Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a vital nutrient in forest ecosystems. Some plants can use nitrogen right out of the air; others require intermediate nitrogen-fixers (like fungi) to turn the nitrogen into a usable form.

Although nitrogen is a nutrient, it can also be a pollutant. Chronic deposition of atmospheric nitrogen, resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels, is a recent stress to New England forests and waterways. 

Nitrogen measurements are a major part of the research at Harvard Forest, including research on:

• Chronic nitrogen saturation
• dynamics of soil carbon and nitrogen, mediated by soil fungi and microbes