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Research Articles

Mosses record historical variations of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in a mountain area of northern China

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  • 1Institute of Environment and Ecology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
    2Nature Department, Shandong Museum, Jinan 250014, China

    *Corresponding author. E-mail: dongyuping@sdnu.edu.cn

Received date: 2024-12-15

  Accepted date: 2025-03-22

  Online published: 2025-03-31

Supported by

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42003011).

Abstract

It is feasible for widely distributed mosses to monitor atmospheric nitrogen deposition in northern China, a global hotspot of atmospheric nitrogen pollution. Based on the nitrogen contents and nitrogen isotope values of mosses collected at Mengshan, Shandong Province in 2012, 2018 and 2022, we established a bottom-up method to calculate local atmospheric nitrogen deposition levels and source contributions. Moss nitrogen contents increased from 1.9 ± 0.2% in 2012 to 2.1 ± 0.4% in 2018, and to 2.4 ± 0.3% in 2022. On the contrary, moss nitrogen isotope values decreased from −7.5 ± 1.5‰ in 2012 to −8.6 ± 1.6‰ in 2018 and to −9.6 ± 1.3‰ in 2022. From 2012 to 2022, the total nitrogen deposition fluxes increased significantly (from 34.2 to 39.9 kg N ha−1 yr−1), especially the fluxes of ammonium-nitrogen deposition increased. Based on the results of Bayesian stable isotope analysis, volatilization-related ammonia (mainly from fertilizer applications and wastes) was predominant in ammonium-nitrogen deposition in the last decade. Fossil fuel nitrogen oxides contributed more than non-fossil fuel nitrogen oxides to nitrate-nitrogen deposition. Our results reveal that it is urgent to control volatilization-related ammonia and fossil fuel nitrogen oxides emission sources, which are the major contributors to atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Mengshan area.

Cite this article

Yang Wang, Yu-Ping Dong, Zhao-Jie Ren, Ling Hu, Tong-Yue Deng, Zun-Tian Zhao . Mosses record historical variations of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in a mountain area of northern China[J]. Journal of Plant Ecology, 2025 , 18(3) : 1 -10 . DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtaf039

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