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Tariq A, Graciano C, Sardans J, Zeng F, Hughes AC, Ahmed Z, Ullah A, Ali S, Gao Y, Peñuelas J. Plant root mechanisms and their effects on carbon and nutrient accumulation in desert ecosystems under changes in land use and climate. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:916-934. [PMID: 38482544 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Deserts represent key carbon reservoirs, yet as these systems are threatened this has implications for biodiversity and climate change. This review focuses on how these changes affect desert ecosystems, particularly plant root systems and their impact on carbon and mineral nutrient stocks. Desert plants have diverse root architectures shaped by water acquisition strategies, affecting plant biomass and overall carbon and nutrient stocks. Climate change can disrupt desert plant communities, with droughts impacting both shallow and deep-rooted plants as groundwater levels fluctuate. Vegetation management practices, like grazing, significantly influence plant communities, soil composition, root microorganisms, biomass, and nutrient stocks. Shallow-rooted plants are particularly susceptible to climate change and human interference. To safeguard desert ecosystems, understanding root architecture and deep soil layers is crucial. Implementing strategic management practices such as reducing grazing pressure, maintaining moderate harvesting levels, and adopting moderate fertilization can help preserve plant-soil systems. Employing socio-ecological approaches for community restoration enhances carbon and nutrient retention, limits desert expansion, and reduces CO2 emissions. This review underscores the importance of investigating belowground plant processes and their role in shaping desert landscapes, emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of desert ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Tariq
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Corina Graciano
- Instituto de Fisiología Vegetal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 1900, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Fanjiang Zeng
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 852, China
| | - Zeeshan Ahmed
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Abd Ullah
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Sikandar Ali
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanju Gao
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China
- Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystems, Cele, 848300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit, CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08193, Catalonia, Spain
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Zhang Y, Cheng X, van Groenigen KJ, García-Palacios P, Cao J, Zheng X, Luo Y, Hungate BA, Terrer C, Butterbach-Bahl K, Olesen JE, Chen J. Shifts in soil ammonia-oxidizing community maintain the nitrogen stimulation of nitrification across climatic conditions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e16989. [PMID: 37888833 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loading alters soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) abundances, likely leading to substantial changes in soil nitrification. However, the factors and mechanisms determining the responses of soil AOA:AOB and nitrification to N loading are still unclear, making it difficult to predict future changes in soil nitrification. Herein, we synthesize 68 field studies around the world to evaluate the impacts of N loading on soil ammonia oxidizers and nitrification. Across a wide range of biotic and abiotic factors, climate is the most important driver of the responses of AOA:AOB to N loading. Climate does not directly affect the N-stimulation of nitrification, but does so via climate-related shifts in AOA:AOB. Specifically, climate modulates the responses of AOA:AOB to N loading by affecting soil pH, N-availability and moisture. AOB play a dominant role in affecting nitrification in dry climates, while the impacts from AOA can exceed AOB in humid climates. Together, these results suggest that climate-related shifts in soil ammonia-oxidizing community maintain the N-stimulation of nitrification, highlighting the importance of microbial community composition in mediating the responses of the soil N cycle to N loading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Health in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoli Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Soil Ecology and Health in Universities of Yunnan Province, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Kees Jan van Groenigen
- Department of Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Pablo García-Palacios
- Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Junji Cao
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xunhua Zheng
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqi Luo
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, New York, Ithaca, USA
| | - Bruce A Hungate
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Arizona, Flagstaff, USA
| | - Cesar Terrer
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts, Cambridge, USA
| | - Klaus Butterbach-Bahl
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
- Center for Landscape Research in Sustainable Agricultural Futures, Land-CRAFT, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jørgen Eivind Olesen
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
- Aarhus University Centre for Circular Bioeconomy, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
- iCLIMATE Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
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Williamson M, Ball BA. Soil biogeochemical responses to multiple co-occurring forms of human-induced environmental change. Oecologia 2023; 201:1109-1121. [PMID: 36928931 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05360-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Human activities cause a multitude of environmental issues, including increased temperatures and altered precipitation patterns associated with climate change, air pollution, and other impacts of urbanization. One area highly affected by these issues is the Sonoran Desert, specifically the Phoenix metropolitan area where urbanization is among the most rapid in the United States. Most studies investigate these multiple environmental change factors independently or sometimes in pairs, but rarely all together as co-occurring forms of change. We examined how the simultaneous manipulation of increasing temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, nitrogen deposition, and urbanization influenced soil respiration and mineral N pools in the Sonoran Desert. Soil was collected from urban and exurban sites, from both nitrogen-fertilized and control plots. To simulate projected climate change, the soils were incubated in microcosm at the annual average Phoenix temperature as well a 2 ℃ increase under a factorial precipitation treatment of decreased frequency and increased pulse size. Our results show that C and N dynamics were altered by all four forms of environmental change. However, the dominance of significant 3- and 4-way interactions among the four environmental factors for both respiration and mineral N pools demonstrates that the impact of any given form of environmental change will depend on the levels of the other environmental factors. In other words, the cumulative effect of altered precipitation, fertilization, temperature, and urbanization on soil biogeochemical processes is not necessarily predictable from their individual impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Williamson
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University at the West Campus, 1407 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ, 85306, USA
| | - Becky A Ball
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University at the West Campus, 1407 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ, 85306, USA.
