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8648332 
Journal Article 
Research advances on biological function of silicon and its applicationin grassland ecosystem 
Xu, D; Gao, T; Li, Q; Mou, J 
2020 
1 
Shengtai Xuebao / Acta Ecologica Sinica
ISSN: 1000-0933
EISSN: 1872-2032 
40 
22 
8347-8353 
Chinese 
It has been widely confirmed that silicon can enhance the resistance of crops to droughts and heavy metals such as aluminum, cadmium, manganese, etc. However, the role and mechanism of silicon in grassland ecosystems have not yet been clarified. In this paper, the latest research about the effects of silicon on soil texture, plant individual growth and plant community structure were summarized in order to provide theoretical support for future application of silicon in grassland ecosystem. It was found that silicon can increase the content of soil organic carbon, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and available phosphorus. Under the condition of nitrogen application, the light condition of plant community can be improved to increase the growth height of forbs, so as to mitigate the loss of plant species richness due to the addition of nitrogen fertilizer, and increase the above-ground productivity of plant community. Therefore, silicon plays a very important role in grassland ecosystem. The research on the application of silicon in grassland ecosystem should be focus on the regulation of silicon on phytomass carbon and nitrogen as well as the accumulation of soil organic carbon, along with the effects of silicon on the regularity of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical cycles and the formation mechanism of plant productivity in the future. © 2020 Science Press. All rights reserved. 
Biological function; Grassland ecosystem; Silicon; Soil organic carbon; Species richness