1
|
Wang Z, Li T, Lu C, Wang C, Wu H, Li X, Cai J, Feng X, Liu H, Zhang Y, Han X, Li H, Jiang Y. Mowing aggravates the adverse effects of nitrogen addition on soil acid neutralizing capacity in a meadow steppe. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 362:121293. [PMID: 38833923 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Soil acidification induced by reactive nitrogen (N) inputs is a major environmental issue in grasslands, as it lowers the acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). The specific impacts of different N compound forms on ANC remain unclear. Grassland management practices like mowing and grazing can remove a considerable amount of soil N and other nutrients, potentially mitigating soil acidification by removing N from the ecosystem or aggravating it by removing base cations. However, empirical evidence regarding the joint effects of adding different forms of N compounds and mowing on ANC changes in different-sized soil aggregates is still lacking. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the effects of three N compounds (urea, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium sulfate) combined with mowing (mown vs. unmown) on soil ANC in different soil aggregate sizes (>2000 μm, 250-2000 μm, and <250 μm) through a 6-year field experiment in Inner Mongolia grasslands. We found that the average decline in soil ANC caused by ammonium sulfate (AS) addition (-78.9%) was much greater than that by urea (-25.0%) and ammonium nitrate (AN) (-52.1%) as compared to control. This decline was attributed to increased proton (H+) release from nitrification and the leaching of exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+. Mowing aggravated the adverse effects of urea and AN on ANC, primarily due to the reduction in soil organic matter (SOM) contents and the removal of exchangeable Ca2+, K+, and Na + via plant biomass harvest. This pattern was consistent across all aggregate fractions. The lack of variation in soil ANC among different soil aggregate fractions is likely due to the contrasting trend in the distribution of exchangeable Ca2+ and Mg2+. Specifically, the concentration of exchangeable Ca2+ increased with increasing aggregate size, while the opposite was true for that of exchangeable Mg2+. These findings underscore the importance of considering the forms of N compounds when assessing the declines of ANC induced by N inputs, which also calls for an urgent need to reduce N emissions to ensure the sustainable development of the meadow ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhirui Wang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
| | - Tianpeng Li
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, PR China.
| | - Changming Lu
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China.
| | - Cong Wang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China.
| | - Hui Wu
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China.
| | - Xinyue Li
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; College of Environment, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110044, PR China.
| | - Jiangping Cai
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
| | - Xue Feng
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
| | - Heyong Liu
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China; College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, PR China.
| | - Yuge Zhang
- College of Environment, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110044, PR China.
| | - Xingguo Han
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, PR China.
| | - Hui Li
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, PR China.
| | - Yong Jiang
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Niu G, Wang R, Zhou H, Yang J, Lu X, Han X, Huang J. Nitrogen addition and mowing had only weak interactive effects on macronutrients in plant-soil systems of a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 347:119121. [PMID: 37778064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Effective management of macronutrients is pivotal in the optimization and provisioning of ecosystem services in grassland areas, particularly in degraded grasslands. In such instances where mowing and nitrogen (N) fertilization have emerged as predominant management strategies, nutrient management is especially important. However, the precise effects of these concurrent practices on the distribution of macronutrients in plant-soil systems remain unclear. Here we evaluated the effects of 12 years of N addition (2, 10, and 50 g N m-2 year-1) and mowing on the concentrations and pools of six macronutrients (i.e., N; phosphorus P; sulfur S, calcium Ca, magnesium Mg, and potassium K) in three plant components (aboveground plants, litter, and belowground roots) at the community level and in the soil in a typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. Our results revealed that N addition generally raised the N concentration in the entire plant-soil system, regardless of whether plots were mowed. Higher N addition (10 and 50 g N m-2 year-1) also led to higher concentrations of P (+22%, averaging two N addition rates), S (+16%), K (+22%), Ca (+22%), and Mg (+24%) in plants but lower concentrations of these nutrients in the litter. Similar decreases in K (-9%), Ca (-46%), and Mg (-8%) were observed in the roots. In light of the observed increases in vegetation biomass and the lack of pronounced changes in soil bulk density, we found that the ecosystem N enrichment resulted in increased pools of all measured macronutrients in plants, litter, and roots (with the exception of Ca in the roots) while concurrently decreased the pools of P (-20%, averaging two higher N addition rates), S (-12%), K (-10%), Ca (-37%), and Mg (-19%) in the soil, with no obvious effect of the mowing practice. Overall, mowing exhibited a very limited capacity to alleviate the effects of long-term N addition on macronutrients in the plant-soil system. These findings highlight the importance of considering the distribution of macronutrients across distinct plant organs and the dynamic nutrient interplay between plants and soil, particularly in the context of long-term fertilization and mowing practices, when formulating effective grassland management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guoxiang Niu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China; State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China; Section of Microbial Ecology, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden; South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, 510650, China.
