Research: Plants die out even from small concentration of nitrogen (Part 1)
Scientists from University of Minnesota have proved, what even the low level of pollution by nitrogenous compounds leads to sharp falling of biodiversity in vegetative communities. Work has been published in edition Nature.
Researchers within thirteen years have observed change of specific structure of meadow plants in the central part of Minnesota with a low level of nitrogenous compounds in an atmosphere. They have shown that the amount of plant varieties has decreased by 17%.
In a zone, observed by scientists, they have increased the amount of nitrogenous compounds from 6 to 10 kg per hectare in one year. That is, have lifted a level of nitrogen pollution from very low to low, typical for many industrial regions.
Scientists have also used lower concentration of nitrogenous compounds, and in all cases found out the effect. Scientists consider that nitrogenous compounds even in small concentration influence plants essentially more strong, than it was considered earlier.
The increase in amount of nitrogen stimulates growth of plants which “uneconomically” spend this element. At surplus of nitrogenous compounds in ground, rough growth of such plants leads to replacement of the species, which do not depend on nitrogen content. As a result, the total amount of species falls.