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HERO ID
3845563
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Experimentally increased water and nitrogen affect root production and vertical allocation of an old-field grassland
Author(s)
Xu, Z; Ren, H; Li, MH; Brunner, I; Yin, J; Liu, H; Kong, D; Lu, XT; Sun, T; Cai, J; Wang, R; Zhang, Y; He, P; Han, X; Wan, S; Jiang, Y
Year
2017
Is Peer Reviewed?
1
Journal
Plant and Soil
ISSN:
0032-079X
EISSN:
1573-5036
Volume
412
Issue
1-2
Page Numbers
369-380
Language
English
DOI
10.1007/s11104-016-3071-2
Web of Science Id
WOS:000399020200027
Abstract
Background and aims Evidence for impacts of environmental changes on belowground net primary production (BNPP) from long-term experiments is rather scarce. We aimed to understand how long-term changes in water and nitrogen availability affect production and vertical allocation of roots in semi-arid grasslands and its consequence on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycles.
Methods We investigated changes of BNPP and its vertical allocation along the soil profile to 40 cm in depth in response to simultaneous increases in water and N availability over 11 years in an old-field grassland in northern China.
Results Water addition increased BNPP in all soil layers (0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-40 cm), and enhanced the percentage BNPP in the upper soils but decreased that in 10-20 cm soil layer. Nitrogen addition decreased BNPP in 10-20 cm and 20-40 cm soil layers as well as total BNPP in 0-40 cm, and increased the percentage BNPP in the upper soil layer but decreased that in 10-20 cm soil layer. Water addition increased soil total C and N concentrations in 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil layers, while N addition only marginally decreased soil C:N ratio in 0-10 cm and 20-40 cm soil layers. Both soil total N concentration and soil C: N ratio were closely related to BNPP.
Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of environmental factors, especially water availability, in determining BNPP, and in turn controlling soil nutrient accumulation in semi-arid grasslands, although the specific mechanisms remain unclear. The projected increase in precipitation in those semi-arid grasslands would enhance soil C and N sequestration. The increased allocation of BNPP in upper soils with long-term precipitation increment and N deposition may accelerate thecycles of C and N in these ecosystems, and thus increase the risk of soil C and N loss.
Keywords
Belowground net primary production; Carbon cycle; Global change; Nitrogen deposition; Soil nitrogen; Precipitation increase
Tags
NAAQS
•
ISA NOxSOxPM Ecology (2018)
Cited in the Second Draft
Appendix 6
•
ISA NOxSOxPM Ecology (2020- Final Project Page)
Cited
Appendix 6
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