Effects of seabird nitrogen input on biomass and carbon accumulation after 50 years of primary succession on a young volcanic island, Surtsey

A study on Surtsey, Iceland, reveals that seabird nitrogen input significantly accelerates biomass and carbon accumulation during primary succession. Over 50 years, areas outside a seagull colony accumulated nitrogen at rates similar to low-input systems, while the colony's nutrient enrichment doubled ecosystem nitrogen-use efficiency and shifted stocks from belowground to aboveground. Despite this, soil organic carbon (SOC) remained far below typical grassland levels, indicating a prolonged recovery period for SOC equilibrium. The research compared shallow and deep tephra sands but found no significant difference in nitrogen retention, suggesting high potential for nutrient retention even in young volcanic soils.

Leblans, N. I. W., Sigurdsson, B. D., Roefs, P., Thuys, R., Magnússon, B., & Janssens, I. A. (2014). Effects of seabird nitrogen input on biomass and carbon accumulation after 50 years of primary succession on a young volcanic island, Surtsey. Biogeosciences, 11(22), 6237–6250. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6237-2014