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Since the industrial revolution, ecosystems around the world have become increasingly influenced by human activities.
In particular, the amount of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposited has increased an order of magnitude across large areas of the Northern Hemisphere (e.g.,
from 50-100 to 1500-2000 mg N m-2 y-1). This addition of N has the potential to disrupt many of the
fundamental ways in which ecosystems function—ranging from the growth and vigor of trees to the quality of water flowing into our streams and aquifers.
The Michigan Gradient study was established in 1987 to examine the effects of climate and atmospheric deposition on ecosystem processes in the Great
Lakes region and continues today with support from the National Science Foundation. The purpose of this field experiment is to understand the mechanisms
controlling carbon (C) and N cycling in the face of chronic N deposition and the long-term consequences of N saturation.
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