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Shen H, Dong S, Xiao J, Zhi Y. Short-term warming and N deposition alter the photosynthetic pigments trade-off in leaves of Leymus secalinus growing in different alpine grassland habitats on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:15282-15292. [PMID: 36166121 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22805-3] [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: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Warming and N (nitrogen) deposition are the two main driving factors of global change. We examined the effects of increased N deposition (8 kg ha-1 year-1) and warming, as well as their combined effect on the leaf photosynthetic pigments of Leymus secalinus, which is one of the key alpine plants growing in different grassland habitats on Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. In 2014, the experiments were established in 12 plots (2×5m) of three types of habitats including alpine meadow (AM), alpine steppe (AS), and cultivated grassland (CG) with the following treatments: CK (control treatment), N (only N deposition), W (only warming), and W&N (warming combined with N deposition). Results showed that the effects of warming and N deposition on photosynthetic pigments of Leymus secalinus varied with different grassland habitat types. In three grassland types, warming led to no significant effects on the total chlorophyll content of L. secalinus, while N deposition alone only significantly enhanced total chlorophyll content in alpine meadow and cultivated grassland. N deposition combined with warming only significantly enhanced total chlorophyll content of L. secalinus in alpine steppe and cultivated grassland. Chla content plays an important role in determining the variation of total chlorophyll content. Chla/Chlb ratio of L. secalinus was more stable in alpine meadow compared with that of L. secalinus in the other two grassland types. Car/Chl ratio of L. secalinus was not prone to be affected by warming and N deposition in all grassland types. Leaf N content was obviously positively correlated with photosynthetic pigments, especially Chla content. Warming and N deposition all affected photosynthetic pigment dynamics and tended to increase Chla by enhancing its weight. Our results highlighted that both warming and N deposition as well as their combination can alter the trade-off of photosynthetic pigments through enhancing the Chla ratio in L. secalinus. In addition, growing habitats should be within consideration when studying alpine plants adaptation mechanism to global change in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shen
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Shikui Dong
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Jiannan Xiao
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yangliu Zhi
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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McDonough AM, Watmough SA. Interactive effects of precipitation and above canopy nitrogen deposition on understorey vascular plants in a jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forest in northern Alberta, Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158708. [PMID: 36099949 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158708] [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: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition in the bituminous sands region of northern Alberta, Canada is localized but expected to increase over time. Here we seek to determine the effects of above canopy N deposition on understorey vascular plants in a jack pine (Pinus banksiana) stand in a five-year experimental study. Aqueous N (ammonium nitrate) was applied four times annually (May through October) via helicopter above the canopy between 2011 and 2015 across a narrow but environmentally relevant N deposition gradient (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 kg N ha-1 yr-1). Changes in vascular plant species richness, diversity and total vascular cover were best explained by throughfall water flux, but the positive responses to precipitation decreased with increasing N application. Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Maianthemum canadense showed positive cover increases in wet years; however, the positive cover expansion at ≥5 kg N ha-1 yr-1 treatments was suppressed relative to controls. Total cover expansion was muted in low precipitation years in treatments ≥10 kg N ha-1 yr-1. In contrast, Vaccinium vitis-idaea cover changes ≥10 kg N ha-1 yr-1 were consistently negative. There were no differences in soil net N mineralization rates, plant foliar N or NO3- leaching among treatments. We conjecture the extensive moss/lichen layer of the forest floor that accumulates most of incoming N in throughfall allows them to outcompete vascular plants for water during higher precipitation years, effectively reducing vascular cover expansion relative to controls. This work suggests the response of vascular plants in xeric jack pine ecosystems may interact with climate and these interactions should be considered in risk assessment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M McDonough
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, 125 Resources Road, Etobicoke, Ontario MP9 3V6, Canada.