| | - Ruzhen Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Lund, SE22362, Sweden
| | - Junjie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Xiankai Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China
| | - Xingguo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Jianhui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shao L, Peng Y, Liu H, Zhao R, Jiang L, Li Y, Han P, Jiang Y, Wei C, Han X, Huang J. Applied phosphorus is maintained in labile and moderately occluded fractions in a typical meadow steppe with the addition of multiple nutrients. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 345:118807. [PMID: 37591093 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient second only to nitrogen (N) in the drylands of the world. Most previous studies have focused on N transformation processes in grassland ecosystems, particularly under artificial fertilization with N and atmospheric N deposition. However, P cycling processes under natural conditions and when P is applied as an inorganic P fertilizer have been understudied. Therefore, it is essential to examine the fate of applied P in grassland ecosystems that have experienced long-term grazing and, under certain circumstances, continuous hay harvest. We conducted a 3-year field experiment with the addition of multiple nutrient elements in a typical meadow steppe to investigate the fate of the applied P in various fractions of P pools in the top soil. We found that the addition of multiple nutrients significantly increased P concentrations in the labile inorganic P (Lab-Pi) and moderately occluded inorganic P (Mod-Pi) fractions but not in the recalcitrant inorganic P (Rec-Pi) fraction. An increase in the concentration of total inorganic P was found only when P and N were applied together. However, the addition of other nutrients did not change P concentrations in any fraction of the mineral soil. The addition of P and N significantly increased the total amount of P taken up by the aboveground plants but had no effect on the levels of organic and microbial P in the soil. Together, our results indicate that the P applied in this grassland ecosystem is taken up by plants, leaving most of the unutilized P as Lab-Pi and Mod-Pi rather than being immobilized in Rec-Pi or by microbial biomass. This implies that the grassland ecosystem that we studied has a relatively low P adsorption capacity, and the application of inorganic P to replenish soil P deficiency in degraded grasslands due to long-term grazing of livestock or continuous harvest of forage in the region could be a practical management strategy to maintain soil P fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingyu Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yang Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Heyong Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Ruonan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liangchao Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Peng Han
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yong Jiang
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Cunzheng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xingguo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jianhui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Shi X, Tan W, Tang S, Ling Q, Tang C, Qin P, Luo S, Zhao Y, Yu F, Li Y. Metagenomics reveals taxon-specific responses of soil nitrogen cycling under different fertilization regimes in heavy metal contaminated soil. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 345:118766. [PMID: 37579601 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Soil deficiency, cyclic erosion, and heavy metal pollution have led to fertility loss and ecological function decline in mining areas. Fertilization is an important way to rapidly replenish soil nutrients, which have a major influence on the soil nitrogen cycling process, but different fertilization regimes have different impacts on soil properties and microbial functional potentials. Here, metagenomic sequencing was used to investigate the different responses of key functional genes of microbial nitrogen cycling to fertilization regimes and explore the potential effects of soil physicochemical properties on the key functional genes. The results indicated that AC-HH (ammonium chloride-high frequency and concentration) treatment significantly increased the gene abundance of norC (13.40-fold), nirK (5.46-fold), and napA (5.37-fold). U-HH (urea-high frequency and concentration) treatment significantly increased the gene abundance of hao (6.24-fold), pmoA-amoA (4.32-fold) norC (7.00-fold), nosZ (3.69-fold), and nirK (6.88-fold). Functional genes were distributed differently among the 10 dominant phyla. The nifH and nifK genes were distributed only in Proteobacteria. The hao gene was distributed in Gemmatimonadetes, Nitrospirae and Proteobacteria. Fertilization regimes caused changes in functional redundancy in soil, and nirK and nirB, which are involved in denitrification, were present in different genera. Fertilization regimes with high frequency and high concentration were more likely to increase the gene abundance at the genus level. In summary, this study provides insights into the taxon-specific response of soil nitrogen cycling under different fertilization regimes, where changes in fertilization regimes affect microbial nitrogen cycling by altering soil physicochemical properties in a complex dynamic environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Weilan Tan
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Shuting Tang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Qiujie Ling
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Chijian Tang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Peiqing Qin
