Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE)

Project Overview:

Although temperate forests are generally thought of as N-limited, resource optimization theory predicts that ecosystem productivity should be co-limited by multiple nutrients. These ideas are represented in the Multi-Element Limitation (MEL) model (Rastetter et al. 2012). To test the patterns of resource limitation predicted by MEL, we are conducting nutrient manipulations in three study sites in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire: Bartlett Experimental Forest, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, and Jeffers Brook.

At Bartlett, we have three replicate stands of three ages, young (clearcut 1985-1990), mid-aged (clearcut 1975-1978), and mature (clearcut 1883-1890). At Hubbard Brook and Jeffers Brook, we have stands that correspond to the mid-aged and mature stands at Bartlett, for 4 more stands. Each of the 13 stands has four 0.25 ha (50 m x 50 m) treatment plots, treated annually each spring beginning in 2011, with N (30 kg N/ha/yr as NH4NO3), P (10 kg P/ha/yr as NaH2PO4), N+P, or nothing (an untreated control). Five stands also have a Ca treatment plot (1150 kg Ca/ha in the form of CaSiO3).

We are monitoring stem diameter, leaf litter production and nutrient flux, foliar chemistry and nutrient resorption, canopy reflectance, sap flow, root biomass and production, mycorrhizal associations, soil respiration, soil N and P availability, N mineralization, soil phosphatase activity, soil carbon and nitrogen, and bird activity.

Principal Investigators:

Ruth Yanai (SUNY ESF)
Timothy Fahey (Cornell University)
Melany Fisk (Miami, Ohio)

Students:

Noah Blumenthal (Miami, Ohio)
Sam Butler (Miami, Ohio)
Jenn Butt (Miami, Ohio)
Thomas Mann (SUNY ESF)
Joe Nash (SUNY ESF)
Lalita Adhikari (SUNY ESF)

Project Website:

https://www.esf.edu/MELNHE/

Publications Data

Publications

Goswami, S, M.C. Fisk, M.A. Vadeboncoeur, M. Johnston, R.D. Yanai, and T.J. Fahey. 2018. Phosphorus limitation of aboveground production in northern hardwood forests. Ecology, 99(2):438-449. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2100

See, C.R., R.D. Yanai, M.C. Fisk, M.A. Vadeboncoeur, B.A. Quintero, and T.J. Fahey. 2015. Soil nitrogen affects phosphorus recycling: foliar resorption and plant-soil feedbacks in a northern hardwood forest. Ecology, 96:2488??2498. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0188.1

Kang, H., T.J. Fahey, K. Bae, M. Fisk, R.E. Sherman, R.D. Yanai, and C.R. See. 2015. Response of forest soil respiration to nutrient addition depends on site fertility. Biogeochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-015-0172-6

Fisk, M.C., T. J. Ratliff, S. Goswami, and R.D. Yanai. 2014. Synergistic soil response to nitrogen plus phosphorus fertilization in hardwood forests. Biogeochemistry. 118(1-3): 195-204 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-013-9918-1

Shan, S., M.C. Fisk, and T.J. Fahey. 2018. Contrasting effects of N and P on rhizosphere processes in two northern hardwood tree species. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 126: 219-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2018.09.007

Wild, Adam D., and Ruth. D. Yanai. 2015. Soil nutrients affect sweetness of sugar maple sap. Forest Ecology and Management, 341: 30-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2014.12.022

Fisk, M, S Santangelo, and K Minick 2015. Carbon mineralization is promoted by phosphorus and reduced by nitrogen addition in the organic horizon of northern hardwood forests. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 81: 212-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.11.022

Data

Fisk, M. 2019. Net N mineralization in the MELNHE study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bartlett Experimental Forest and Jeffers Brook, central NH USA, 2008 - present ver 2. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/baa9fdeb28fdd6230b1c13367877c348.

Fisk, M. 2019. Soil properties in the MELNHE study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bartlett Experimental Forest and Jeffers Brook, central NH USA, 2009 - present ver 2. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/b6c275a39b53b27779be80c6e8d009b8.

Shan, S. and M. Fisk. 2019. Soil microbial activity and abundance data in the rhizosphere and bulk soils of O horizon in the MELNHE study, 2014 ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e0f8b80fe005f06a09a8193ff4f8c937.

Fisk, M. 2019. Resin-available nutrients in the O horizon in the MELNHE study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bartlett Experimental Forest and Jeffers Brook, central NH USA, 2011-present ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e842c6704690be8e041da48a778583e3.

Shan, S. and M. Fisk. 2019. Soil enzyme activity in the MELNHE study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bartlett Experimental Forest, and Jeffers Brook, NH, 2014 and 2017 ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/c17e94680f61f1252dea30123d2913ae.

Fahey, T.J., R.D. Yanai, S. Li, and T. Mann. 2021. Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Experiment (MELNHE): Soil respiration at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, Bartlett Experimental Forest and Jeffers Brook, central NH USA, 2008 - present ver 2. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/eb37cd72ccaa3e9197c461f0c1c734eb).

Young, A.R., R.D. Yanai, R. Minocha, S. Long, and J.E. Drake. 2020. Physical, chemical, and metabolic leaf characteristics within sugar maple in the MELNHE study at Bartlett Experimental Forest, central NH USA, 2017 ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/3da4e463ebb199309a453e4377d7b1f1.

Hong, S.D., K.E. Gonzales, C.R. See, and R.D. Yanai. 2021. MELNHE: Foliar Chemistry 2008-2016 in Bartlett, Hubbard Brook, and Jeffers Brook (12 stands) ver 1. Environmental Data Initiative. https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/b23deb8e1ccf1c1413382bf911c6be19.