Summary
Three15N isotopic dilution methods (15N natural abundance, labelled mineral fertilizer, and organic matter) were used to determine the proportion of N derived from different available sources in seedlines ofAlnus glutinosa andPopulus nigra planted together or in monoculture under natural climatic conditions. The proportion of N derived from N2 fixation in associated alders was appreciably higher than that determined in monoculture. The reduction of soil N uptake by associated alders contributed to an increase in total plant N and biomass production in associated poplars. When slightly N-labelled organic matter (alder leaf litter) was incorporated into the soil, 10–15% of its initial N content was recovered in poplar tissues, showing that this N source makes an important contribution to the N yield of associated non-fixing plants. There were no significant differences between the results obtained by15N natural abundance and those obtained by labelled fertilizer methods, suggesting that the δ15N method could be used to evaluate annual N budgets in natural ecosystems.
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Kurdali, F., Domenach, A.M. & Bardin, R. Alder-poplar associations: Determination of plant nitrogen sources by isotope techniques. Biol Fertil Soils 9, 321–329 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634109
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634109