Nitrogen leaching and acidification during 19 years of NH4NO3 additions to a coniferous-forested catchment at Gardsjon, Sweden (NITREX)

The role of nitrogen (N) in acidification of soil and water has become relatively more important as the deposition of sulphur has decreased. Starting in 1991, we have conducted a whole-catchment experiment with N addition at Gardsjon, Sweden, to investigate the risk of N saturation. We have added 41 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) as NH4NO3 to the ambient 9 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) in fortnightly doses by means of sprinkling system. The fraction of input N lost to runoff has increased from 0% to 10%. Increased concentrations of NO3 in runoff partially offset the decreasing concentrations of SO4 and slowed ecosystem recovery from acid deposition. From 1990-2002, about 5% of the total N input went to runoff, 44% to biomass, and the remaining 51% to soil. The soil N pool increased by 5%. N deposition enhanced carbon (C) sequestration at a mean C/N ratio of 42-59 g g(-1). (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.