| | - Shaun A Watmough
- School of the Environment, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8, Canada
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Miao C, Bai Y, Zhang Y, She W, Liu L, Qiao Y, Qin S. Interspecific interactions alter plant functional strategies in a revegetated shrub-dominated community in the Mu Us Desert, China. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:149-158. [PMID: 35311887 PMCID: PMC9445594 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies investigating plant-plant interactions have focused on plant growth, context dependence and shifts in interactive outcomes. However, changes in functional traits in the context of interactions have been inadequately explored; few studies have focused on the effects of interactions on the plasticity of functional strategies. METHODS We conducted a 4-year removal experiment for the xeric shrub Artemisia ordosica and perennial graminoids (PGs) in the Mu Us Desert, northern China. Soil nutrient content, biomass and 12 functional traits related to plant morphology and nutrient status were measured for the shrub species and a dominant PG species (i.e. Leymus secalinus) in the presence and absence of shrubs and PGs. KEY RESULTS Shrubs affected the functional traits of L. secalinus, reducing leaf dry matter content and increasing plant height, which probably promoted the functional strategy of L. secalinus towards a more resource-acquisitive and competitive strategy. In contrast, when the shrubs were affected by PGs, they shifted towards a resource-conservative and stress-tolerative strategy, by increasing leaf dry matter content and decreasing specific leaf area. Moreover, the shrub species relied more on internal nutrient recycling (higher nitrogen resorption efficiency) rather than on external nitrogen uptake under nitrogen competition; instead, L. secalinus tended to exhibit higher external nitrogen uptake from soil during nitrogen shortages. CONCLUSIONS This study indicated that the functional strategies and nutrient cycling of the shrub species and the dominant PG were altered by each other. The shifts in functional traits may help plants to coexist in the community for a relatively long time. Our findings highlighted that interspecific interactions alter plant functional strategies and provided new insights into community assembly and succession mechanisms in a revegetated shrubland for ecological restoration of drylands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Miao
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxuan Bai
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | | | - Weiwei She
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yangui Qiao
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Shugao Qin
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- Engineering Research Center of Forestry Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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Zang YX, Xu WX, Wu K, Yang WK. Effect of Nitrogen Application on the Sensitivity of Desert Shrub Community Productivity to Precipitation in Central Asia. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:916706. [PMID: 35923882 PMCID: PMC9340062 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.916706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Precipitation variability and nitrogen (N) deposition caused by anthropogenic activities could profoundly impact ecosystem productivity and carbon cycling. In desert ecosystems, vegetation is sensitive to changes in precipitation and N deposition. However, the impacts of large changes in precipitation, especially with a concurrent increase in N content, on plant community remain unclear. In this study, we carried out experiments to monitor the impacts of five precipitation levels and two N levels on the plant community function and composition from the Junggar desert in Central Asia during the period 2018-2019. Our results showed that: (1) Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) significantly increased with increasing precipitation, it followed a positive linear model under normal precipitation range, and nonlinear mode under extreme precipitation events; (2) N application led to an increase in ANPP, but did not significantly improve the sensitivity of ANPP to precipitation change; (3) Changes in N content and precipitation, and their impacts on ANPP were mainly driven by plant density. These results provide a theoretical basis for predict the future dynamics of terrestrial vegetation more accurately under climate change and increasing nitrogen deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Xin Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wen-Xuan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Ke Wu
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
| | - Wei-Kang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- The Specimen Museum of Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China
- Mori Wildlife Monitoring and Experimentation Station, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mori, China
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Wheeler MM, Collins SL, Grimm NB, Cook EM, Clark C, Sponseller RA, Hall SJ. Water and nitrogen shape winter annual plant diversity and community composition in near‐urban Sonoran Desert preserves. ECOL MONOGR 2021; 91:1-19. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Megan M. Wheeler
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University P.O. Box 874501 Tempe Arizona 85287‐4501 USA
| | - Scott L. Collins
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico 1 University of New Mexico MSC03 2020 Albuquerque New Mexico 87131‐0001 USA
| | - Nancy B. Grimm
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University P.O. Box 874501 Tempe Arizona 85287‐4501 USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Cook
- Department of Environmental Science Barnard College 3009 Broadway New York City New York 10027 USA
| | - Christopher Clark
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C. 20004 USA
| | - Ryan A. Sponseller
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Umeå University SE‐ 901 87 Umeå Sweden
| | - Sharon J. Hall
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University P.O. Box 874501 Tempe Arizona 85287‐4501 USA
