2022 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Virtual Conference

March 13 - 15, 2022

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5/26/2021  |   8:30 AM - 10:30 AM   |  Can we see the nitrate from the trees? Examining the nitrogen paradox in neotropical streams   |  Virtual Platform

Can we see the nitrate from the trees? Examining the nitrogen paradox in neotropical streams

High abundances of nitrogen (N) fixing trees in tropical forests with high soil N has been termed the N paradox, and has been used to explain higher tropical stream nitrate (NO3) concentrations compared to temperate counterparts. However, relationships between N fixing trees and stream NO3 concentrations have not been fully explored. We combined two unique datasets from La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica: 20 years of monthly stream nitrate concentrations in six stream sites with 20 years of tree diameter measurements in nearby old growth tree plots. We hypothesized that years of higher growth of N fixing trees species would be correlated with higher stream water NO3 concentrations. We found that NO3 concentrations in the streams were high (150-350 µg L-1) and N fixing trees were very abundant in the plots. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, we found no correlation between stream mean annual NO3 concentrations and annual growth of either N fixing trees or all trees. Our results suggest that symbiotic N fixation from N fixing trees might not be as important as previously thought in explaining high NO3 concentrations in tropical streams.

  • Biogeochemistry
  • Nutrient cycling
  • Tropical streams and lakes

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Presenters/Authors

Marcelo Ardon (), North Carolina State University, mlardons@ncsu.edu;


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Nick Marzolf (), North Carolina State University, nmarzol@ncsu.edu;


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Alonso Ramírez (), North Carolina State University, alonso.ramirez@ncsu.edu;


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Catherine Pringle (), University of Georgia, cpringle@uga.edu;


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