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- Title
Decoupling of nitrogen and phosphorus in terrestrial plants associated with global changes.
- Authors
Yuan, Z. Y.; Chen, Han Y. H.
- Abstract
Living organisms maintain a balance of chemical elements for optimal growth and reproduction, which plays an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. Human domination of Earth's ecosystems has led to drastic global changes, but it is unclear how these affect the stoichiometric coupling of nutrients in terrestrial plants, the most important food source on Earth. Here we use meta-analyses of 1,418 published studies to show that the ratio of terrestrial plant nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) decreases with elevated concentrations of CO2, increasing rainfall, and P fertilization, but increases with warming, drought, and N fertilization. Our analyses also reveal that multiple global change treatments generally result in overall additive effects of single-factor treatments and that the responses of plant nutrients and their stoichiometry are similar in direction, but often greater in controlled than in natural environments. Our results suggest a decoupling of the P biogeochemical cycle from N in terrestrial plants under global changes, which in turn may diminish the provision of ecosystem services.
- Subjects
ORGANISMS; PHOSPHORUS cycle (Biogeochemistry); GLOBAL environmental change; BIOGEOCHEMICAL cycles; ECOSYSTEMS; STOICHIOMETRY
- Publication
Nature Climate Change, 2015, Vol 5, Issue 5, p465
- ISSN
1758-678X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/nclimate2549