Consequences of nitrogen deposition and soil acidification in European forest ecosystems and mitigation approaches

TY - JOUR

T1 - Consequences of nitrogen deposition and soil acidification in European forest ecosystems and mitigation approaches

AU - Du, Baoguo

AU - Kiese, Ralf

AU - Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus

AU - Dirnböck, Thomas

AU - Rennnenberg, Heinz

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Authors

PY - 2025/3/15

Y1 - 2025/3/15

N2 - European forests have experienced high nitrogen (N) deposition and soil acidification together with sulfur (S) deposition in the recent decades and are still facing challenges in some areas. In the context of elevated CO2 and air temperature under climate change, the N deposition will initially promote the growth but in the long term it will accelerate nutrient imbalance and reduce tree health. Therefore, forest management must take these aspects into account. Many studies have been carried out on the effects of forest management approaches, i.e., liming, harvesting, and intercropping with other tree species on traits of trees, soil and ecosystem properties and fluxes, however, a comprehensive review summarizing the current consequences of nitrogen saturation and soil acidification in European forest, particularly if current forest management approaches are able to mitigate these consequences in the context of climate change, is still lacking. In our review, we summarize the consequences of N deposition and acidification on trees and soils of forest ecosystems, discuss the importance of the most commonly used management practices in mitigating these consequences, and provide information for future management practices in Europe.

AB - European forests have experienced high nitrogen (N) deposition and soil acidification together with sulfur (S) deposition in the recent decades and are still facing challenges in some areas. In the context of elevated CO2 and air temperature under climate change, the N deposition will initially promote the growth but in the long term it will accelerate nutrient imbalance and reduce tree health. Therefore, forest management must take these aspects into account. Many studies have been carried out on the effects of forest management approaches, i.e., liming, harvesting, and intercropping with other tree species on traits of trees, soil and ecosystem properties and fluxes, however, a comprehensive review summarizing the current consequences of nitrogen saturation and soil acidification in European forest, particularly if current forest management approaches are able to mitigate these consequences in the context of climate change, is still lacking. In our review, we summarize the consequences of N deposition and acidification on trees and soils of forest ecosystems, discuss the importance of the most commonly used management practices in mitigating these consequences, and provide information for future management practices in Europe.

KW - Cutting regimes

KW - Forest composition

KW - Forest management

KW - Legacy effects

KW - Nitrogen deposition

KW - Soil nitrogen fluxes

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85216334150&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122523

DO - 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122523

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:85216334150

SN - 0378-1127

VL - 580

JO - Forest Ecology and Management

JF - Forest Ecology and Management

M1 - 122523

ER -