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Guo JS, Gear L, Hultine KR, Koch GW, Ogle K. Non-structural carbohydrate dynamics associated with antecedent stem water potential and air temperature in a dominant desert shrub. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2020; 43:1467-1483. [PMID: 32112440 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) are necessary for plant growth and affected by plant water status, but the temporal dynamics of water stress impacts on NSC are not well understood. We evaluated how seasonal NSC concentrations varied with plant water status (predawn xylem water potential, Ψ) and air temperature (T) in the evergreen desert shrub Larrea tridentata. Aboveground sugar and starch concentrations were measured weekly or monthly for ~1.5 years on 6-12 shrubs simultaneously instrumented with automated stem psychrometers; leaf photosynthesis (Anet ) was measured monthly for 1 year. Leaf sugar increased during the dry, premonsoon period, associated with lower Ψ (greater water stress) and high T. Leaf sugar accumulation coincided with declines in leaf starch and stem sugar, suggesting the prioritization of leaf sugar during low photosynthetic uptake. Leaf starch was strongly correlated with Anet and peaked during the spring and monsoon seasons, while stem starch remained relatively constant except for depletion during the monsoon. Recent photosynthate appeared sufficient to support spring growth, while monsoon growth required the remobilization of stem starch reserves. The coordinated responses of different NSC fractions to water status, photosynthesis, and growth demands suggest that NSCs serve multiple functions under extreme environmental conditions, including severe drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Guo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Linnea Gear
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Kevin R Hultine
- Department of Research, Conservation, and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - George W Koch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Kiona Ogle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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Guo JS, Hultine KR, Koch GW, Kropp H, Ogle K. Temporal shifts in iso/anisohydry revealed from daily observations of plant water potential in a dominant desert shrub. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2020; 225:713-726. [PMID: 31519032 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Plant species are characterized along a spectrum of isohydry to anisohydry depending on their regulation of water potential (Ψ), but the plasticity of hydraulic strategies is largely unknown. The role of environmental drivers was evaluated in the hydraulic behavior of Larrea tridentata, a drought-tolerant desert shrub that withstands a wide range of environmental conditions. With a 1.5 yr time-series of 2324 in situ measurements of daily predawn and midday Ψ, the temporal variability of hydraulic behavior was explored in relation to soil water supply, atmospheric demand and temperature. Hydraulic behavior in Larrea was highly dynamic, ranging from partial isohydry to extreme anisohydry. Larrea exhibited extreme anisohydry under wet soil conditions corresponding to periods of high productivity, whereas partial isohydry was exhibited after prolonged dry or cold conditions, when productivity was low. Environmental conditions can strongly influence plant hydraulic behavior at relatively fast timescales, which enhances our understanding of plant drought responses. Although species may exhibit a dominant hydraulic behavior, variable environmental conditions can prompt plasticity in Ψ regulation, particularly for species in seasonally dry climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica S Guo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Kevin R Hultine
- Department of Research, Conservation, and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ, 85008, USA
| | - George W Koch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Heather Kropp
- Department of Geography, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, 13346, USA
| | - Kiona Ogle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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Chen Y, Zhang L, Shi X, Liu H, Zhang D. Life history responses of two ephemeral plant species to increased precipitation and nitrogen in the Gurbantunggut Desert. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6158. [PMID: 30648013 PMCID: PMC6330950 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Precipitation change and nitrogen deposition are not only hot topics of current global change but also the main environmental factors affecting plant growth in desert ecosystems. Thus, we performed an experiment of increased precipitation, nitrogen, and precipitation plus nitrogen on the ephemeral annual species Nepeta micrantha and Eremopyrum distans in the Gurbantunggut Desert. We aimed to determine the life history responses of N. micrantha and E. distans to environment changes, and the germination percentage of the offspring (seeds) was also tested in the laboratory. The results showed that increased nitrogen and precipitation plus nitrogen increased the growth of both plant species, whereas increased precipitation inhibited the growth of N. micrantha but increased the growth of E. distans. This differential response of these two species to precipitation and nitrogen also affected the germination of their offspring. In response to increased nitrogen and precipitation plus nitrogen, the germination percentage of the offspring produced by two species decreased in conjunction with the plants exhibiting high reproduction, which may prevent overcrowding during the following year; however, the N. micrantha plants produced more nondormant offspring in conjunction with low reproduction under relatively greater amounts of precipitation, and N. micrantha offspring could occupy their habitat via rapid germination in suitable environments. Therefore, with increased precipitation and nitrogen deposition, these differences in offspring dormancy may affect their ecological niche in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfeng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urümqi, Xinjiang, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lingwei Zhang
- College of Grassland and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urümqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Xiang Shi
- College of Agriculture, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Huiliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urümqi, Xinjiang, China.,Yili Botanical Garden, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Xinyuan, Xinjiang, China
| | - Daoyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urümqi, Xinjiang, China.,Turpan Eremophytes Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Turpan, Xinjiang, China
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12
