Davis College
News/Events

As a part of the WVU Spring Biology Seminar Series, Kathryn Piatek, assistant professor of forest management, will give a presentation on the connection between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen saturation in forests at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, in 3131 Life Sciences Building. A Reception with refreshments begins at 3:30 p.m. on the 6th Floor. Both are open to interested faculty, staff and students.

Below is an abstract of her presentation:

Nitrogen availability for tree growth is important for forest productivity. Southern pine and Douglas-fir plantations supply a lot of the Nations wood fiber needs, and typically grow on nitrogen-poor soils. Somewhat paradoxically, further nitrogen losses in organic matter removals during harvesting and site preparation do not result in diminishing tree growth; on some sites, organic matter removals stimulated growth. A different nitrogen nutrition dilemma exists in the northeastern US hardwood forests – nitrogen saturation or an excess over ecosystem nitrogen demand. In this talk, I will show some evidence for and explore a hypothesis of a soil carbon connection between nitrogen limitation and nitrogen saturation in these vastly different forest types.