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620246 
Journal Article 
Are low-productive plant communities responsive to nutrient addition? Evidence from sand pioneer grassland 
Storm, C; Süss, K 
2008 
1 
Journal of Vegetation Science
ISSN: 1100-9233
EISSN: 1990-2002 
19 
3 
343-354 
WOS:000255199100006 
Question: What is the effect of nutrient addition on primary production, phytodiversity and succession of a very unproductive plant community (ca. 100 g.m-2.a-1)? Location: A nutrient-poor, calcareous inland sand ecosystem in the northern upper Rhine valley, Germany. Methods: Within a five-fold replicated randomized block design, 10-m2 plots were given six single or combined applications of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other essential nutrients for four years. An organic carbon treatment was included as a measure to immobilize soil nitrogen. Data were analysed by mixed linear models. Results: Productivity of above-ground vascular plant species doubled after nitrogen addition. Additional nutrient elements did not increase productivity further. The cover of ten species and the height of 15 (out of 19 examined) species were significantly enhanced by nutrient addition. Centaurea stoebe is nitrogen-limited and exhibits a decisive impact on total above-ground vascular species productivity. Nutrients did not affect phytodiversity. Low-dosage nitrogen addition (25 kg.ha-1a-1) and organic carbon treatment had no significant impact. However, long-term effects cannot be excluded. Conclusions: The productivity of the examined plant community is responsive to nutrient addition. Although the response is actually more pronounced than in plant communities with higher initial productivity, productivity remained at a low level. Nutrient limitation (mostly phosphorus + nitrogen co- limitation) of many individual species across all life forms is shown. Total above-ground vascular plant productivity is nitrogen-limited. No species were suppressed completely, nor has there yet been an encroachment of new species. However, high-dosage nitrogen addition resulted in accelerated succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Vegetation Science is the property of Opulus Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts) 
PLANT communities; VEGETATION dynamics; VEGETATION boundaries; PLANT diversity; PRIMARY productivity (Biology); BIOLOGICAL productivity; GRASSLANDS; VEGETATION & climate; GERMANY; Calcareous grassland; Carbon addition; Fertilization experiment; Nitrogen deposition; Nutrient limitation; Primary production; Species diversity