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Shiyu Luo
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China
| | - Yinjun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Environment Change and Resources Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University, Nanning, China
| | - Fangming Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China.
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of Education, China; College of Environment and Resources, Guangxi Normal University, 541004, Guilin, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang Z, Tao T, Wang H, Chen J, Small GE, Johnson D, Chen J, Zhang Y, Zhu Q, Zhang S, Song Y, Kattge J, Guo P, Sun X. Forms of nitrogen inputs regulate the intensity of soil acidification. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4044-4055. [PMID: 37186143 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Soil acidification induced by reactive nitrogen (N) inputs can alter the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. Because different N-transformation processes contribute to the production and consumption of H+ , the magnitude of acidification likely depends on the relative amounts of organic N (ON) and inorganic N (IN) inputs. However, few studies have explicitly measured the effects of N composition on soil acidification. In this study, we first conducted a meta-analysis to test the effects of ON or IN inputs on soil acidification across 53 studies in grasslands. We then compared soil acidification across five different ON:IN ratios and two input rates based on long-term field N addition experiments. The meta-analysis showed that ON had weaker effects on soil acidification than IN when the N addition rate was above 20 g N m-2 year-1 . The field experiment confirmed the findings from meta-analysis: N addition with proportions of ON ≥ 20% caused less soil acidification, especially at a high input rate (30 g N m-2 year-1 ). Structural equation model analysis showed that this result was largely due to a relatively low rate of H+ production from ON as NH3 volatilization and uptake of ON and NH4 + by the dominant grass species Leymus chinensis (which are both lower net contributors to H+ production) result in less NH4 + available for nitrification (which is a higher net contributor to H+ production). These results indicate that the evaluation of soil acidification induced by N inputs should consider N forms and manipulations of relative composition of N inputs may provide an effective approach to alleviate the N-induced soil acidification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ze Wang
- College of Agro-grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Tingting Tao
- College of Agro-grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hu Wang
- College of Agro-grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ji Chen
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
- iCLIMATE Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gaston E Small
- Department of Biology, University of St Thomas, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - David Johnson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Jihui Chen
- College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Yingjun Zhang
- College of Grassland Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qichao Zhu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Key Lab of Plant-Soil Interactions, MOE, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengmin Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Jilin, China
| | - Yantao Song
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian, China
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
| | - Peng Guo
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiao Sun
- College of Agro-grassland Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Tian P, Zhao X, Liu S, Wang Q, Zhang W, Guo P, Razavi BS, Liang C, Wang Q. Differential responses of fungal and bacterial necromass accumulation in soil to nitrogen deposition in relation to deposition rate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157645. [PMID: 35907548 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Influenced by nitrogen (N) deposition, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems could provide strong feedback to climate change. Mounting evidence showed that microbial necromass contributes substantially to SOC sequestration; however, how N deposition influences microbial necromass accumulation in soils remains elusive. We investigated the impacts of N deposition on soil microbial necromass, assessed by amino sugars, at seven forest sites along a north-south transect in eastern China. We found that the responses of fungal and bacterial necromass accumulation to N deposition depended on the deposition rate, with high N deposition (>50 kg N ha-1 yr-1) stimulating fungal necromass accumulation from 29.1 % to 35.2 %, while low N deposition damaging the accumulation of bacterial necromass in soil by 12.1 %. On the whole, N deposition benefitted the dominance of fungal over bacterial necromass, with their ratio being significantly greater at high-N level. The accumulation of microbial necromass was primarily governed by soil properties, including nutrients stoichiometry, clay content and pH, while the composition of microbial necromass was conjointly affected by soil properties and microbial community structure. The latitudinal distribution of microbial necromass contributions to SOC pool was not altered by N deposition, and was firmly controlled by the climatic and edaphic factors. Collectively, our results reveal the impacts of N deposition on microbial necromass accumulation in soil and the geographical pattern across forest ecosystems in eastern China, providing implications for our accurate predictions of global change impacts on SOC sequestration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Tian
