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Background <p>Nitrogen (N) deposition profoundly alters plant community structure and ecosystem functioning in bogs. High N deposition generally enhances vascular plant expansion and inhibits the growth of <i>Sphagnum</i>. However, the shading effect caused by the increased height of vascular plants, particularly shrubs, not only reduces the availability of light for <i>Sphagnum</i>, but also relieves environmental stress by creating a more humid microenvironment. Therefore, understanding how shrub presence modifies <i>Sphagnum</i> responses to N deposition is critical for predicting bog resilience and informing conservation and restoration strategies. To address this, a long-term N addition experiment with multiple deposition levels was conducted in a subtropical <i>Sphagnum</i> bog in southwestern China.</p> Results <p>After seven years of continuous N addition treatment, physiological and morphological characteristics of <i>S. palustre</i> were measured under both shrub shelter and open interspaces. Across all treatments, <i>S. palustre</i> tissues beneath shrub canopies exhibited consistently lower total N and ammonium N (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>-N) contents than those in open interspaces. Following N addition, <i>S. palustre</i> under shrub shelter had significantly greater shoot height, capitulum area, and biomass. Moreover, shrubs markedly alleviated N-induced physiological stress, as indicated by enhanced photosynthetic pigment content, soluble protein accumulation, and antioxidant enzyme activities.</p> Conclusion <p>These results indicate that shrub shelter is associated with reduced nitrogen accumulation and more stable physiological and morphological performance of <i>S. palustre</i> under elevated N deposition. Shrub canopies may contribute to moderating nitrogen-related stress and sustaining <i>S. palustre</i> growth in bog ecosystems. These findings underscore the importance of microhabitat heterogeneity in mediating peatland responses to global change and suggest that maintaining natural shrub cover could be a valuable consideration in conservation strategies for bogs facing high N deposition.</p>

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Shrub cover attenuates the effect of high-nitrogen deposition on Sphagnum palustre in a subtropical bog

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月14日

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  • Beibei Huang,
  • Yuxuan Xia,
  • Guangqi Lai,
  • Cheng Huang,
  • Keyan Zhang,
  • Wenchang Zhou,
  • Xianyu Huang,
  • Lin Wu,
  • Jia Xiong

摘要

Background

Nitrogen (N) deposition profoundly alters plant community structure and ecosystem functioning in bogs. High N deposition generally enhances vascular plant expansion and inhibits the growth of Sphagnum. However, the shading effect caused by the increased height of vascular plants, particularly shrubs, not only reduces the availability of light for Sphagnum, but also relieves environmental stress by creating a more humid microenvironment. Therefore, understanding how shrub presence modifies Sphagnum responses to N deposition is critical for predicting bog resilience and informing conservation and restoration strategies. To address this, a long-term N addition experiment with multiple deposition levels was conducted in a subtropical Sphagnum bog in southwestern China.

Results

After seven years of continuous N addition treatment, physiological and morphological characteristics of S. palustre were measured under both shrub shelter and open interspaces. Across all treatments, S. palustre tissues beneath shrub canopies exhibited consistently lower total N and ammonium N (NH4+-N) contents than those in open interspaces. Following N addition, S. palustre under shrub shelter had significantly greater shoot height, capitulum area, and biomass. Moreover, shrubs markedly alleviated N-induced physiological stress, as indicated by enhanced photosynthetic pigment content, soluble protein accumulation, and antioxidant enzyme activities.

Conclusion

These results indicate that shrub shelter is associated with reduced nitrogen accumulation and more stable physiological and morphological performance of S. palustre under elevated N deposition. Shrub canopies may contribute to moderating nitrogen-related stress and sustaining S. palustre growth in bog ecosystems. These findings underscore the importance of microhabitat heterogeneity in mediating peatland responses to global change and suggest that maintaining natural shrub cover could be a valuable consideration in conservation strategies for bogs facing high N deposition.