N-fixing trees in restoration plantings: Effects on nitrogen supply and soil microbial communities

M Hoogmoed; SC Cunningham; P Baker; J Beringer; TR Cavagnaro

Journal article

N-fixing trees in restoration plantings: Effects on nitrogen supply and soil microbial communities

M Hoogmoed, SC Cunningham, P Baker, J Beringer, TR Cavagnaro

Soil Biology and Biochemistry | Published : 2014

DOI: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.06.008

Abstract

Mixed-species restoration tree plantings are being established increasingly, contributing to mitigate climate change and restore ecosystems. Including nitrogen (N)-fixing tree species may increase carbon (C) sequestration in mixed-species plantings, as these species may substantially increase soil C beneath them. We need to better understand the role of N-fixers in mixed-species plantings to potentially maximize soil C sequestration in these systems. Here, we present a field-based study that asked two specific questions related to the inclusion of N-fixing trees in a mixed-species planting: 1) Do non-N-fixing trees have access to N derived from fixation of atmospheric N2 by neighbouring N-fi..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Patrick Baker Author

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Grants

Awarded by Department of Sustainability and Environment

Funding Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Program (LP0990038), Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA), North Central CMA, Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, EPA Victoria and Kilter Pty. Ltd. T.R.C. acknowledges the Australian Research Council for financial support. T.R.C. (FT120100463) and P.J.B. were supported by Australian Research Council Future Fellowships. M.H. thanks the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment for additional funding for fieldwork and laboratory analysis. Many thanks to Jessica Mackay for assistance in the lab, Scott McDonald for his assistance and good cheer in the field, and the landholders for access to their properties. Tree illustrations in Fig. 2 are credited to Kim Kraeer, Lucy Van Essen-Fishman and Lana Heydon, Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Centre for Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/). We thank the two anonymous reviewers for their thorough review which helped improve this paper.