Variation in foliar nitrogen and albedo in response to nitrogen fertilization and elevated CO₂

Abstract

Foliar nitrogen has been shown to be positively correlated with midsummer canopy albedo and canopy near infrared (NIR) reflectance over a broad range of plant functional types (e.g., forests, grasslands, and agricultural lands). To date, the mechanism(s) driving the nitrogen-albedo relationship have not been established, and it is unknown whether factors affecting nitrogen availability will also influence albedo. To address these questions, we examined variation in foliar nitrogen in relation to leaf spectral properties, leaf mass per unit area, and leaf water content for three deciduous species subjected to either nitrogen (Harvard Forest, MA, and Oak Ridge, TN) or CO₂ fertilization (Oak Ridge, TN). At Oak Ridge, we also obtained canopy reflectance data from the airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) to examine whether canopy-level spectral responses were consistent with leaf-level results.

Citation

Wicklein, Haley F.; Ollinger, Scott V.; Martin, Mary E.; Hollinger, David Y.; Lepine, Lucie C.; Day, Michelle C.; Bartlett, Megan K.; Richardson, Andrew D.; Norby, Richard J. 2012. Variation in foliar nitrogen and albedo in response to nitrogen fertilization and elevated CO2. Oecologia. 169(4): 915-925.