21/04/2011
End-Users/Stakeholders
Work Package 5: Synthesis and application for
science, policy and management
Scientific researchers: integrated ecological/
biogeochemical impacts of N deposition
on peatlands: papers, data
Synthesise the results of WPs1-4
Policymakers: National/European scale risk
assessments, GIS-based sensitivity
mapping, evaluation of critical loads
From these, extract and apply the knowledge
gained for use by…
Site Managers: simple and reliable ecological
indictors of risk, dichotomous keys
E.g. C sequestration in European Forests,
based on UNECEC Level 1,2 plots
Ecological Indicators
5
4
e.g., UK acid grassland survey
3
2
B
1
0
0
10
20
30
40
% cover of Euphrasia officinalis
20
Cseq = [Nacc soil * C/Nsoil], where Nacc soil =
[Ninput – (Ntree accum + Nout)]
15
Species richness (mean number
of species per quadrat)
National/international-scale assesments
30
25
20
15
10
5
r2=0.55
0
0
10
10
20
30
40
Total inorganic N deposition (kg N ha-1 yr-1)
5
Species richness vs N deposition
0
0
10
20
30
Total inorganic N deposition (kg N ha-1 yr -1)
40
Sp. richness = -0.38(N-in) + 22.5; R2 = 0.53
% cover of Hypnum cupressiforme
de Vries et al., GCB 2006
Mixed Biogeochemical/ Ecological indicators
Stevens et al. 2004; 2009
Nonlinear analyses, e.g. Regression trees
Sp. richness = 6.63 + 3.40(pH)– 0.316 (Nin) r2=0.61
species
richness
5.6
3.6
Stevens et al. 2004
Soil pH modifies the effect of N: Less acid soils support more species
Rothwell et al. Env. Poll. 2008
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21/04/2011
Dichotomous Keys for risk assessment
1 Is NO3 in throughfall less than 7.7 kg N/ha/y?
Yes: go to 2 No: go to 7
2 Is the cumulative historical N deposition less
than 99K kg/ha? Yes: go to 3 No: go to 4
3 If the site is on one of the following soils:
arenosol; cambisol;
histosol; peat; podzol or umbrisol
Low, 100% (leaf node B)
For sites where the soil type is other noncalcareous
Low, 50%; Medium, 50% (leaf node A)
4 Is the runoff/seepage water flux less than 200
mm/year? Yes: Low, 100% (leaf node C)
No: go to 5
5 Is the percent organic carbon in the Oa
horizon less than or equal to 35.6%?
Yes: Medium, 100% (leaf node D) No: go to 6
6 Is NO3 in throughfall less than 7.6 kg N/ha/y?
Yes: Low, 100% (leaf node E)
No: Low, 33%; Medium, 67% (leaf node F)
N Leaching:
Low, <3 kg N/ha/y
Medium, 33-15 kg N/ha/y
High, >15 kg N/ha/y
7 Is acid throughfall less than 77.7 kg/ha/y?
Yes: go to 8 No: Medium, 10%; High, 90% (leaf node N)
8 Is the mean annual precipitation less than 1040
mm/y?
Yes: go to 9 No: go to 12
9 Is the organic layer C:N ratio less than 24?
Yes: Medium, 71%; High, 29% (leaf node J)
No: go to 10
10 Is NH4 in throughfall greater than 22.2 kg N/ha/y?
Yes: Medium, 100% (leaf node I)
No: go to 11
11 For sites on podzols
Low, 33%; Medium, 67% (leaf node G)
For sites on arenosols, cambisols or other noncalcareous soils
Low: 100% (leaf node H)
12 Is the site is on a cambisol, gleysol or other noncalcareous soil?
Yes: Medium, 100% (leaf node K)
No: If the site is on a podzol or luvisol, go to 13
13 Is the mean annual precipitation less than 1280
mm/y?
Yes: High, 100% (leaf node M)
No: Medium, 100% (leaf node L)
Who are these stakeholders?
Plans (until March 2010)
1. Background research and technique development
(e.g. GIS, ordination techniques)
2. Develop central database (with DL and other team
members)
3. Become familiar with European / national-scale
deposition, meteorological data sources (with Albert
Bleeker and NBD); provide deposition estimates for
WP1 candidate sites
4. Initial derivation/testing of indicators
5. Liaison with Core Advisory Group and development of
Stakeholder/Scientists Group (with DL and others)
Core Advisory Group
8 members encompassing European policy and
conservation arenas
Closely involved in project
Help to frame research into contexts that are
‘relevant, useful and transferable’ to policy
Stakeholder / Scientists Group
• Wider group representative of science, policy,
management and the public
• To be registered on the project website
• Receive regular updates about the project
• Invited to comment at any stage
• Input to the project via web-based communication,
attendance at project meetings, and through visits
and presentations by project members.
• Invited to final project presentation and conference
• Suggestions please!
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