Abstract
The chemistry and nutrient inputs of wet deposition, and the N chemistry of throughfall, were characterized for a tallgrass prairie in north-central Kansas. Dominant ions in wetfall were NH +4 , Ca2+, H+, NO -3 , and SO 2-4 ; weighted mean pH was 4.79. Principal sources of ions appeared to be natural emissions and wind-blown soils. Concentrations of NO -3 -N, NH +4 -N, and organic N in wet deposition were 0.31, 0.30, and 0.17 mg/L, respectively, resulting in N inputs of 2.5, 2.5, and 1.4 kg · ha-1 · yr-1. Comparisons with bulk precipitation suggested that at least 50% of atmospheric N inputs were from dry deposition. Concentrations of NO -3 -N, NH +4 -N, and organic N in unburned prairie throughfall were 0.27, 0.28, and 1.28 mg/L, and in burned prairie throughfall were 0.33, 0.37, and 0.91 mg/L, respectively. The prairie canopy intercepted up to 48% of incident precipitation. Lower inorganic N and higher organic N concentrations in throughfall relative to wet deposition probably resulted from leaf uptake of N and immobilization by microbes associated with the standing dead plant materials of the prairie canopy. The removal of these materials by fire is important in maintaining N availability for tallgrass prairie. Much of the N immobilization appeared to have been of N that was supplied to the prairie canopy by dry deposition.
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Gilliam, F.S. The chemistry of wet deposition for a tallgrass prairie ecosystem: inputs and interactions with plant canopies. Biogeochemistry 4, 203–217 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187366
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187366