Sources of spatial and temporal variability of inorganic nitrogen in pure and mixed deciduous temperate forests

We investigated the influence of tree canopy composition and structure on the spatial and temporal variability of (i) concentrations of inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3−) and (ii) net N-mineralization and net nitrification, within the temperate forest floor. We compared a pure European beech stand (PS) with a mixed beech-hornbeam one (MS). Three sampling areas were chosen in each stand. Within the PS, the tree locations represented a decreasing gradient of light intensity reaching the forest floor. Within the MS they represented a gradient in the amount of hornbeam leaves present in the litter. In the field NH4+ and NO3− concentrations were measured in the upper mineral soil (UMS) and the overlying organic layers (OL and OF+OH). Field exposures using buried bags were carried out on UMS over 1 year to measure in situ net N-mineralization and net nitrification. Potential net N-mineralization and net nitrification were investigated in summer with UMS, OL and OF+OH incubated at 28 °C for 28 days in the laboratory. We hypothesize that with the presence of a mull-forming species (hornbeam) within a stand dominated by a moder-forming one (European beech), (i) the spatial and (ii) temporal patterns of soil inorganic N concentrations, net N-mineralization and net nitrification would be different in the two stands. Our main results show that tree species composition has an influence on both spatial and temporal patterns of nitrification. The PS exhibited its highest peaks of UMS NO3− concentration and net nitrification in spring and early summer while they were highest in the MS in winter. Furthermore, PS exhibited a higher rate of net nitrification than MS. We discuss this unexpected result and suggest that dissolved organic C may be the controlling factor for net nitrification in the MS.