Vegetation Nitrogen Content Research Articles

Disentangling the effects of phosphorus, nitrogen and species identity on the vegetation reflectance spectrum

AbstractQuestionsEffective and successful restoration of species‐rich semi‐natural grasslands requires knowledge of the soil nutrient status, including soil phosphorus availability. Plants are solid indicators of soil nutrient status, because their growth reflects nutrient availability integrated over a certain period. The use of reflectance spectroscopy to estimate vegetation nutrient content has the potential to offer a fast and efficient approach to provide information about soil nutrient availability for plants. Here, we investigated the effect and relative importance of vegetation phosphorus content compared with vegetation nitrogen content and species identity in explaining variation in vegetation reflectance.LocationPot experiment mimicking Western European grassland communities on a restoration trajectory.MethodsWe combined a pot experiment with a broad range of mesotrophic grassland species growing along a soil phosphorus gradient with a multivariate modelling approach. We measured vegetation spectra and vegetation phosphorus and nitrogen content in monocultures and mixtures.ResultsAlthough vegetation biochemistry explained a considerable part of the variation in vegetation reflectance, we found no pronounced absorption features for vegetation nitrogen and phosphorus content across the reflectance spectrum. The relatively large effect of species and community identity suggest that other drivers, for example vegetation architecture, overruled the effect of vegetation biochemistry on the reflectance spectrum. Our findings indicate that species detection and indirect case‐specific estimation of nutrients is possible, especially in structurally less‐complex canopies such as monospecific grass swards.ConclusionsDisentangling the specific drivers of variation in spectral reflectance is challenging. Many studies confound the effect of species identity on the vegetation reflectance spectrum with the effect of vegetation biochemistry. Here, we showed the importance of explicitly taking species identity into account. Gaining insight into light–vegetation interactions and the in‐depth integration of ecological theory in remote sensing are the way forward.

Estimation of Aboveground Vegetation Nitrogen Contents in the Yellow River Estuary Wetland Using GaoFen-1 Remote Sensing Data

Wang, J.B.; Ren, G.B.; Lin, Z.Y.; Wang, A.D.; Hu, Y.B.; Li, X.M.; Wu, P.Q.; Ma, Y., and Zhang, J., 2020. Estimation and analysis of nitrogen contents in the yellow river estuary wetland using Gaofen-1 remote sensing data. In: Jung, H.-S.; Lee, S.; Ryu, J.-H., and Cui, T. (eds.), Advances in Geospatial Research of Coastal Environments. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 102, pp. 1-10. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Nitrogen storage is a key indicator of vegetation growth, and the spatial distribution of nitrogen storage provides important information about the ecological status of wetland ecosystems. In this study, the aboveground vegetation nitrogen content (AVNC) in the Yellow River estuary wetland is estimated based on GaoFen-1 wide field of view (GF-1 WFV) image. Based on the spatial distribution of vegetation and the fractional vegetation coverage (FVC), the characteristics of AVNC are analyzed. On the basis of this study, the best model for estimating AVNC based on vegetation indices is the sample rate index (SRI), whose determination coefficient (R2) is 0.72 and root mean square error (RMSE) is 1.5 g/m2. Per the results of this model, the total AVNC of the study area is obtained, which is 620.6 tons.The total ANVC for freshwater Phragmites australis (FPA), Tamarix chinesis shrub (TCS), Spartina alterniflora (SA), Suaeda salsa (SS), and tidal flat Phragmites australis (TFPA) communities are 296.2 t, 115.3 t, 97.1 t, 86.3 t and 25.7 t, respectively. The average AVNC per unit area for SA, FPA, TCS, TFPA, and SS communities are 4.2 g/m2, 4.8 g/m2, 3.1 g/m2, 1.7 g/m2 and 1.4 g/m2, respectively. The correlation between FVC and AVNC is also analyzed, from which, the spatial distribution of AVNC and FVC is found to be in good agreement. Results of this study thus provide a valuable reference for determining AVNC in coastal wetland ecosystems with implications for ecological health and other ecological characteristics.

