Influence of canopy drip on the indicative N, S and δ15N content in moss Hypnum cupressiforme

• We collected moss samples within the forest stand and within the forest openings.
• We examine dependence of N, S and δ15N content in moss on atmospheric deposition.
• Moss sampled within forest openings reflect the atmospheric N but not S deposition.
• Higher N and S content was found in mosses sampled in areas within the forest stand.
• Metadata describing the boundary condition of moss sampling location is important.

Samples of Hypnum cupressiforme were collected at two types of site in forest areas: within the forest stand and within forest openings, and analyzed for N and S concentrations and δ15N. Mosses sampled within forest openings reflect the atmospheric N deposition; however, no influence of throughfall N deposition on the N in the moss that was sampled within the forest stand was found, nor was any influence of S deposition on the S in the moss found. For the N and S concentrations in the mosses sampled within forest openings, the within-site variability was comparable to the between-site variability, and for the δ15N, the within-site variability was lower than the between-site. The results showed that a short distance (<1 m) between the sampling location and the nearest tree canopy increases the N in the moss, and significantly higher values are found in mosses sampled in areas within the forest stand.

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