored from March 2011 to November 2013. The pH and concentrations of Cl−, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were measured. Depositions of rainfall, throughfall, and stemflow, and canopy budget of different solutes were calculated. There were significant correlations among throughfall, stemflow, and rainfall. The monthly pH of the three forms of water was significantly different between each other. The annual average concentrations of the solutes showed the following order: stemflow>throughfall>rainfall. The annual mean rainfall depositions of rainfall, throughfall, and stemflow were 104.20, 175.54, and 16.60 kg ha−1 · per year, respectively. Annual net throughfall and stemflow deposit was 87.94 kg ha−1 · per year. The main source of and came from rainfall while Cl−, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ input mainly came from the throughfall. Settlement of NH4+‐N was close to the global average, Cl−, K+, Mg2+ were above the global average, and Na+ and Ca2+ were slightly lower than the global average. The rainfall may have the potential to supply nutrients in the P. densata forest in the Tibetan plateau.

Deposition pattern and throughfall fluxes in secondary cool temperate forest, South Korea

Chemistry and deposition fluxes in the rainfall and throughfall of red pine (Pinus densiflora), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and chestnut (Castanea crenata) monocultures, and mixed red pine–black locust–chestnut stands were examined in a nutrient-limited cool temperate forest of central South Korea. Throughfall was enriched in both basic and acidic constituents relative to rainfall, suggesting that both dry deposition and canopy leaching are important sources of throughfall constituents. Net throughfall fluxes (NTFs) of cations and anions significantly differed among four different stands as well as seasonally. Red pine exhibited highest fluxes (TF and NTF) for Ca2+, black locust for K+, mixed stands for Mg2+, and chestnut for Na+. In contrast, NTF of SO42-, NO3−, and NH4+was highest in the red pine, intermediate in the chestnut and mixed stands, and lowest in the black locust. In general, canopy uptake of H+ and NH4+ for all stands was higher in summer than in winter. Dry deposition appears to play a major role in atmospheric deposition to this cool temperate forest, especially in summer. Dry deposition for both cations and anions displayed high spatial variability, even though stands were adjacent to one another and experienced identical atmospheric deposition loads. Canopy leaching of K+ (95–78% of NTF), Mg2+ (92–23% of NTF), and Ca2+ (91–12% of NTF) was highest for the black locust, lowest for chestnut, and intermediate for the red pine and mixed stands. The present study documented significant changes in throughfall chemistry and NTF among different forest stands, which presumably be related with the differences in the canopy characteristics and differences in their scavenging capacity for dry deposition and canopy exchange. Difference in the canopy retention of H+ and base cation leaching suggests that canopy exchange was mainly driven by weak acid excretion and lesser by H+ exchange reaction. Our results indicate that despite a high base cation deposition, a combination of higher input of acidifying constituents, low soil pH, and total acidic deposition approaching South Korean critical loads make regional forest vulnerable to acidification.

Dry deposition and canopy uptake in Mediterranean holm-oak forests estimated with a canopy budget model: A focus on N estimations

Bulk/wet and throughfall fluxes of major compounds were measured from June 2011 to June 2013 at four Mediterranean holm-oak (Quercus ilex) forests in the Iberian Peninsula. Regression analysis between net throughfall fluxes and precipitation indicated that the best defined canopy process was leaching for K+ and uptake for NH4+ at all sites. A more variable response between sites was found for Na+, Ca2+, SO42- and Cl−, which suggests that the interplay of dry deposition, leaching and uptake at the canopy was different depending on site climate and air quality characteristics.A canopy budget model (CBM) was used to try to discriminate between the canopy processes and enable to estimate dry deposition and uptake fluxes at three of the sites that complied with the model specifications. To derive N uptake, an efficiency factor of NH4+vs. NO3− uptake (xNH4) corresponding to moles of NH4+ taken up for each NO3− mol, has to be determined. Up to now, a value of 6 has been proposed for temperate forests, but we lack information for Mediterranean forests. Experimental determination of N absorption on Quercus ilex seedlings in Spain suggests efficiency factors from 1 to 6. Based on these values, a sensitivity analysis for xNH4 was performed and the NH4N and NO3N modeled dry deposition was compared with dry deposition estimated with independent methods (inferential modeling and washing of branches). At two sites in NE Spain under a milder Mediterranean climate, the best match was obtained for xNH4 = 6, corroborating results from European temperate forests. Based on this value, total DIN deposition was 12–13 kg N ha−1 y−1 at these sites. However, for a site in central Spain under drier conditions, variation of the NH4+ efficiency factor had little effect on DD estimates (which ranged from 2 to 2.6 kg N ha−1 y−1 with varying xNH4); when added to wet deposition, this produced a total N deposition in the range 2.6–3.4 kg N ha−1 y−1. Dry deposition was the predominant pathway for N, accounting for 60–80% of total deposition, while for base cations wet deposition dominated (55–65%). Nitrogen deposition values at the northwestern sites were close to the empirical critical load proposed for evergreen sclerophyllous Mediterranean forests (15–17 kg N ha−1 y−1). When organic N deposition at these forests is added (3 kg N ha−1 y−1), the total N input to the sites in NE Spain are close to the critical loads for Mediterranean evergreen oak forests.

