Chapter 9
Impacts of Nitrogen Deposition on Forest
Ecosystems in China
Enzai Du, Xiankai Lu, Di Tian, Qinggong Mao, Xin Jing, Cong Wang,
and Nan Xia
Abstract Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition, mainly driven by reactive N
emissions from agricultural and industrial activities, has been enhanced dramatically
in China. The enhancement of N deposition has aroused increasing concerns about
its effects on ecosystem health and function. Forest covers more than one fifth of the
national land area in China and provides fundamental ecosystem services. There
have been emerging experimental, observational and modelling efforts to assess the
impacts of N deposition on forest ecosystems since the 2000s. Here we summarized
these research progresses with a focus on the effects of N deposition on soil
chemistry and N transformation, soil microorganisms and enzymes, plant physiology, biodiversity and ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Experimental results and
modelling estimates generally indicate a fertilization effect of N deposition on forest
E. Du (*)
Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
e-mail: enzaidu@bnu.edu.cn
X. Lu (*) · Q. Mao · C. Wang
Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South
China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
e-mail: luxiankai@scbg.ac.cn
D. Tian
College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University,
Beijing, China
X. Jing
Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources, University of Vermont,
Burlington, VT, USA
Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
N. Xia
School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University,
Beijing, China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
X. Liu, E. Du (eds.), Atmospheric Reactive Nitrogen in China,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8514-8_9
185
Impacts of Nitrogen Deposition on Forest
Ecosystems in China
Enzai Du, Xiankai Lu, Di Tian, Qinggong Mao, Xin Jing, Cong Wang,
and Nan Xia
Abstract Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition, mainly driven by reactive N
emissions from agricultural and industrial activities, has been enhanced dramatically
in China. The enhancement of N deposition has aroused increasing concerns about
its effects on ecosystem health and function. Forest covers more than one fifth of the
national land area in China and provides fundamental ecosystem services. There
have been emerging experimental, observational and modelling efforts to assess the
impacts of N deposition on forest ecosystems since the 2000s. Here we summarized
these research progresses with a focus on the effects of N deposition on soil
chemistry and N transformation, soil microorganisms and enzymes, plant physiology, biodiversity and ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Experimental results and
modelling estimates generally indicate a fertilization effect of N deposition on forest
E. Du (*)
Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
e-mail: enzaidu@bnu.edu.cn
X. Lu (*) · Q. Mao · C. Wang
Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South
China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
e-mail: luxiankai@scbg.ac.cn
D. Tian
College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University,
Beijing, China
X. Jing
Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources, University of Vermont,
Burlington, VT, USA
Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
N. Xia
School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University,
Beijing, China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
X. Liu, E. Du (eds.), Atmospheric Reactive Nitrogen in China,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8514-8_9
185