Nutrient identity modifies the destabilising effects of eutrophication in grasslands
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Abstract
Nutrient enrichment can simultaneously increase and destabilise plant biomass production, with co-limitation by multiple nutrients potentially intensifying these effects. Here, we test how factorial additions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium with essential nutrients (K+) affect the stability (mean/standard deviation) of aboveground biomass in 34 grasslands over 7 years. Destabilisation with fertilisation was prevalent but was driven by single nutrients, not synergistic nutrient interactions. On average, N-based treatments increased mean biomass production by 21–51% but increased its standard deviation by 40–68% and so consistently reduced stability. Adding P increased interannual variability and reduced stability without altering mean biomass, while K+ had no general effects. Declines in stability were largest in the most nutrient-limited grasslands, or where nutrients reduced species richness or intensified species synchrony. We show that nutrients can differentially impact the stability of biomass production, with N and P in particular disproportionately increasing its interannual variability.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Nutrient identity modifies the destabilising effects of eutrophication in grasslands |
| Series title | Ecology Letters |
| DOI | 10.1111/ele.13946 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Year Published | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | 12 p. |
| First page | 754 |
| Last page | 765 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |