Tree water uptake enhances nitrogen acquisition in a fertilized boreal forest – but not under nitrogen poor conditions

Understanding how plant water uptake interacts with acquisition of soil nitrogen (N) and other nutrients is fundamental for predicting plant responses to a changing environment, but it is an area where models disagree.

We present a novel isotopic labelling approach which reveals spatial patterns of water and N uptake, and their interaction, by trees. The stable isotopes ¹⁵N and ²H were applied to a small area of the forest floor in stands with high and low soil N availability. Uptake by surrounding trees was measured. The sensitivity of N acquisition to water uptake was quantified by statistical modelling.

Trees in the high-N stand acquired twice as much ¹⁵N as in the low-N stand and around half of their N uptake was dependent on water uptake (²H enrichment). In contrast, in the low-N stand there was no positive effect of water uptake on N uptake. 

We conclude that tree N acquisition was only marginally dependent on water flux toward the root surface under low N conditions but under high-N conditions, the water-associated N uptake was substantial. The results suggest a fundamental shift in N acquisition strategy under high-N conditions.