Aims Cl is a micronutrient mainly supplied via deposition of marine aerosols. We assessed the development of Cl concentrations and stocks in plants and soils of a tropical montane forest far from a downwind ocean during two decades (1998–2019). Methods We measured Cl concentrations in solid samples with a new combustion-based method. Results The Cl concentrations in leaves of 17 tree species ranged 0.04–1.6 g kg −1 . Three tre...

The response of organic carbon (C) concentrations in ecosystem solutions to environmental change affects the release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from forests to surface and groundwaters. We determined the total organic C (TOC) concentrations (filtered 25°C, decreasing soil moisture, and rising nitrogen (N) deposition from the atmosphere during the study period. In rainfall, throughfall, mineral soil solutions (at the 0.1...

Gross rates of nitrogen (N) turnover inform about the total N release and consumption. We investigated how plant diversity affects gross N mineralization, microbial ammonium (NH 4 + ) consumption and gross inorganic N immobilization in grasslands via isotopic pool dilution. The field experiment included 74 plots with 1–16 plant species and 1–4 plant functional groups (legumes, grasses, tall herbs, small herbs). We determined s...

Conversion of tropical forests is among the primary causes of global environmental change. The loss of their important environmental services has prompted calls to integrate ecosystem services (ES) in addition to socio‐economic objectives in decision‐making. To test the effect of accounting for both ES and socio‐economic objectives in land‐use decisions, we develop a new dynamic approach to model deforestation scenarios for tr...

Increased nitrogen (N) depositions expected in the future endanger the diversity and stability of ecosystems primarily limited by N, but also often co‐limited by other nutrients like phosphorus (P). In this context a nutrient manipulation experiment (NUMEX) was set up in a tropical montane rainforest in southern Ecuador, an area identified as biodiversity hotspot. We examined impacts of elevated N and P availability on arbuscu...