Alpine plants show species-level differences in the uptake of organic and inorganic nitrogen

As an estimate of species-level differences in the capacity to take up different forms of N, we measured plant uptake of 15N-NH4+, 15N-NO3- and 15N, [1]-13C glycine within a set of herbaceous species collected from three alpine community types. Plants grown from cuttings in the greenhouse showed similar growth responses to the three forms of N but varied in the capacity to take up NH4+, NO3- and glycine. Glycine uptake ranged from approximately 42% to greater than 100% of NH4+ uptake; however, four out of nine species showed significantly greater uptake of either NH4+ or NO3- than of glycine. Relative concentrations of exchangeable N at the sites of plant collection did not correspond with patterns of N uptake among...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Plant and Soil, Springer Netherlands, ammonium, glycine, nitrate

Translocation of 15N indicates nitrogen recycling in the mat-forming lichen Cladonia portentosa.

Nitrogen translocation was measured in Cladonia portentosa during 2 yr growth in Scottish heathland. Translocation was predicted to occur if N is resorbed from senescent basal tissue and recycled within the thallus. (15)N was introduced into either the lower (TU thalli) or upper (TD thalli) 25 mm of 50-mm-long thalli as (15)N-NH(4) (+), (15)N-NO(3) (-) or (15)N-glycine. Labelled thalli were placed within intact lichen cushions, either upright (TU) or inverted (TD). Vertical distribution of label was quantified immediately following labelling and after 1 and 2 yr. Independently of the form of introduced label, (15)N migrated upwards in TU thalli, with new growth being a strong sink. Sink regions for (15)N during...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Cladonia portentosa, New Phytologist, ammonium, glycine, growth, All tags... internal recycling, lichens, nitrate, nitrogen translocation, Fewer tags