Aboveground net primary productivity was not limited by phosphorus in a temperate typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. (25th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guo, Yumeng; Zhou, Meng; Sheng, Jun; Yuan, Yujia; Yuan, Guangyuan; Zhang, Wen-Hao; Bai, Wenming
• Editors: Hu, Zhongmin
• Is Part Of: Journal of plant ecology. Volume 16:Number 4(2023)
• Publication Date: 2022-08-25
• Subjects: aboveground net primary productivity -- community composition -- phosphorus -- plant functional group -- temperate typical steppe; 地上净初级生产力 -- 植物群落组成 -- 磷 -- 植物功能群 -- 温带典型草原; Plant ecology -- Periodicals; Phytogeography -- Periodicals; 581.705
• DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtac085
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-9921

Abstract

Abstract: Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for plant growth, however, whether the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of typical steppe was limited by P remains obscure. To detect the effects of P addition on primary productivity and aboveground biomass of different plant functional groups both under ambient and N addition conditions, ANPP and aboveground biomass of grasses and forbs were measured from 2016 to 2020 on a 16-year N and P addition experiment platform in a temperate typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. The soil available N and P concentrations were also determined to test the relationship between ANPP and the availability of soil nutrients. We found that P addition under ambient condition had no significant effect on ANPP and the aboveground biomass of grasses and forbs. However, under N addition, P addition significantly increased ANPP and the aboveground biomass of forbs. Furthermore, soil available N and P concentrations were increased significantly by N and P addition, respectively. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between ANPP and soil available P concentration, while ANPP was positively correlated with soil available N concentration. These results suggest that P is not the key factor limiting the primary productivity of the temperate typical steppe in Inner Mongolia. However, under N addition, P addition can promote ANPP and alter the community composition. These findings provide valuable information for the management of the temperate typical steppe.