Dissolved Organic and Inorganic Carbon Flow Paths in an Amazonian Transitional Forest

As a raindrop falls from the atmosphere, over vegetation and forest canopies, and enters soils and streams it experiences a dynamic exchange of carbon constituents with the surrounding environment. Understanding the magnitude and dynamics of carbon export in above and below ground flow paths is critical for constraining the influence of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems on global carbon cycling. Here we examine the concentration and flux of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC and DIC) in rainfall, throughfall, stemflow, overland flow, soil solution, groundwater, and stream water in an Amazonian transitional forest located near the arc of deforestation. Rainfall was enriched in DOC by interactions with atmospheric particles derived from both biogenic and anthropogenic emissions, resulting in a flux of 82.3 kg C ha-1 yr-1, which was the largest flux from each respective flow path. Forest throughfall, stemflow, and direct overland flow mobilized DOC from products of terrestrial primary production and decomposition. Net throughfall represented the second largest DOC flux (68.4 kg C ha-1 yr-1), whereas stemflow and overland flow only had a flux of 1.5 and 3.9 kg C ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Much of the DOC in above ground flow paths was removed from solution as the rain percolated through soil layers due to both biological decomposition and sorption/desorption to mineral surfaces, resulting in low concentrations in stream and groundwater (2.6 ± 2.4 mg L-1 and 1.45 ± 0.3 mg L-1, respectively) relative to throughfall (43.9 ± 5.2 mg L-1) and stemflow (30.6 ± 2.7 mg L-1). The flux of DIC in each respective flow path was generally lower than for DOC, and likely driven by atmospheric gas exchange and inputs from respiration and decomposition. DOC concentrations in above ground flow paths were highest during the first rainfall after a dry period, whereas DIC concentrations generally increased throughout the rainy season as soil moisture increased.

Atmospheric deposition of inorganic nitrogen in Spanish forests of Quercus ilex measured with ion-exchange resins and conventional collectors

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition is one of the main threats for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Measurement techniques like ion-exchange resin collectors (IECs), which are less expensive and time-consuming than conventional methods, are gaining relevance in the study of atmospheric deposition and are recommended to expand monitoring networks. In the present work, bulk and throughfall deposition of inorganic nitrogen were monitored in three different holm oak forests in Spain during two years. The results obtained with IECs were contrasted with a conventional technique using bottle collectors and with a literature review of similar studies. The performance of IECs in comparison with the conventional method was good for measuring bulk deposition of nitrate and acceptable for ammonium and total dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Mean annual bulk deposition of inorganic nitrogen ranged 3.09–5.43 kg N ha−1 according to IEC methodology, and 2.42–6.83 kg N ha−1 y−1 using the conventional method. Intra-annual variability of the net throughfall deposition of nitrogen measured with the conventional method revealed the existence of input pulses of nitrogen into the forest soil after dry periods, presumably originated from the washing of dry deposition accumulated in the canopy. Important methodological recommendations on the IEC method and discussed, compiled and summarized.

