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Hi Nancy & All, July 10, 2013
Based on my recollection of bogs and fixed Nitrogen this all sounds =
extremely improbable. Has someone observed and documented this or is the =
author saying that this could happen ?=20
=20
Bogs are, by the nature of things, very low in O2 (except on =
hummocks or near runnels) and fixed Nitrogen. [Some bog plants overcome =
this condition of low O2 by having aerenchyma tissue. Other plants =
(Heath type) adjust by slowing down everything; growth, metabolism and =
water use. Water is not readily available due to the low O2 condition.] =
In low O2 soil environments the NO3- ion is used by many aerobic =
organisms as a substitute for O2. In other words the Nitrate ion is =
reduced; ultimately to NO or N2O with only a trace of N2 in acid soils =
(typical bogs).
So any nitrate that flows into a bog, from e.g. upland fertilized =
soil or from a mink farm will be short-lived at temperatures that =
support metabolism. The NH4+ ion is relatively immobile in soils being =
tied to the exchange sites of soil particles. So the only way NH4+ can =
be transported to a bog is by transport of soil particles (rather =
serious soil erosion) and the NH4+ will be localized to those areas =
where the sand, silt or clay settled out. In such circumstances the =
overburden of sediment would be a problem until bog plants grew back in =
over it.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----=20
From: nancy dowd=20
To: naturens=20
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 7:10 AM
Subject: [NatureNS] carnivorous plants threated by excess N
At the end of Chapter 2 (Green Tyrannosaurs) author Steve Jones =
(Darwin's Island, Abacus, 2010) observes that carnivorous plants are =
threatened by excess human-sourced nitrogen in the environment. His =
argument goes as follows:
Carnivorous plants (pitcher plants, sundews, bladderworts) exist in =
low nutrient, acidic wetlands b/c they are able to absorb nitrogen from =
their insect prey. Other conventional photosynthesizing plants are =
unable to thrive in these environments as they cannot absorb sufficient =
N through their roots so pose no competition to the bog plants. But this =
is changing. Where plant-friendly N has enriched the bog from fertilizer =
runoff or exhaust etc carnivorous plants are switching to photosynthesis =
(Pitcher Plants produce more leaves, Sundews no longer need sticky =
droplets to snare prey and bladderworts lose their bladders). If they =
can now more easily live by that means so can other plants who will move =
in and take over the bog ousting the insect-eaters.
This article touches on the subject =
http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/nitrogen-pollution-emp=
ties-the-pitcher-plant
What about observations from around here? Has anyone who has had a =
long term relationship with a bog noticed changes? Or studies conducted =
in our region?
Nancy
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.3349 / Virus Database: 3204/6473 - Release Date: =
07/08/13
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<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
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<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Hi Nancy & All, =
=20
=
=20
July 10, 2013</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Based on my recollection of bogs =
and fixed=20
Nitrogen this all sounds extremely improbable. Has someone observed and=20
documented this or is the author saying that this could happen ?=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Bogs are, by the nature of =
things, very low=20
in O2 (except on hummocks or near runnels) and fixed Nitrogen. [Some bog =
plants=20
overcome this condition of low O2 by having aerenchyma tissue. Other =
plants=20
(Heath type) adjust by slowing down everything; growth, =
metabolism and=20
water use. Water is not readily available due to the low O2 =
condition.] In=20
low O2 soil environments the NO3- ion is used by many aerobic organisms =
as a=20
substitute for O2. In other words the Nitrate ion is reduced; ultimately =
to NO=20
or N2O with only a trace of N2 in acid soils (typical =
bogs).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> So any nitrate that flows =
into a bog,=20
from e.g. upland fertilized soil or from a mink farm will be=20
short-lived at temperatures that support metabolism. The NH4+ ion =
is=20
relatively immobile in soils being tied to the exchange sites of soil =
particles.=20
So the only way NH4+ can be transported to a bog is by transport of soil =
particles (rather serious soil erosion) and the NH4+ will be localized =
to those=20
areas where the sand, silt or clay settled out. In such circumstances =
the=20
overburden of sediment would be a problem until bog plants grew =
back in=20
over it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> Yt, Dave Webster, =
Kentville</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; =
PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"=20
dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dnancypdowd@gmail.com =
href=3D"mailto:nancypdowd@gmail.com">nancy=20
dowd</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, July 10, 2013 =
7:10=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] carnivorous =
plants=20
threated by excess N</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>At the end of Chapter 2 (Green Tyrannosaurs) author Steve Jones =
(Darwin's=20
Island, Abacus, 2010) observes that carnivorous plants are threatened =
by=20
excess human-sourced nitrogen in the environment. His argument goes as =
follows:<BR><BR></DIV>Carnivorous plants (pitcher plants, sundews,=20
bladderworts) exist in low nutrient, acidic wetlands b/c they are able =
to=20
absorb nitrogen from their insect prey. Other conventional =
photosynthesizing=20
plants are unable to thrive in these environments as they cannot =
absorb=20
sufficient N through their roots so pose no competition to the bog =
plants. But=20
this is changing. Where plant-friendly N has enriched the bog from =
fertilizer=20
runoff or exhaust etc carnivorous plants are switching to =
photosynthesis=20
(Pitcher Plants produce more leaves, Sundews no longer need sticky =
droplets to=20
snare prey and bladderworts lose their bladders). If they can now more =
easily=20
live by that means so can other plants who will move in and take over =
the bog=20
ousting the insect-eaters.<BR><BR></DIV>This article touches on the =
subject <A=20
=
href=3D"http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_story/article/nitrogen-pollu=
tion-empties-the-pitcher-plant">http://northernwoodlands.org/outside_stor=
y/article/nitrogen-pollution-empties-the-pitcher-plant</A><BR><BR></DIV>W=
hat=20
about observations from around here? Has anyone who has had a long =
term=20
relationship with a bog noticed changes? Or studies conducted in our=20
region?<BR><BR></DIV>Nancy<BR></DIV><A></A>
<P align=3Dleft color=3D"#000000" avgcert??>No virus found in this=20
message.<BR>Checked by AVG - <A=20
href=3D"http://www.avg.com">www.avg.com</A><BR>Version: 2013.0.3349 / =
Virus=20
Database: 3204/6473 - Release Date: =
07/08/13</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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