Popis: |
Abstract Conversion of natural and secondary mixed forests to plantation monocultures can alter soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, which may lead to changes in ecosystem nitrogen (N) status by altering soil N availability. However, assessing and comparing N status between forest types within and across sites remain challenging because different indicators often yield contradicting conclusions. We developed a multiple‐indicator approach to evaluate N status across sites and between larch monocultures and mixed secondary forests paired at three sites (Daxinganling, Maoershan, and Qingyuan) in northeastern China. The selected indicators were foliar N content (%N), soil carbon‐to‐N ratio (C/N), soil inorganic N, foliar 15N natural abundance (δ15N), and δ15N of bulk soil, ammonium, and nitrate in the soil profiles. Our results, as shown mainly by C/N of soil organic layer and the fraction of nitrate in soil inorganic N, showed that N availability increased from north to south in the order Daxinganling |