Retention of Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen by Foliage and Twigs of Four Temperate Tree Species

Nitrogen (N) retention by tree canopies is believed to be an important process for tree nutrient uptake, and its quantification is a key issue in determining the impact of atmospheric N deposition on forest ecosystems. Due to dry deposition and retention by other canopy elements, the actual uptake and assimilation by the tree canopy is often obscured in throughfall studies. In this study, 15N-labeled solutions ( $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ and $$ ^{15} {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } $$ ) were used to assess dissolved inorganic N retention by leaves/needles and twigs of European beech, pedunculate oak, silver birch, and Scots pine saplings. The effects of N form, tree species, leaf phenology, and applied $$ {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } $$ to $$ {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ ratio on the N retention were assessed. Retention patterns were mainly determined by foliar uptake, except for Scots pine. In twigs, a small but significant 15N enrichment was detected for $$ {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ , which was found to be mainly due to physicochemical adsorption to the woody plant surface. The mean $$ {{^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } } {^{15} {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {^{15} {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } }} $$ retention ratio varied considerably among species and phenological stadia, which indicates that the use of a fixed ratio in the canopy budget model could lead to an over- or underestimation of the total N retention. In addition, throughfall water under each branch was collected and analyzed for $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ , $$ ^{15} {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } $$ , and all major ions. Net throughfall of $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ was, on average, 20 times higher than the actual retention of $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ by the plant material. This difference in $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ retention could not be attributed to pools and fluxes measured in this study. The retention of $$ ^{15} {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ was correlated with the net throughfall of K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and weak acids during leaf development and the fully leafed period, while no significant relationships were found for $$ ^{15} {\text{NO}}_{3}^{ - } $$ retention. This suggests that the main driving factors for $$ {\text{NH}}_{4}^{ + } $$ retention might be ion exchange processes during the start and middle of the growing season and passive diffusion at leaf senescence. Actual assimilation or abiotic uptake of N through leaves and twigs was small in this study, for example, 1–5% of the applied dissolved 15N, indicating that the impact of canopy N retention from wet deposition on forest productivity and carbon sequestration is likely limited.

Throughfall deposition and canopy exchange processes along a vertical gradient within the canopy of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst)

To assess the impact of air pollution on forest ecosystems, the canopy is usually considered as a constant single layer in interaction with the atmosphere and incident rain, which could influence the measurement accuracy. In this study the variation of througfall deposition and derived dry deposition and canopy exchange were studied along a vertical gradient in the canopy of one European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) tree and two Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) trees. Throughfall and net throughfall deposition of all ions other than H+ increased significantly with canopy depth in the middle and lower canopy of the beech tree and in the whole canopy of the spruce trees. Moreover, throughfall and net throughfall of all ions in the spruce canopy decreased with increasing distance to the trunk. Dry deposition occurred mainly in the upper canopy and was highest during the growing season for H+, NH4+, NO3− and highest during the dormant season for Na+, Cl−, SO42− (beech and spruce) and K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ (spruce only). Canopy leaching of K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ was observed at all canopy levels and was higher for the beech tree compared to the spruce trees. Canopy uptake of inorganic nitrogen and H+ occurred mainly in the upper canopy, although significant canopy uptake was found in the middle canopy as well. Canopy exchange was always higher during the growing season compared to the dormant season. This spatial and temporal variation indicates that biogeochemical deposition models would benefit from a multilayer approach for shade-tolerant tree species such as beech and spruce.

Mineral nutrient fluxes in rainfall and throughfall in a lowland Atlantic rainforest in southern Brazil

The ecosystems occurring on dystrophic soils, such as sandy soils, are highly dependent on nutrients from the atmosphere and those cycled by their own biota. Nutrient inputs from rainfall and throughfall were measured between October 2001 and August 2003 in a secondary Atlantic rainforest in southern Brazil. Canopy interception (rainfall minus throughfall) was 17.3% of the annual rainfall of 2,235 mm. Monthly interception ranged from 12 to 31% during the rainiest months (precipitation above 200 mm) and from 1 to 45% during the driest months (precipitation below 50 mm) indicating relatively high variability during this period. The studied site may be susceptible to water stress in this period due to the high permeability of the sandy soil. Approximately 80% of the Ca and Na and 57% of Mg were mainly from rainfall (bulk deposition) whereas the main input source for K was net throughfall (about 78%). Mean annual inputs via throughfall (in kg ha−1) were: 90.6 for Na, 29.1 for K, 7.1 for Ca, and 2.9 for Mg. The highest nutrient inputs occurred during the rainy season. Na fluxes were relatively high, while K, Ca, and Mg inputs were low, compared with other tropical and subtropical forests. Information on nutrient fluxes for different forest ecosystems are fundamental for building up a database that can give support to environmental diagnosis, to forest management, and to conservation and restoration techniques.

Topography strongly affects atmospheric deposition and canopy exchange processes in different types of wet lowland rainforest, Southwest Costa Rica

Bulk precipitation and throughfall were collected in a wet lowland rainforest in SW Costa Rica on an event basis to allow modelling the contributions of dry deposition and canopy exchange to nutrient inputs and internal cycling of nutrients. Estimates based on bulk precipitation underestimated total atmospheric deposition to tropical rainforests by up to 10-fold ignoring the contributions of dry deposition. Canopy exchange contributed most of the aboveground inputs to the forest soil of Na+, about half for K+, 10% for P and Mg2+ and negligible for N, C and other elements. Tree species composition did not account for the differences found in net throughfall between forest sites, and vegetation structure (plant area index) had only a small effect on net throughfall. Forest regrowth affected net throughfall through reduced soil fertility and differences in leaf traits. Topography most significantly affected net throughfall via increased dry deposition at sites of higher elevation and via soil fertility and increased canopy exchange at down slope sites.

Interactions among patch area, forest structure and water fluxes in a fog‐inundated forest ecosystem in semi‐arid Chile

Summary 1. The area or size of an ecosystem affects the acquisition, storage and redistribution of energy and matter. Patch size reduction due to natural or anthropogenic habitat loss will not only modify species distribution and patch structure but also affect the ecosystem processes that are, in part, responsible for patch persistence. 2. In a fog‐dependent forest ecosystem, trees and their architectures play essential roles in capturing and redistributing water from collection surfaces. In this paper, we address the question of how forest patch size and structure interact to determine fog water inputs and storage in a fog‐inundated, coastal ecosystem in semi‐arid Chile (30°S). 3. Six forest patches ranging in area from 0·2 to 36 ha on a coastal mountaintop of Fray Jorge National Park were characterized using 0·1 ha plots laid down at the centre of each forest patch. In each patch, we assessed tree basal area as a measure of forest structure, recorded daily air temperature and humidity, measured water influx from stemflow and throughfall (water that has passed through the forest canopy). Soil and litter gravimetric water contents were used as a measure of storage. 4. Total tree basal area per hectare was positively related to patch area, despite some variation at the species level. Mean and maximum air temperatures inside the patches were inversely related to patch size, with maximum temperatures differing by 2 °C on average. Annual fog water capture by trees within forest patches (net throughfall) was estimated in 296·1 mm after rain flux (about 122 mm) was subtracted. Throughfall volume and patch area were uncorrelated, but stemflow volume, soil and litter water contents scaled positively with patch area, showing a functional link between water interception and ecosystem retention. 5. Our study shows that ecosystem area in this mosaic of fog‐dependent temperate forest patches can modify water fluxes and storage capacity of the ecosystem. This finding has important consequences for fragmented landscapes, where large continuous forests are fragmented into smaller patches, affecting not only the persistence of species but also the continuity of critical ecosystem processes.

Large Canopy Exchange Fluxes of Inorganic and Organic Nitrogen and Preferential Retention of Nitrogen by Epiphytes in a Tropical Lowland Rainforest

Little is known about how tropical forest canopies interact with atmospheric nitrogen deposition and how this affects the internal nutrient dynamics and the processing of external nutrient inputs. The objectives of this study therefore were (1) to investigate gross and net canopy nitrogen (N) fluxes (retention and leaching) and (2) the effect of canopy components on net canopy N retention. Tracers were applied on detached branches in a tropical wet lowland rainforest, Costa Rica. A novel 15N pool dilution method showed that gross canopy fluxes (retention and leaching) of NO3 −, NH4 +, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) were remarkably higher than net throughfall fluxes. Gross fluxes of NH4 + and NO3 − resulted in a negligible net flux whereas DON showed net uptake by the canopy. The highest quantity of 15N was recovered in epiphytic bryophytes (16.4%) although the largest biomass fraction was made up of leaves. The study demonstrates that tracer applications allow investigation of the dynamic and complex canopy exchange processes and that epiphytic communities play a major role in solute fluxes in tree canopies and therefore in the nutrient dynamics of tropical rain forests.