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- Title
Climate change alters stoichiometry of phosphorus and nitrogen in a semiarid grassland.
- Authors
Dijkstra, Feike A.; Pendall, Elise; Morgan, Jack A.; Blumenthal, Dana M.; Carrillo, Yolima; LeCain, Daniel R.; Follett, Ronald F.; Williams, David G.
- Abstract
Nitrogen ( N) and phosphorus ( P) are essential nutrients for primary producers and decomposers in terrestrial ecosystems. Although climate change affects terrestrial N cycling with important feedbacks to plant productivity and carbon sequestration, the impacts of climate change on the relative availability of N with respect to P remain highly uncertain., In a semiarid grassland in Wyoming, USA, we studied the effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment (to 600 ppmv) and warming (1.5/3.0°C above ambient temperature during the day/night) on plant, microbial and available soil pools of N and P., Elevated CO2 increased P availability to plants and microbes relative to that of N, whereas warming reduced P availability relative to N. Across years and treatments, plant N : P ratios varied between 5 and 18 and were inversely related to soil moisture., Our results indicate that soil moisture is important in controlling P supply from inorganic sources, causing reduced P relative to N availability during dry periods. Both wetter soil conditions under elevated CO2 and drier conditions with warming can further alter N : P. Although warming may alleviate N constraints under elevated CO2, warming and drought can exacerbate P constraints on plant growth and microbial activity in this semiarid grassland.
- Subjects
CLIMATE change research; STOICHIOMETRY; NITROGEN &; the environment; PHOSPHORUS &; the environment; ARID regions climate; BIODEGRADATION; CARBON sequestration
- Publication
New Phytologist, 2012, Vol 196, Issue 3, p807
- ISSN
0028-646X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04349.x