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Cook EM, Sponseller R, Grimm NB, Hall SJ. Mixed method approach to assess atmospheric nitrogen deposition in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 239:617-630. [PMID: 29705717 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Arid and semi-arid ecosystems (aridlands) cover a third of Earth's terrestrial surface and contain organisms that are sensitive to low level atmospheric pollutants. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) inputs to aridlands are likely to cause changes in plant community composition, fire frequency, and carbon cycling and storage. However, few studies have documented long-term rates of atmospheric N inputs in aridlands because dry deposition is technically difficult to quantify, and extensive sampling is needed to capture fluxes with spatially and temporally heterogeneous rainfall patterns. Here, we quantified long-term spatial and temporal patterns of inorganic N deposition in protected aridland ecosystems across an extensive urban-rural gradient using multiple sampling methods. We compared long-term rates of N deposition from ion-exchange resin (IER) collectors (bulk and throughfall, 2006-2015), wet-dry bucket collectors (2006-2015), and dry deposition from the inferential method using passive samplers (2010-2012). From mixed approaches with IER collectors and inferential methods, we determined that 7.2 ± 0.4 kgNha-1y-1 is deposited to protected Sonoran Desert within metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona and 6.1 ± 0.3 kgNha-1y-1 in nearby desert ecosystems. Regional scale models overestimated deposition rates for our sampling period by 60% and misidentified hot spots of deposition across the airshed. By contrast, the easy-deployment IER throughfall collectors showed minimal spatial variation across the urban-rural gradient and underestimated deposition fluxes by 54%, largely because of underestimated dry deposition in throughfall. However, seasonal sampling of the IER collectors over 10 years allowed us to capture significant seasonal variation in N deposition and the importance of precipitation timing. These results, derived from the longest, spatially and temporally explicit dataset in drylands, highlight the need for long-term, mixed methods to estimate atmospheric nutrient enrichment to aridlands in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Cook
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
| | - Ryan Sponseller
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nancy B Grimm
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA; Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Sharon J Hall
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA; Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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13
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Cui X, Yue P, Gong Y, Li K, Tan D, Goulding K, Liu X. Impacts of water and nitrogen addition on nitrogen recovery in Haloxylon ammodendron dominated desert ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 601-602:1280-1288. [PMID: 28605846 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Desert ecosystems are likely to change in response to global climate change and nitrogen (N) deposition. The effects of increased precipitation and N deposition on plant growth and the N cycle largely depend on N allocation and N recovery efficiency in the plant-soil ecosystem, but there is limited research on this in desert ecosystems. Here we report results using double-labeled 15NH415NO3 (30 and 60kgNha-1yr-1) as a tracer under ambient (no additional water addition) and enhanced precipitation (60mm water addition) in a Haloxylon ammodendron dominated ecosystem in the Gurbantunggut Desert of Northwest China. Herbaceous plants were a significantly larger sink for added 15N than the H. ammodendron trees, and N retention varied with water and N addition, relative to growing season precipitation. The retention of added 15N varied within the components of H. ammodendron, with the stems retaining most, followed by the assimilation branches. Soil was the dominant sink for added 15N, in which the topsoil and subsoil respond differently to water and N addition over the two-year period. Nitrogen relative recovery percentage in the whole ecosystem ranged from 43% to 61%, lower than average recovery rate in temperate forests; N tracer recovery percentage significantly increased with water addition but decreased with enhanced N deposition. Future N cycling in central Asian deserts will depend on changes in precipitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Cui
- Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ping Yue
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Yanming Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Kaihui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Dunyan Tan
- Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Soil and Plant Ecological Processes, College of Grassland and Environment Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
| | - Keith Goulding
- The Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Xuejun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions of MOE, Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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14
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Clark CM, Bell MD, Boyd JW, Compton JE, Davidson EA, Davis C, Fenn ME, Geiser L, Jones L, Blett TF. Nitrogen‐induced terrestrial eutrophication: cascading effects and impacts on ecosystem services. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Clark
- National Center for Environmental Assessment Office of Research and Development U.S. EPA Washington D.C. 20460 USA
| | - Michael D. Bell
- Air Resources Division National Park Service Lakewood Colorado 80225 USA
| | | | - Jana E. Compton
- Western Ecology Division Office of Research and Development U.S. EPA Corvallis Oregon 97333 USA
| | - Eric A. Davidson
- Appalachian Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Frostburg Maryland 21532 USA
| | - Christine Davis
- Office of Air and Radiation, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards U.S. EPA Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 USA
| | - Mark E. Fenn
- Pacific Southwest Research Station USDA Forest Service Riverside California 92607 USA
| | - Linda Geiser
- Washington Office‐Water Wildlife Fish Air and Rare Plants USDA Forest Service Washington D.C. 20250 USA
| | - Laurence Jones
- Environment Centre Wales Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Deiniol Road Bangor LL57 2UW United Kingdom
| | - Tamara F. Blett
- Air Resources Division National Park Service Lakewood Colorado 80225 USA
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15
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Ripplinger J, Collins SL, York AM, Franklin J. Boom–bust economics and vegetation dynamics in a desert city: How strong is the link? Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Ripplinger
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287 USA
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences University of California – Riverside Riverside California 92521 USA
| | - Scott L. Collins
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287 USA
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico 87131 USA
| | - Abigail M. York
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287 USA
| | - Janet Franklin
- School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning Arizona State University Tempe Arizona 85287 USA
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16
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McHugh TA, Morrissey EM, Mueller RC, Gallegos-Graves LV, Kuske CR, Reed SC. Bacterial, fungal, and plant communities exhibit no biomass or compositional response to two years of simulated nitrogen deposition in a semiarid grassland. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:1600-1611. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Theresa A. McHugh
- U.S. Geological Survey; Southwest Biological Science Center; Moab UT USA
- Department of Biological Sciences; Colorado Mesa University; Grand Junction CO USA
| | - Ember M. Morrissey
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences; West Virginia University; Morgantown WV USA
| | | | | | - Cheryl R. Kuske
- Bioscience Division; Los Alamos National Laboratory; Los Alamos NM USA
| | - Sasha C. Reed
- U.S. Geological Survey; Southwest Biological Science Center; Moab UT USA
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17
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Collins SL, Ladwig LM, Petrie MD, Jones SK, Mulhouse JM, Thibault JR, Pockman WT. Press-pulse interactions: effects of warming, N deposition, altered winter precipitation, and fire on desert grassland community structure and dynamics. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:1095-1108. [PMID: 27612326 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Global environmental change is altering temperature, precipitation patterns, resource availability, and disturbance regimes. Theory predicts that ecological presses will interact with pulse events to alter ecosystem structure and function. In 2006, we established a long-term, multifactor global change experiment to determine the interactive effects of nighttime warming, increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, and increased winter precipitation on plant community structure and aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in a northern Chihuahuan Desert grassland. In 2009, a lightning-caused wildfire burned through the experiment. Here, we report on the interactive effects of these global change drivers on pre- and postfire grassland community structure and ANPP. Our nighttime warming treatment increased winter nighttime air temperatures by an average of 1.1 °C and summer nighttime air temperature by 1.5 °C. Soil N availability was 2.5 times higher in fertilized compared with control plots. Average soil volumetric water content (VWC) in winter was slightly but significantly higher (13.0% vs. 11.0%) in plots receiving added winter rain relative to controls, and VWC was slightly higher in warmed (14.5%) compared with control (13.5%) plots during the growing season even though surface soil temperatures were significantly higher in warmed plots. Despite these significant treatment effects, ANPP and plant community structure were highly resistant to these global change drivers prior to the fire. Burning reduced the cover of the dominant grasses by more than 75%. Following the fire, forb species richness and biomass increased significantly, particularly in warmed, fertilized plots that received additional winter precipitation. Thus, although unburned grassland showed little initial response to multiple ecological presses, our results demonstrate how a single pulse disturbance can interact with chronic alterations in resource availability to increase ecosystem sensitivity to multiple drivers of global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott L Collins
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Laura M Ladwig
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, 430 Lincoln Drive, 545 Birge Hall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Matthew D Petrie
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Sydney K Jones
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - John M Mulhouse
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - James R Thibault
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - William T Pockman
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
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18
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The Sensitivity of Evapotranspiration to Inter-Specific Plant Neighbor Interactions: Implications for Models. Ecosystems 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-017-0112-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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She W, Zhang Y, Qin S, Wu B, Bai Y. Increased Precipitation and Nitrogen Alter Shrub Architecture in a Desert Shrubland: Implications for Primary Production. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1908. [PMID: 28066468 PMCID: PMC5167761 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Shrublands are one of the major types of ecosystems in the desert regions of northern China, which is expected to be substantially more sensitive to global environmental changes, such as widespread nitrogen enrichment and precipitation changes, than other ecosystem types. However, the interactive effects of nitrogen and precipitation on them remain poorly understood. We conducted a fully factorial field experiment simulating three levels of precipitation (ambient, +20%, +40%) and with two levels of nitrogen deposition (ambient, 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1) in a desert shrubland in the Mu Us Desert of northern China. We used plant architectural traits (plant cover, volume, twig size and number) as proxies to predict aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the dominant shrub (Artemisia ordosica Krasch), and assessed the responses of plant productivity and architectural traits to water and nitrogen addition. We found significant differences in twig size and number of A. ordosica under water and nitrogen treatments but not in shrub cover/volume, which suggest that twig size and number of the shrub species were more sensitive to environmental changes. The productivity of the overall community was sensitive to increased precipitation and nitrogen, and shrubs played a more important role than herbaceous plants in driving productivity in this ecosystem. Precipitation- and nitrogen-induced increases in vegetation production were positively associated with increases in twig size and number of the dominant shrub. Water addition enhanced the twig length of A. ordosica, while nitrogen addition resulted in increased twig density (the number of twigs per square meter). Water and nitrogen interacted to affect twig length, but not twig number and shrub ANPP. The trade-off, defined as negative covariance between twig size and number, was likely the mechanism underlying the responses of twig length and shrub ANPP to water and nitrogen interactions. Our results highlight the sensitivity of twig size and number as indicators to estimate shrub production and the mechanism underpinning desert shrub ANPP response to global environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei She
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Shugao Qin
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
- Engineering Research Center of Forestry Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Bin Wu
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Yuxuan Bai
- Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry UniversityBeijing, China
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20
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Simkin SM, Allen EB, Bowman WD, Clark CM, Belnap J, Brooks ML, Cade BS, Collins SL, Geiser LH, Gilliam FS, Jovan SE, Pardo LH, Schulz BK, Stevens CJ, Suding KN, Throop HL, Waller DM. Conditional vulnerability of plant diversity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across the United States. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4086-91. [PMID: 27035943 PMCID: PMC4839424 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1515241113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has been shown to decrease plant species richness along regional deposition gradients in Europe and in experimental manipulations. However, the general response of species richness to N deposition across different vegetation types, soil conditions, and climates remains largely unknown even though responses may be contingent on these environmental factors. We assessed the effect of N deposition on herbaceous richness for 15,136 forest, woodland, shrubland, and grassland sites across the continental United States, to address how edaphic and climatic conditions altered vulnerability to this stressor. In our dataset, with N deposition ranging from 1 to 19 kg N⋅ha(-1)⋅y(-1), we found a unimodal relationship; richness increased at low deposition levels and decreased above 8.7 and 13.4 kg N⋅ha(-1)⋅y(-1) in open and closed-canopy vegetation, respectively. N deposition exceeded critical loads for loss of plant species richness in 24% of 15,136 sites examined nationwide. There were negative relationships between species richness and N deposition in 36% of 44 community gradients. Vulnerability to N deposition was consistently higher in more acidic soils whereas the moderating roles of temperature and precipitation varied across scales. We demonstrate here that negative relationships between N deposition and species richness are common, albeit not universal, and that fine-scale processes can moderate vegetation responses to N deposition. Our results highlight the importance of contingent factors when estimating ecosystem vulnerability to N deposition and suggest that N deposition is affecting species richness in forested and nonforested systems across much of the continental United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel M Simkin
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309;
| | - Edith B Allen
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521; Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
| | - William D Bowman
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Christopher M Clark
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460
| | - Jayne Belnap
- Southwest Biological Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Moab, UT 84532
| | - Matthew L Brooks
- Western Ecological Research Center, United States Geological Survey, Oakhurst, CA 93644
| | - Brian S Cade
- Fort Collins Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO 80226
| | - Scott L Collins
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131
| | - Linda H Geiser
- Pacific Northwest Region Air Resource Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Corvallis, OR 97339
| | - Frank S Gilliam
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755
| | - Sarah E Jovan
- Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Portland, OR 97339
| | - Linda H Pardo
- Northern Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Burlington, VT 05405
| | - Bethany K Schulz
- Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Anchorage, AK 99501
| | - Carly J Stevens
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, United Kingdom
| | - Katharine N Suding
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Heather L Throop
- School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287
| | - Donald M Waller
- Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706
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21
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Kropp H, Ogle K. Seasonal stomatal behavior of a common desert shrub and the influence of plant neighbors. Oecologia 2014; 177:345-55. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3187-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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22
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Marusenko Y, Garcia-Pichel F, Hall SJ. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea respond positively to inorganic nitrogen addition in desert soils. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2014; 91:1-11. [PMID: 25764551 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiu023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In soils, nitrogen (N) addition typically enhances ammonia oxidation (AO) rates and increases the population density of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), but not that of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). We asked if long-term inorganic N addition also has similar consequences in arid land soils, an understudied yet spatially ubiquitous ecosystem type. Using Sonoran Desert top soils from between and under shrubs within a long-term N-enrichment experiment, we determined community concentration-response kinetics of AO and measured the total and relative abundance of AOA and AOB based on amoA gene abundance. As expected, N addition increased maximum AO rates and the abundance of bacterial amoA genes compared to the controls. Surprisingly, N addition also increased the abundance of archaeal amoA genes. We did not detect any major effects of N addition on ammonia-oxidizing community composition. The ammonia-oxidizing communities in these desert soils were dominated by AOA as expected (78% of amoA gene copies were related to Nitrososphaera), but contained unusually high contributions of Nitrosomonas (18%) and unusually low numbers of Nitrosospira (2%). This study highlights unique traits of ammonia oxidizers in arid lands, which should be considered globally in predictions of AO responses to changes in N availability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sharon J Hall
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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23
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Riha KM, Michalski G, Gallo EL, Lohse KA, Brooks PD, Meixner T. High Atmospheric Nitrate Inputs and Nitrogen Turnover in Semi-arid Urban Catchments. Ecosystems 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-014-9797-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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24
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Biswas SR, Wagner HH. A temporal dimension to the stress gradient hypothesis for intraspecific interactions. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.00878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shekhar R. Biswas
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Univ. of Toronto; 3359 Mississauga Road North Mississauga ON, L5L1C6 Canada
| | - Helene H. Wagner
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Univ. of Toronto; 3359 Mississauga Road North Mississauga ON, L5L1C6 Canada
