An in situ 15N labeling experiment unveils distinct responses to N application approaches in a mountain beech forest

Abstract Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has notably increased since the industrial revolution, doubling N inputs to terrestrial ecosystems. This could mitigate N limitations in forests, potentially enhancing productivity and carbon sequestration. However, excessive N can lead to forest N saturation, causing issues like soil acidification, nutrient imbalances, biodiversity loss, increased tree mortality, and a potential net greenhouse gas emission. Traditional experiments often overlook the canopy’s role in N fate, focusing instead on direct N addition to the forest floor. In our study, we applied 20 kg N ha y−1 of labeled 15NH415NO3 solution (δ15N = 30 ‰) both above and below the canopy, maintaining also control plots. We assessed ecosystem components before and after treatment, calculated N stocks, and used mass balance for fertilizer recovery analysis. Findings revealed that the above-canopy N addition intercepted up to 31 ± 4% of added N in foliage, a significant contrast to the negligible recovery in leaves with below-canopy treatment. Overall plant recovery was higher in the above-canopy treatment (43 ± 11%) compared to below (9 ± 24%). Post-vegetative season, about 15 ± 1% of above-canopy added N was transferred to soil via litterfall, indicating substantial N reabsorption or loss through volatilization, stemflow, or throughfall. In contrast, the below-canopy approach resulted in just 4.0 ± 0.6% recovery via litterfall. These results highlight a significant difference in N fate based on the application method. N applied to the canopy showed distinct recovery in transient compartments like foliage. However, over a few months, there was no noticeable change in N recovery in long-lived tissues across treatments. This implies that N application strategy does not significantly alter the distribution of simulated wet N deposition in high C/N tissues, underscoring the complex dynamics of forest N cycling.