Shifts in lake N:P stoichiometry and nutrient limitation driven by atmospheric nitrogen deposition

Product Type: Journal Article

Year: 2009

Author(s): Elser, J.J., T. Anderson, J.S. Baron, A.K. Bergstorm, M. Jansson, M. Kyle, K.R. Nydick, L. Steger, and D.O. Hessen

Suggested Citation:
Elser, J.J., T. Anderson, J.S. Baron, A.K. Bergstorm, M. Jansson, M. Kyle, K.R. Nydick, L. Steger, and D.O. Hessen. 2009. Shifts in lake N:P stoichiometry and nutrient limitation driven by atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Science 326(5954): 835-837.

Abstract

Human activities have more than doubled the amount of nitrogen (N) circulating in the biosphere. One major pathway of this anthropogenic N input into ecosystems has been increased regional deposition from the atmosphere. Here we show that atmospheric N deposition increased the stoichiometric ratio of N and phosphorus (P) in lakes in Norway, Sweden, and Colorado, United States, and, as a result, patterns of ecological nutrient limitation were shifted…