Plastic adaptations of foraging strategies to variation in forage quality in Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)

Foraging efficiency strongly affects individual fitness and is influenced by diverse factors such as food quality and quantity, as well as intra- and inter-specific interactions. We investigated whether Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra (Linnaeus, 1758)) in a protected area in the Swiss Alps adapted their foraging behaviour to forage availability and quality by modeling the bite and step rates of individuals on vegetation nitrogen content, relative plant cover, sex, daytime, air temperature, and slope. Vegetation characteristics were derived using remote sensing data from airborne imaging spectroscopy data sets and feeding locations determined using a theodolite. Chamois increased their bite rates with decreasing forage nitrogen content, decreasing slope, and increasing temperature. Step rates were higher at high temperatures and decreased with increasing relative plant cover. Males showed higher bite rates and lower step rates than females. Daytime had no influence on either bite or step rates. An increase in bite rate may represent a plastic adaptation of foraging behaviour to compensate for lower nutritional quality of the available vegetation. Our results show variability in foraging behaviour according to both vegetation characteristics and physical environment and emphasize the use of remote sensing data to investigate relationships between habitat and subtle behavioural adaptations in ungulates.

遥感反演植被含氮量研究进展

遥感反演植被含氮量研究进展

Impacts of grazing on montane heath vegetation in Wales and implications for the restoration of montane areas

The impact of long-term heavy grazing pressure on montane vegetation and soils was investigated on the Carneddau plateau in North Wales. At this site, historical information suggests that formerly extensive Racomitrium- and Vaccinium-dominated heaths have become degraded and reduced in extent over the last 40–50 years. This coincides with a period when both sheep numbers and atmospheric deposition of nitrogen have greatly increased. Vegetation composition, plant tissue chemistry, soil chemistry and sheep presence were compared between areas of ‘good’ condition Racomitrium and Vaccinium heath and degraded areas. Comparison of species composition data with sheep presence and environmental data showed no significant link between current grazing distribution and species composition in the areas investigated, with all habitats having sheep presence above the recommended maximum for this habitat. Soil chemistry showed several differences between degraded and ‘good’ condition habitats, suggesting that degraded areas had experienced loss of soil organic matter and upper organic horizons. Comparison of soil and vegetation nitrogen content with data from other UK sites suggests a build up of nitrogen has occurred in Carneddau vegetation and soils, possibly related to high levels of nitrogen deposition. It is concluded that restoration of severely degraded areas of montane vegetation may be retarded by deleterious changes in soil properties which could slow recolonisation by montane species. Reductions in stocking density aiming to restore montane communities might have more immediate impact on less degraded areas.

Micro‐site performance of evergreen and deciduous dwarf shrubs in a subarctic heath in relation to nitrogen status

The relationship between micro‐site nitrogen status (total soil N conc., total vegetation N, and leaf N conc.) and performance (biomass) for two evergreen and two deciduous dwarf shrubs was studied in a subarctic heath. One deciduous species, Vaccinium uliginosum, dominated on sites having the highest vegetation nitrogen content and highest leaf nitrogen concentrations. The evergreen Empetrum hermaphroditum dominated on sites with a low total vegetation nitrogen content and low leaf nitrogen concentrations. Two other species, V. myrtillus (deciduous) and V. vitis‐idaea (evergreen), showed intermediate patterns that were not clearly separated from either V. uliginosum or Empetrum. Soil nitrogen content showed no significant differences between micro‐sites. Possible physiological reasons for the observed patterns are discussed.

Outbreaks of Insect Herbivores on Plants Along Motorways in the United Kingdom

Recent outbreaks of defoliating insects on trees and shrubs used for landscaping major roads in the U.K. are reported. The reasons for some outbreaks were investigated with special reference to effects of the roadside environment. An outbreak of Phalera bucephala on Fagus sylvatia was examined each year between 1975 and 1979 and one of Euproctis similis on Crataegus monogyna from 1975-1978. The nitrogen content of vegetation near a heavily used motorway was greatly enhanced, probably by oxides of nitrogen emitted from vehicle exhausts. The increased nitrogen content of the plants probably increases the insect populations. The outbreaks could not be explained by relaxation of predation.