Understanding nitrogen impacts on dry dunes and dune wetlands

Laurence Jones

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Bangor, Environment Centre Wales, North Wales, UK

There is increasing evidence of the effects that excess nitrogen has on semi-natural ecosystems globally, affecting vegetation, soils and ecosystem processes. Although coastal systems can be highly dynamic and in some cases receive inputs of nitrogen from marine sources, sand dune ecosystems have also been shown to be sensitive to nitrogen. This seminar will present evidence from a range of studies including national gradient studies, a within-site gradient near to a poultry farm point source of ammonia, and a nitrogen manipulation experiment in the field to illustrate what we know so far about nitrogen impacts on sand dune species and soil processes. It will also discuss nitrogen arriving via other pathways, such as through groundwater, and discuss the relative importance of these inputs compared to atmospheric deposition for dune wetland communities.

24 May 2017, 9h00-10h00, Amphitheater of FCiencias.ID (FCUL, Building C1, 3rd floor)

Conference organized within the Training School “Global and long-term effects of nitrogen on ecosystems”, organized by cE3c-FCUL.

NitroPortugal is a H2020-TWINN-2015 Coordination & support action​ [http://www.isa.ulisboa.pt/proj/nitroportugal]