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Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2001; 3(5): 553-560
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-17730
Original Paper
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

The Impact of Sheep Grazing on Net Nitrogen Mineralization Rate in Two Temperate Salt Marshes

K. Kiehl 1, 4 , P. Esselink 2, 3 , S. Gettner 1 , J. P. Bakker 2
  • 1 Institute of Botany, University of Kiel, Biologiezentrum, Kiel, Germany
  • 2 Laboratory of Plant Ecology, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands
  • 3 Koeman and Bijkerk Ecological Research and Consultancy, Haren, The Netherlands
  • 4 Vegetation Ecology, TU-München-Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

July 6, 2000

June 29, 2001

Publication Date:
11 October 2001 (online)

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Abstract

Nitrogen mineralization rate was studied in grazing trials with three different stocking rates (0, 3, 10 sheep ha-1) in two man-made salt marshes, viz. a Puccinellia maritima-dominated low salt marsh and a high salt marsh dominated by Festuca rubra. Mineralization rates were derived from the amounts of mineral N which accumulated in situ during six-week incubation periods in tubes containing undisturbed soil cores from the upper 10 cm soil layer. The annual rates of net N mineralization were significantly higher in the better drained, high salt marsh (71 - 81 kg ha-1 yr-1) than in the low salt marsh (39 - 49 kg ha-1 yr-1). High amounts of belowground litter accumulated in the low salt marsh due to frequent water logging. Both N mineralization and nitrification rate were negatively correlated with soil water content. In the Puccinellia maritima salt marsh, grazing had neither an effect on N mineralization rates during any of the incubation periods nor on annual mineralization rates. In the Festuca rubra salt marsh, N mineralization rates increased earlier during spring at the intensively grazed site than at the moderately grazed and the ungrazed site. N mineralization and nitrification rates were significantly higher at the ungrazed site than at the intensively grazed site during the period of peak net N mineralization from the end of April until mid-June. Although sheep grazing affected the seasonal pattern of N mineralization in the high marsh, grazing did not affect the annual rate of net N mineralization.

Key words

Grazing experiment - salt marsh - nitrification - seasonality - zonation - vegetation - nitrogen mineralization

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K. Kiehl

Vegetation Ecology
TU-München

Am Hochanger 6
85350 Freising
Germany

Email: kiehl@weihenstephan.de

Section Editor: R. Aerts