Author(s)

U. Mander, T. Oja & K. Lohmus

Abstract

Two riparian buffers including wet meadows (Filipendula ulmaria-Aegopodium podagraria-Cirsium oleraceum-Urtica dioica) and grey alder (Ainus incana) stands were investigated. The main inputs and outputs (atmospheric deposition, input and output in surface and subsurface flow, nitrogen fixation and denitrification), and accumulation of N and P in plant biomass, litter and soil were estimated. A 31 m wide complex buffer zone of wet meadow and grey alder forest removed 67% nitrogen and 81% phosphorus, while in a 51 m buffer zone, also containing a grassland strip in addition to wet meadow and alder forest, 96% N and 97% P was retained. In the riparian buffers studied, an effective retention of nutrients (34-186 kg N ha^ yr~* and 1.6-6.0 kg P ha~* yr~') was obser

Keywords