Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition?

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition? / Nielsen, Tora Finderup; Larsen, Jesper Ruf; Michelsen, Anders; Bruun, Hans Henrik.

In: Environmental Pollution, Vol. 231, No. Part 1, 12.2017, p. 1201-1207.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Nielsen, TF, Larsen, JR, Michelsen, A & Bruun, HH 2017, 'Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition?', Environmental Pollution, vol. 231, no. Part 1, pp. 1201-1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020

APA

Nielsen, T. F., Larsen, J. R., Michelsen, A., & Bruun, H. H. (2017). Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition? Environmental Pollution, 231(Part 1), 1201-1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020

Vancouver

Nielsen TF, Larsen JR, Michelsen A, Bruun HH. Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition? Environmental Pollution. 2017 Dec;231(Part 1):1201-1207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020

Author

Nielsen, Tora Finderup ; Larsen, Jesper Ruf ; Michelsen, Anders ; Bruun, Hans Henrik. / Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition?. In: Environmental Pollution. 2017 ; Vol. 231, No. Part 1. pp. 1201-1207.

Bibtex

@article{e59d0b247fc8468e8c42abf1cf5997a5,
title = "Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition?",
abstract = "Mosses collected decades ago and stored in herbaria are often used to assess historical nitrogen deposition. This method is effectively based on the assumption that tissue N concentration remains constant during storage. The present study raises serious doubt about the generality of that assumption. We measured tissue N and C concentrations as well as δ15N, δ13C, Pb and Mg in herbarium and present day samples of seven bryophyte species from six sites across Denmark. While an increase in nitrogen deposition during the last century is well-documented for the study site, we surprisingly found foliar N concentration to be higher in historical samples than in modern samples. Based on δ15N values and Pb concentration, we find nitrogen contamination of herbarium specimens during storage to be the most likely cause, possibly in combination with dilution though growth and/or decomposition during storage. We suggest ways to assess contamination and recommend caution to be taken when using herbarium specimens to assess historical pollution if exposure during storage cannot be ruled out. Analyses of moss tissue stored in a herbarium for a century raises serious concern about the reliability of this data source to past levels of nitrogen deposition.",
author = "Nielsen, {Tora Finderup} and Larsen, {Jesper Ruf} and Anders Michelsen and Bruun, {Hans Henrik}",
year = "2017",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020",
language = "English",
volume = "231",
pages = "1201--1207",
journal = "Environmental Pollution",
issn = "0269-7491",
publisher = "Pergamon Press",
number = "Part 1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Are herbarium mosses reliable indicators of historical nitrogen deposition?

AU - Nielsen, Tora Finderup

AU - Larsen, Jesper Ruf

AU - Michelsen, Anders

AU - Bruun, Hans Henrik

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Mosses collected decades ago and stored in herbaria are often used to assess historical nitrogen deposition. This method is effectively based on the assumption that tissue N concentration remains constant during storage. The present study raises serious doubt about the generality of that assumption. We measured tissue N and C concentrations as well as δ15N, δ13C, Pb and Mg in herbarium and present day samples of seven bryophyte species from six sites across Denmark. While an increase in nitrogen deposition during the last century is well-documented for the study site, we surprisingly found foliar N concentration to be higher in historical samples than in modern samples. Based on δ15N values and Pb concentration, we find nitrogen contamination of herbarium specimens during storage to be the most likely cause, possibly in combination with dilution though growth and/or decomposition during storage. We suggest ways to assess contamination and recommend caution to be taken when using herbarium specimens to assess historical pollution if exposure during storage cannot be ruled out. Analyses of moss tissue stored in a herbarium for a century raises serious concern about the reliability of this data source to past levels of nitrogen deposition.

AB - Mosses collected decades ago and stored in herbaria are often used to assess historical nitrogen deposition. This method is effectively based on the assumption that tissue N concentration remains constant during storage. The present study raises serious doubt about the generality of that assumption. We measured tissue N and C concentrations as well as δ15N, δ13C, Pb and Mg in herbarium and present day samples of seven bryophyte species from six sites across Denmark. While an increase in nitrogen deposition during the last century is well-documented for the study site, we surprisingly found foliar N concentration to be higher in historical samples than in modern samples. Based on δ15N values and Pb concentration, we find nitrogen contamination of herbarium specimens during storage to be the most likely cause, possibly in combination with dilution though growth and/or decomposition during storage. We suggest ways to assess contamination and recommend caution to be taken when using herbarium specimens to assess historical pollution if exposure during storage cannot be ruled out. Analyses of moss tissue stored in a herbarium for a century raises serious concern about the reliability of this data source to past levels of nitrogen deposition.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85017462742&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.020

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 28420490

AN - SCOPUS:85017462742

VL - 231

SP - 1201

EP - 1207

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

SN - 0269-7491

IS - Part 1

ER -

ID: 185475856