Authors:
Tim Moore, Amanda Alfonso and Bev Clarkson
Book:
Proceedings of the 14th International Peat Congress
Venue:
Stockholm
Keywords:
bog, mosses, nitrogen, sedges, shrubs
Documentfile:
Moore et al 2012: Can Peatland Plants Take Up Organic Nitrogen?
Summary:
Theme I. Inventory, stratigraphy and conservation of mires and peatlands
SUMMARY
To test whether peatland plants can take up organic nitrogen, we applied dual-labelled (13C and 15N) glycine to the surface layer of the peat at two sites and sampled above and below ground plant tissues for C and N content and δ13C and δ15N. One site was a bog in Canada and the other was a restored bog in New Zealand. Nearly all plant species showed significant evidence of 15N uptake in foliar tissues, but without any significant uptake of 13C. Greater enrichment of 15N occurred in the root tissues at both sites, with some evidence of 13C enrichment.