Nutrient identity modifies the destabilising effects of eutrophication in grasslands.
Ecol Lett
; 25(4): 754-765, 2022 Apr.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34957674
ABSTRACT
Nutrient enrichment can simultaneously increase and destabilise plant biomass production, with co-limitation by multiple nutrients potentially intensifying these effects. Here, we test how factorial additions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium with essential nutrients (K+) affect the stability (mean/standard deviation) of aboveground biomass in 34 grasslands over 7 years. Destabilisation with fertilisation was prevalent but was driven by single nutrients, not synergistic nutrient interactions. On average, N-based treatments increased mean biomass production by 21-51% but increased its standard deviation by 40-68% and so consistently reduced stability. Adding P increased interannual variability and reduced stability without altering mean biomass, while K+ had no general effects. Declines in stability were largest in the most nutrient-limited grasslands, or where nutrients reduced species richness or intensified species synchrony. We show that nutrients can differentially impact the stability of biomass production, with N and P in particular disproportionately increasing its interannual variability.
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1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Ecosistema
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Pradera
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Ecol Lett
Año:
2022
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá