MELNHE

Researchers in the Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE) project are studying N and P acquisition and limitation through a series of nutrient manipulations in northern hardwood forests. This project is supported by the National Science Foundation, and builds upon the Northern Hardwood Forest Calcium Cycling Project, which established our sites at Bartlett. The project has also been called the Shoestring Project, during the period of unfunded effort between major research grants.

Although temperate forests are generally thought of as N-limited, resource optimization theory predicts that ecosystem productivity should be co-limited by multiple nutrients. These ideas are represented in the Multi-Element Limitation (MEL) model (Rastetter et al. 2012). To test the patterns of resource limitation predicted by MEL, we are conducting nutrient manipulations in three study sites in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire: Bartlett Experimental Forest, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, and Jeffers Brook.
At Bartlett, we have three replicate stands of three ages, young (clearcut 1985-1990), mid-aged (clearcut 1975-1978), and mature (clearcut 1883-1890). At Hubbard Brook and Jeffers Brook, we have stands that correspond to the mid-aged and mature stands at Bartlett, for 4 more stands. Each of the 13 stands has four 1/4 ha (50 m x 50 m) treatment plots, treated annually each spring beginning in 2011, with N (30 kg N/ha/yr as NH4NO3), P (10 kg P/ha/yr as NaH2PO4), N+P, or nothing (an untreated control). Five stands also have a Ca treatment plot (1150 kg Ca/ha in the form of CaSiO3).
We are monitoring stem diameter, leaf litter production and nutrient flux, foliar chemistry and nutrient resorption, canopy reflectance, sap flow, root biomass and production, mycorrhizal associations, soil respiration, soil N and P availability, N mineralization, soil phosphatase activity, soil carbon and nitrogen, and bird activity. See highlights below for our results to date!

MELNHE is led by 6 principal investigators...

• Ruth Yanai , SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY;
• Melany Fisk , Miami University of Ohio, Oxford, OH;
• Tim Fahey, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;
• Christy Goodale, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY;
• Joel Blum , University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, and
• Ed Rastetter, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA ;

with a host of additional collaborators, including graduate students, technicians, undergraduate students, high school teachers and visiting scientists.

Highlights

• Posters presented at the ESA Annual Meeting, Louisville, KY, August 11-16, 2019

  • Gonzales, K.E. and R.D. Yanai.Foliar N and P concentrations and resorption indicate P limitation in a northern hardwood forest. PDF
  • Hong, D.S. and R.D. Yanai. Foliar nutrient concentrations and resorptions of northern hardwood species in an N x P manipulation study PDF
  • Young, A.R., A. Schweiger and R.D. Yanai. Detecting foliar nutrient status from the sky. PDF

• Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study 56th Annual Cooperators' Meeting Presentations

• LTER Midterm Review, Hubbard Brook, NH, June 3-5, 2019

  • Hong, D.S., K.E. Gonzales, and R.D. Yanai.  Foliar analysis of six northern hardwood species indicates nutrient limitation. PDF

• Center of Biodiversity at University of Montreal. April 26, 2019

  • Ruth Yanai. The first long-term NXP addition experiment in a temperate forest system. Presentation (must download Abode Connect to view)

• The Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA, April 12-14, 2019

  • Bashian-Victoroff, C., L.J. Lamit, R.D. Yanai, and T.R. Horton. Fruiting response of ectomycorrhizal fungi to nutrient additions in Bartlett Experimental Forest, NH. Presentation
• From the ESF in the High Schools archives: Madison Morley is now an ESF graduate student. Veterinarian medicine’s loss is our gain! PDF
• First look! Kara Gonzales and Ruth Yanai's paper in now availabe in Oecologia PDF
• NEW Leaf ID Guide PDF

• NY Society of American Forester Annual meeting, Syracuse, NY, January 24-26, 2019

  • Dillion, G., M. Mahoney, S. Chase, and M. Johnston. Nutritional impacts on invasive beech scale quantification, in beech bark disease aftermath forests. PDF
  • Rice, A.M., M.A. Vadeboncoeur, and R.D. Yanai. Which soil nutrient pools explain forest characteristics? PDF
  • Young, A., M. Gabriel, and R.D. Yanai. Detecting nutrient limitation from the sky. PDF

• Presenations at the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) All Scientists' Meeting, Asilomar Conference Center, CA, September 30 - October 4, 2018

  • Vadeboncoeur, M.A., K.A. Jennings, M.S. Morley, L.E. Rustad, C.D. McIntire, L.M. Brigham, R.D. Yanai, and H. Asbjornsen. "Teacomposition" in three global change experiments at HBR. PDF
  • Hong, D. and R.D. Yanai. Foliar analysis of four northern hardwood species indicates nutrient limitation. PDF
  • Young, A.R., M. Gabriel, and R.D. Yanai. Detecting nutrient limitation from the sky. PDF

• Tom Horton's presentation at the International Mycological Association 11, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 16-21, 2018

• Research opportunities for SUNY ESF undergraduate students and graduate assistantships.

• Research opportunites for high school students. Sign up for a free research course, ESF296, and work with the Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE) project. PDF

• Shan Shan's presentation at 2018 ESA Annual Meeting, New Orleans PPT

• 55th Annual HB Cooperators Meeting. July 11-12, 2018.

• All highlights available here

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