Organic nitrogen uptake is a significant contributor to nitrogen economy of subtropical epiphytic bryophytes

Without any root contact with the soil, epiphytic bryophytes must experience and explore poor, patchy, and heterogeneous habitats; while, the nitrogen (N) uptake and use strategies of these organisms remain uncharacterized, which obscures their roles in the N cycle. To investigate the N sources, N preferences, and responses to enhanced N deposition in epiphytic bryophytes, we carried out an in situ manipulation experiment via the (15)N labelling technique in an Asian cloud forest. Epiphytic bryophytes obtained more N from air deposition than from the bark, but the contribution of N from the bark was non-negligible. Glycine accounted for 28.4% to 44.5% of the total N in bryophyte tissue, which implies that organic N might serve as an important N source. Increased N deposition increased the total N uptake, but did not alter the N preference of the epiphytic bryophytes. This study provides sound evidence that epiphytic bryophytes could take up N from the bark and wet deposition in both organic and inorganic N forms. It is thus important to consider organic N and bark N sources, which were usually neglected, when estimating the role of epiphytic bryophytes in N cycling and the impacts of N deposition on epiphytic bryophytes in cloud forests.