Effects of combined ozone and nitrogen deposition on the in situ properties of eleven key plant species of a subalpine pasture

Tropospheric O(3) and deposition of reactive N threaten the composition and function of natural and semi-natural vegetation even in remote regions. However, little is known about effects of these pollutants individually or in combination on plant species in alpine habitats. We analyzed 11 frequent plant species of a subalpine Geo-Montani-Nardetum pasture exposed at 2,000 m a.s.l. in the Swiss Alps during 3 years using a factorial free-air exposure system with three concentrations of O(3) and five rates of N application. The aim was to detect subtle effects on leaf chlorophyll and N concentrations, leaf weight, specific leaf area (SLA), and delta(18)O and delta(13)C as proxies for gas exchange. We expected that the species' responsiveness to O(3) and N would be related to their functional traits and that N-induced changes in these traits would modify the species' response to O(3) via increased growth and higher leaf conductance (g(s)). Most species reacted to N supply with the accumulation of N and chlorophyll, but with no change in SLA, g(s), and growth, except Carex sempervirens which showed increased water use efficiency and leaf weight. Elevated O(3) reduced gs in most species, but this was not related to a reduction in leaf weight, which was recorded in half of the species. Contrary to our expectation, the magnitude of the response to both O(3) and N was not related to species-specific traits such as SLA or g(s). No pronounced O(3) x N interactions were observed. In conclusion, since for most species neither N nor gas exchange limited growth, their short-term response to O(3) and N and to their combination was small. O(3) x N interactive effects are expected to be more pronounced in habitats where species are more responsive to N due to favorable growth conditions in terms of nutrient availability and temperature.