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- Title
Effects of clipping and shading on <sup>15</sup>NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> and <sup>15</sup>NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> recovery by plants in grazed and ungrazed temperate grasslands.
- Authors
Pang, Rui; Sun, Yue; Xu, Xingliang; Song, Minghua; Ouyang, Hua
- Abstract
Aims: In natural ecosystems, plants generally promote the acquisition of nitrogen (N) through the input of carbon (C) into the soil. The present study aimed to clarify how changes in C input affect N uptake by plants.Methods: In situ 15N labeling ((15NH4)2SO4 and K15NO3) was performed in grazed and ungrazed Leymus chinensis grasslands located in Inner Mongolia, northern China. Clipping and shading treatments were used to reduce C allocation to roots by limiting photosynthesis because grazing can produce such similar effect through defoliation.Results: Grazing increased the allocation of photosynthate to roots and the relative biomass of Carex duriuscula but decreased the relative biomass of L. chinensis. Grazing decreased 15N-NH4+ recovery (grazed: 30.9% vs. ungrazed: 39.3%) but increased 15N-NO3− recovery (grazed: 26.9% vs. ungrazed: 17.6%), which may be due to changes in the NH4+/NO3− ratio and species composition. Clipping and shading reduced 15N recovery, mainly because they decreased C supply for N uptake by reducing photosynthesis.Conclusions: These findings indicate that the reduction of the C input to soil decreases 15N recovery by plants in temperate grasslands, which contributes to our understanding of the trade-off between C and N and grassland N cycles.
- Subjects
NITROGEN in soils; NUTRIENT uptake; GRASSLANDS; BIOMASS; PHOTOSYNTHESIS
- Publication
Plant & Soil, 2018, Vol 433, Issue 1/2, p339
- ISSN
0032-079X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s11104-018-3844-x