- School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xuechao Zhao
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shengen Liu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Qinggui Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Peng Guo
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Hebei College of Industry and Technology, Shijiazhuang 050091, China
| | - Bahar S Razavi
- Dept. Soil and Plant Microbiome, Institute of Phytopathology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Chao Liang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Qingkui Wang
- School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110016, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wilcots ME, Schroeder KM, DeLancey LC, Kjaer SJ, Hobbie SE, Seabloom EW, Borer ET. Realistic rates of nitrogen addition increase carbon flux rates but do not change soil carbon stocks in a temperate grassland. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4819-4831. [PMID: 35593000 PMCID: PMC9545222 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Changes in the biosphere carbon (C) sink are of utmost importance given rising atmospheric CO2 levels. Concurrent global changes, such as increasing nitrogen (N) deposition, are affecting how much C can be stored in terrestrial ecosystems. Understanding the extent of these impacts will help in predicting the fate of the biosphere C sink. However, most N addition experiments add N in rates that greatly exceed ambient rates of N deposition, making inference from current knowledge difficult. Here, we leveraged data from a 13-year N addition gradient experiment with addition rates spanning realistic rates of N deposition (0, 1, 5, and 10 g N m-2 year-1 ) to assess the rates of N addition at which C uptake and storage were stimulated in a temperate grassland. Very low rates of N addition stimulated gross primary productivity and plant biomass, but also stimulated ecosystem respiration such that there was no net change in C uptake or storage. Furthermore, we found consistent, nonlinear relationships between N addition rate and plant responses such that intermediate rates of N addition induced the greatest ecosystem responses. Soil pH and microbial biomass and respiration all declined with increasing N addition indicating that negative consequences of N addition have direct effects on belowground processes, which could then affect whole ecosystem C uptake and storage. Our work demonstrates that experiments that add large amounts of N may be underestimating the effect of low to intermediate rates of N deposition on grassland C cycling. Furthermore, we show that plant biomass does not reliably indicate rates of C uptake or soil C storage, and that measuring rates of C loss (i.e., ecosystem and soil respiration) in conjunction with rates of C uptake and C pools are crucial for accurately understanding grassland C storage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan E. Wilcots
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Katie M. Schroeder
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | - Lang C. DeLancey
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Savannah J. Kjaer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Sarah E. Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Eric W. Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Elizabeth T. Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Plant C and N Pools Improved by N Addition Levels but Not Frequencies in a Typical Grassland of Northern China. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13060851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The pools of plant community carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are important sources of soil organic matter in terrestrial ecosystems and directly affect soil C and N cycling. A large amount of studies were manipulated with multiple N levels on soil C and N pools. However, how and whether the frequency of N addition can affect the plant C and N pools is still unclear. In order to comprehensively understand the N addition effects (including frequencies and levels) on C and N pools of the plant community, we executed a randomized complete block experiment with the addition of five levels of N, including 0, 2, 10, 20 and 50 g N m−2 yr−1 (designated as N-0, N-2, N-10, N-20 and N-50) and two N addition frequencies (twice a year vs. monthly, F2, F12) in August of 2008. After 5 years of treatment, the physical-chemical properties of the plants and soil were measured in 2013. The results indicated that with increasing N addition levels, the C and N pools of the plant community significantly increased, while N addition frequency had no significant effects. Moreover, significant interactions between N addition levels and the frequencies on the C and N pools of the plant community were also found in this typical grassland. Under different frequencies of N addition treatment, the plant community C and N pools showed different response patterns along with N addition levels in plants aboveground and belowground, respectively. Under different frequencies of N addition, the changes in the C and N pools of the plant community caused by N addition were regulated by different environmental factors. We highlight that long-term N deposition could affect the plant community C and N pools and would influence C and N cycling of terrestrial ecosystems based on global climate change in the future.