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25
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Ball BA, Virginia RA. Microbial biomass and respiration responses to nitrogen fertilization in a polar desert. Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1459-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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26
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Li C, Zhang C, Luo G, Chen X. Modeling the carbon dynamics of the dryland ecosystems in Xinjiang, China from 1981 to 2007—The spatiotemporal patterns and climate controls. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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27
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Hall SJ, Trujillo J, Nakase D, Strawhacker C, Kruse-Peeples M, Schaafsma H, Briggs J. Legacies of Prehistoric Agricultural Practices Within Plant and Soil Properties Across an Arid Ecosystem. Ecosystems 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-013-9681-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Su J, Li X, Li X, Feng L. Effects of additional N on herbaceous species of desertified steppe in arid regions of China: a four-year field study. Ecol Res 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-012-0994-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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29
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Sponseller RA, Hall SJ, Huber DP, Grimm NB, Kaye JP, Clark CM, Collins SL. Variation in monsoon precipitation drives spatial and temporal patterns of Larrea tridentata growth in the Sonoran Desert. Funct Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.01979.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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McCluney KE, Belnap J, Collins SL, González AL, Hagen EM, Nathaniel Holland J, Kotler BP, Maestre FT, Smith SD, Wolf BO. Shifting species interactions in terrestrial dryland ecosystems under altered water availability and climate change. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2011; 87:563-82. [PMID: 22098619 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2011.00209.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Species interactions play key roles in linking the responses of populations, communities, and ecosystems to environmental change. For instance, species interactions are an important determinant of the complexity of changes in trophic biomass with variation in resources. Water resources are a major driver of terrestrial ecology and climate change is expected to greatly alter the distribution of this critical resource. While previous studies have documented strong effects of global environmental change on species interactions in general, responses can vary from region to region. Dryland ecosystems occupy more than one-third of the Earth's land mass, are greatly affected by changes in water availability, and are predicted to be hotspots of climate change. Thus, it is imperative to understand the effects of environmental change on these globally significant ecosystems. Here, we review studies of the responses of population-level plant-plant, plant-herbivore, and predator-prey interactions to changes in water availability in dryland environments in order to develop new hypotheses and predictions to guide future research. To help explain patterns of interaction outcomes, we developed a conceptual model that views interaction outcomes as shifting between (1) competition and facilitation (plant-plant), (2) herbivory, neutralism, or mutualism (plant-herbivore), or (3) neutralism and predation (predator-prey), as water availability crosses physiological, behavioural, or population-density thresholds. We link our conceptual model to hypothetical scenarios of current and future water availability to make testable predictions about the influence of changes in water availability on species interactions. We also examine potential implications of our conceptual model for the relative importance of top-down effects and the linearity of patterns of change in trophic biomass with changes in water availability. Finally, we highlight key research needs and some possible broader impacts of our findings. Overall, we hope to stimulate and guide future research that links changes in water availability to patterns of species interactions and the dynamics of populations and communities in dryland ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin E McCluney
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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Ladwig LM, Collins SL, Swann AL, Xia Y, Allen MF, Allen EB. Above- and belowground responses to nitrogen addition in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland. Oecologia 2011; 169:177-85. [PMID: 22042525 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-2173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 10/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Increased available soil nitrogen can increase biomass, lower species richness, alter soil chemistry and modify community structure in herbaceous ecosystems worldwide. Although increased nitrogen availability typically increases aboveground production and decreases species richness in mesic systems, the impacts of nitrogen additions on semiarid ecosystems remain unclear. To determine how a semiarid grassland responds to increased nitrogen availability, we examined plant community structure and above- and belowground net primary production in response to long-term nitrogen addition in a desert grassland in central New Mexico, USA. Plots were fertilized annually (10 g N m(-2)) since 1995 and NPP measured from 2004 to 2009. Differences in aboveground NPP between fertilized and control treatments occurred in 2004 following a prescribed fire and in 2006 when precipitation was double the long-term average during the summer monsoon. Presumably, nitrogen only became limiting once drought stress was alleviated. Belowground NPP was also related to precipitation, and greatest root growth occurred the year following the wettest summer, decreasing gradually thereafter. Belowground production was unrelated to aboveground production within years and unrelated to nitrogen enrichment. Species richness changed between years in response to seasonal precipitation variability, but was not altered by nitrogen addition. Community structure did respond to nitrogen fertilization primarily through increased abundance of two dominant perennial grasses. These results were contrary to most nitrogen addition studies that find increased biomass and decreased species richness with nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, factors other than nitrogen deposition, such as fire or drought, may play a stronger role in shaping semiarid grassland communities than soil fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Ladwig
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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