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Nitrogen and phosphorus addition differentially affect plant ecological stoichiometry in desert grassland.


ABSTRACT: Plant C:N:P stoichiometric relations drive powerful constraints on ecological interactions and processes. However, information about plant stoichiometric responses to N and P availability in desert grassland is limited. We conducted two field experiments with 7 levels of N (from 0.5?g to 24?g?N ? m-2 yr-1) and P (from 0.05?g to 3.2?g?P ? m-2 yr-1) additions in a desert grassland of Kunlun Mountain in the northwest of China to investigate the effects of these addition rates on the N and P stoichiometry of the dominant grass species Seriphidium korovinii. Nitrogen and P additions both affected plant stoichiometry. N addition suppressed P concentrations, whereas P addition had no effect on plant N concentrations. The N:P ratios of green aboveground biomass (AGB) were positively correlated with N addition ranging from 14.73 to 29.08, whereas those for P additions decreased ranging from 14.73 to 8.29. N concentrations were positively correlated with soil available N:P ratios, whereas, P concentrations were negatively correlated with soil availably N:P. Our results suggest that chemistry and stoichiometry of S. korovinii was directly affected by soil nutrient availability. Soil N availability affects S. korovinii stoichiometry to a greater extent that does soil P availability in this ecosystem. These findings suggest that N-deposition could affect the stoichiometry of this desert grassland ecosystem, and thereby potentially alter litter decomposition, plant community composition, nutrient cycling, and food-web dynamics of these desert ecosystems.

SUBMITTER: Li L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6904472 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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