Improving calculation of critical loads with N2O-emission experiments

What are Critical Loads?

Long-term exposure to high levels of N has shown impacts on forest growth and biodiversity. It leads to soil acidification and a decline in microbial biomass. To protect forest ecosystems from high atmospheric N-deposition, the concept of critical loads (CL) was developed. It defines long-term tresholds that would allow maintaining an ecosystem’s resilience (Schlutow et al., 2018).