Collapse
|
9
|
Peach ME, Richardson JB, Friedland AJ. Legacies of Nutrient Accumulation and Depletion in Residential Ecosystems. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00623-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
10
|
Liu H, Wang R, Lü XT, Cai J, Feng X, Yang G, Li H, Zhang Y, Han X, Jiang Y. Effects of nitrogen addition on plant-soil micronutrients vary with nitrogen form and mowing management in a meadow steppe. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 289:117969. [PMID: 34426201 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) addition and mowing can significantly influence micronutrient cycling in grassland ecosystems. It remains largely unknown about how different forms of added N affect micronutrient status in plant-soil systems. We examined the effects of different N compounds of (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3, and urea with and without mowing on micronutrient Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in soil-plant systems in a meadow steppe. The results showed that (NH4)2SO4 addition had a stronger negative effect on soil pH compared with NH4NO3 and urea, resulting in higher increases in soil available Fe and Mn herein. Nitrogen addition decreased plant community-level biomass weighted (hereafter referred to as community-level) Fe concentration but increased Mn concentration, with a greater effect under (NH4)2SO4 addition. Community-level Cu concentration increased with (NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3 addition only under mowing treatment. Mowing synergistically interacted with urea addition to increase community-level Mn and Zn concentrations even with decreased soil organic matter, possibly because of compensatory plant growth and thus higher plant nutrient uptake intensity under mowing treatment. Overall, responses of plant-soil micronutrients to N addition varied with mowing and different N compounds, which were mainly regulated by soil physicochemical properties and plant growth. Different magnitude of micronutrient responses in plants and soils shed light on the necessity to consider the role of various N compounds in biogeochemical models when projecting the effects of N enrichment on grassland ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heyong Liu
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Ruzhen Wang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China.
| | - Xiao-Tao Lü
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Jiangping Cai
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Xue Feng
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Guojiao Yang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Hui Li
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| | - Yuge Zhang
- College of Environment, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110044, China
| | - Xingguo Han
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China; State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yong Jiang
- Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chen L, Baoyin T, Minggagud H. Effects of mowing regimes on above- and belowground biota in semi-arid grassland of northern China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 277:111441. [PMID: 33035940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mowing is a widely used practice for haymaking in the semi-arid grassland of northern China. Yet, how it impacts above- and belowground biota and ultimately affects the grassland ecosystem is unclear. Here we address this question by investigating the effects of three mowing regimes (no mowing, mowing once per year, mowing twice every three years) on vegetation characteristics, soil properties, and microbial communities in semi-arid grassland of Inner Mongolia. Our results show that two types of mowing treatments preserve high plant productivity by increasing subordinate species. However, mowing once per year led to grassland degradation when applied over a seven-year period. Mowing twice every three years facilitates soil bacterial communities and microbial interactions by generating a nutrient-rich ecological niche, whereas mowing once per year negatively impacted them via lessen the substrate quality. Given its clear positive effects upon above- and belowground biota, mowing twice every three years is the most suitable, convenient management practice for sustaining plant species richness on this type of grassland, a finding which suggests that sustainable utilization of grassland resources can only be achieved by using modest rotation cutting practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Taogetao Baoyin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| | - Hugjiltu Minggagud
