Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland
It has widely been documented that nitrogen (N) enrichment stimulates plant growth and modifies plant functional traits in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, it remains unclear whether there are critical transitions or tipping points for the response of plant growth or traits to N enrichment, and h...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.982478/full |
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| author | Guojiao Yang Guojiao Yang Zijia Zhang Guangming Zhang Qianguang Liu Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Renqing Wang Renqing Wang Renqing Wang |
| author_facet | Guojiao Yang Guojiao Yang Zijia Zhang Guangming Zhang Qianguang Liu Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Renqing Wang Renqing Wang Renqing Wang |
| author_sort | Guojiao Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has widely been documented that nitrogen (N) enrichment stimulates plant growth and modifies plant functional traits in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, it remains unclear whether there are critical transitions or tipping points for the response of plant growth or traits to N enrichment, and how these responses differ to different N forms. We chose the native, perennial clonal grass, Leymus chinensis in Inner Mongolia steppe, and conducted a field experiment, in which six N addition rates (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 g N m–2 year–1) and five N compound types [NH4NO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4HCO3, CO(NH2)2, slow-release CO(NH2)2] are considered. Here, we found that the different N compound types had no significant effect on the growth of L. chinensis. N addition rate significantly increased plant aboveground biomass and leaf nitrogen concentration, whereas decreased leaf dry matter content. The tipping point for N-induced aboveground biomass increase was at 10 g N m–2 year–1, and the changes in functional traits were at N addition rates of 20 g N m–2 year–1. Our findings suggested that the responses of aboveground biomass and functional traits to N addition were asymmetric, in which responses in aboveground biomass were more sensitive than that in functional traits. The differential sensitivity of aboveground biomass and functional traits of L. chinensis occurred to N deposition highlights the importance of functional traits in mediating ecosystem functioning in the face of N deposition, regardless of which chemical forms dominate in the deposited N. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a1ba9bbd7034446cb93b2c7c8dc14765 |
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| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:24:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a1ba9bbd7034446cb93b2c7c8dc147652022-12-22T04:02:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2022-08-011310.3389/fpls.2022.982478982478Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grasslandGuojiao Yang0Guojiao Yang1Zijia Zhang2Guangming Zhang3Qianguang Liu4Peiming Zheng5Peiming Zheng6Peiming Zheng7Renqing Wang8Renqing Wang9Renqing Wang10School of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, ChinaHainan Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, Haikou, ChinaDepartment of Pharmaceutical Science, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, Hainan University, Haikou, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaShandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaQingdao Forest Ecology Research Station of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaShandong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Vegetation Ecology, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaQingdao Forest Ecology Research Station of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Shandong University, Qingdao, ChinaIt has widely been documented that nitrogen (N) enrichment stimulates plant growth and modifies plant functional traits in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, it remains unclear whether there are critical transitions or tipping points for the response of plant growth or traits to N enrichment, and how these responses differ to different N forms. We chose the native, perennial clonal grass, Leymus chinensis in Inner Mongolia steppe, and conducted a field experiment, in which six N addition rates (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 g N m–2 year–1) and five N compound types [NH4NO3, (NH4)2SO4, NH4HCO3, CO(NH2)2, slow-release CO(NH2)2] are considered. Here, we found that the different N compound types had no significant effect on the growth of L. chinensis. N addition rate significantly increased plant aboveground biomass and leaf nitrogen concentration, whereas decreased leaf dry matter content. The tipping point for N-induced aboveground biomass increase was at 10 g N m–2 year–1, and the changes in functional traits were at N addition rates of 20 g N m–2 year–1. Our findings suggested that the responses of aboveground biomass and functional traits to N addition were asymmetric, in which responses in aboveground biomass were more sensitive than that in functional traits. The differential sensitivity of aboveground biomass and functional traits of L. chinensis occurred to N deposition highlights the importance of functional traits in mediating ecosystem functioning in the face of N deposition, regardless of which chemical forms dominate in the deposited N.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.982478/fullnitrogen depositionthresholdfunctional traitsproductivitysteppe |
| spellingShingle | Guojiao Yang Guojiao Yang Zijia Zhang Guangming Zhang Qianguang Liu Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Peiming Zheng Renqing Wang Renqing Wang Renqing Wang Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland Frontiers in Plant Science nitrogen deposition threshold functional traits productivity steppe |
| title | Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| title_full | Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| title_fullStr | Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| title_short | Tipping point of plant functional traits of Leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| title_sort | tipping point of plant functional traits of leymus chinensis to nitrogen addition in a temperate grassland |
| topic | nitrogen deposition threshold functional traits productivity steppe |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.982478/full |
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