@inproceedings{851574,
  abstract     = {{Forest edges are subject to significant edge effects on deposition of aerosols and gases due to a higher level of atmosphere-forest interaction caused by enhanced wind speed and turbulence at edges (Irvine et al. 1997). In Europe, temperate forests have suffered high rates of fragmentation due to centuries of human activities (Wade et al. 2003). With forest fragmentation, forest edges become dominant features in the landscape matrix. In northern Belgium, for example, almost 60 % of the total forested area consists of forest edge area (De Schrijver et al. 2007). Despite the high proportion of forest edges in European temperate forests, there is little knowledge on the impact of edge-related changes in atmosphere-forest interaction on the fluxes of pollutants or nutrients, particularly N, and on the impact of forest structure characteristics on this change in atmosphere-forest interaction. This presentation merges the results of a four-year study on the impact of forest type and edge structure on throughfall deposition of nitrogen (N) and potentially acidifying ions (NO3-, NH4+, and SO42-) in edges of forests under high deposition loads. By contrasting eight homogeneous forest stands, we found that stands of Pinus nigra ssp. laricio Arnold are subject to more pronounced edge effects on throughfall deposition than stands of Betula pendula Roth. and Quercus robur L. (Wuyts et al. 2008a,b). As a result, the extra input of N and potentially acidifying deposition was 85 - 90 % lower in the latter stands. Next, the impact of leaf area index (LAI), tree crown depth, and edge transition type (i.e., steep versus more gradual transitions) was evaluated by a wind tunnel study and two field studies. The wind tunnel study demonstrated that gradual edges and higher LAI values decreased dry deposition in the forest edge by 66 and 40 %, respectively (Wuyts et al. 2008c). Wind speed and turbulence measurements pointed to deflection and deceleration of wind flow by the gradual edge and to a fast deceleration of in-canopy wind speeds in forests with high LAI. The crown depth had a minor influence on the edge patterns of the simulated deposition. Field studies on edge patters of throughfall deposition at adjacent steep and gradual edges and at P. nigra and P. sylvestris L. stands with differing LAI confirmed the wind tunnel study results on the impact of edge transition type and LAI (Wuyts et al. in press). In addition, the field study on transition type demonstrated the importance of the shape and size of the gradual edge vegetation in the impact of gradual transitions on edge patterns of deposition.}},
  author       = {{Wuyts, Karen and De Schrijver, An and Staelens, Jeroen and Verheyen, Kris}},
  booktitle    = {{Working papers of the Finnish Forest Research Institute}},
  editor       = {{Ukonmaanaho, Liisa and Nieminen, Tiina M and Starr, Mike}},
  isbn         = {{9789514021763}},
  issn         = {{1795-150X}},
  keywords     = {{gradual edge,tree species,throughfall deposition,forest edge,edge effects}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  location     = {{Helsinki, Finland}},
  pages        = {{115--115}},
  publisher    = {{Finnish Forest Research Institute}},
  title        = {{Impact of forest type and edge structure on patterns of throughfall deposition in forest edges}},
  url          = {{http://www.metla.fi/julkaisut/workingpapers/2009/mwp128.pdf}},
  volume       = {{128}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}