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau & Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Yang Z, Minggagud H, Baoyin T, Li FY. Plant production decreases whereas nutrients concentration increases in response to the decrease of mowing stubble height. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 253:109745. [PMID: 31671323 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mowing is a common practice in grassland management. It removes the majority of current year's aboveground plant biomass and thus substantial amounts of nutrients residing in plant tissues. The responses of plant aboveground biomass and nutrients to mowing stubble height is of great importance for developing sustainable mowing regimes, however, they are not well understood. We studied the effects of 4-year annual mowing at different height on plant aboveground biomass, plant N, P and N:P ratio, and soil nutrients in an Inner Mongolian steppe. Six stubble heights were set respectively at 14 cm (M14), 12 cm (M12), 10 cm (M10), 8 cm (M8), 6 cm (M6) and less than 0.3 cm (M0) height to ground surface. A no-mowing treatment (CK) was also included, making seven treatments. The results show that plant biomass production increased under light mowing (stubble height > 12 cm) but decreased under heavy mowing (stubble height < 6 cm), and the optimal stubble height for sustainable mowing was 6-12 cm. Plant N and P concentrations increased with mowing intensity (i.e. with the decrease of mowing stubble height). Plant N:P ratio decreased for some species, but no a directional change was detected in plant N:P ratio at the community level, nor in soil organic carbon and nutrient concentrations across the stubble height treatments. Our results indicate that plant biomass and N & P respond quickly to mowing height, whereas the response of soil chemical properties is insignificant over the 4-year period. To elucidate variation of species compensatory growth along mowing intensity gradient and the mutual feedback mechanism of soil-plant in mowing grassland, long-term study at permanent sites with changing stubble heights should be strengthened.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Yang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau &Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Hugjiltu Minggagud
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau &Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Taogetao Baoyin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau &Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China
| | - Frank Yonghong Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Ecology and Resource Use of the Mongolian Plateau &Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology, School of Ecology and Environment, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, 010021, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Wang J, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Yang J, Smith MD, Knapp AK, Eissenstat DM, Han X. Asymmetry in above- and belowground productivity responses to N addition in a semi-arid temperate steppe. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:2958-2969. [PMID: 31152626 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) enrichment often increases aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the ecosystem, but it is unclear if belowground net primary productivity (BNPP) track responses of ANPP. Moreover, the frequency of N inputs may affect primary productivity but is rarely studied. To assess the response patterns of above- and belowground productivity to rates of N addition under different addition frequencies, we manipulated the rate (0-50 g N m-2 year-1 ) and frequency (twice vs. monthly additions per year) of NH4 NO3 inputs for six consecutive years in a temperate grassland in northern China and measured ANPP and BNPP from 2012 to 2014. In the low range of N addition rates, BNPP showed the greatest negative response and ANPP showed the greatest positive responses with increases in N addition (<10 g N m-2 year-1 ). As N addition increased beyond 10 g N m-2 year-1 , increases in ANPP dampened and decreases in BNPP ceased altogether. The response pattern of net primary productivity (combined above- and belowground; NPP) corresponded more closely to ANPP than to BNPP. The N effects on BNPP and BNPP/NPP (fBNPP ) were not dependent on N addition frequency in the range of N additions typically associated with N deposition. BNPP was more sensitive to N addition frequency than ANPP, especially at low rates of N addition. Our findings provide new insights into how plants regulate carbon allocation to different organs with increasing N rates and changing addition frequencies. These root response patterns, if incorporated into Earth system models, may improve the predictive power of C dynamics in dryland ecosystems in the face of global atmospheric N deposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Yingzhi Gao
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yunhai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Junjie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Melinda D Smith
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Alan K Knapp
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - David M Eissenstat
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Xingguo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| |
Collapse
|