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Nitrogen limitation constrains sustainability of ecosystem response to CO2

Author

Listed:
  • Peter B. Reich

    (Department of Forest Resources)

  • Sarah E. Hobbie

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Tali Lee

    (Department of Forest Resources
    University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire)

  • David S. Ellsworth

    (University of Michigan)

  • Jason B. West

    (University of Minnesota)

  • David Tilman

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Johannes M. H. Knops

    (University of Nebraska)

  • Shahid Naeem

    (Columbia University)

  • Jared Trost

    (Department of Forest Resources)

Abstract

Nitrogen sets the scene Future trends in atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and thus future climate, will depend in part on the degree to which terrestrial ecosystems can accumulate CO2 emissions from human activities. A six-year grassland field study has found that the biomass enhancement due to elevated CO2 declines over time under ambient nitrogen supply, but not under nitrogen enrichment, suggesting that both natural variation among soils and variation in nitrogen deposition rates are likely to influence plant biomass accumulation responses to elevated CO2. Nitrogen is a limiting factor in many managed and unmanaged soils, so soil nitrogen may be an important constraint on the global response to elevated CO2.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter B. Reich & Sarah E. Hobbie & Tali Lee & David S. Ellsworth & Jason B. West & David Tilman & Johannes M. H. Knops & Shahid Naeem & Jared Trost, 2006. "Nitrogen limitation constrains sustainability of ecosystem response to CO2," Nature, Nature, vol. 440(7086), pages 922-925, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:440:y:2006:i:7086:d:10.1038_nature04486
    DOI: 10.1038/nature04486
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Chao Xu & Teng-Chiu Lin & Jr-Chuan Huang & Zhijie Yang & Xiaofei Liu & Decheng Xiong & Shidong Chen & Minhuang Wang & Liuming Yang & Yusheng Yang, 2022. "Microbial Biomass Is More Important than Runoff Export in Predicting Soil Inorganic Nitrogen Concentrations Following Forest Conversion in Subtropical China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Diriba Shiferaw G., 2017. "Water-Nutrients Interaction: Exploring the Effects of Water as a Central Role for Availability & Use Efficiency of Nutrients by Shallow Rooted Vegetable Crops - A Review," Journal of Agriculture and Crops, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 3(10), pages 78-93, 10-2017.
    3. L. Jackson & S. Wheeler & A. Hollander & A. O’Geen & B. Orlove & J. Six & D. Sumner & F. Santos-Martin & J. Kramer & W. Horwath & R. Howitt & T. Tomich, 2011. "Case study on potential agricultural responses to climate change in a California landscape," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 109(1), pages 407-427, December.
    4. Tong Qiu & Robert Andrus & Marie-Claire Aravena & Davide Ascoli & Yves Bergeron & Roberta Berretti & Daniel Berveiller & Michal Bogdziewicz & Thomas Boivin & Raul Bonal & Don C. Bragg & Thomas Caignar, 2022. "Limits to reproduction and seed size-number trade-offs that shape forest dominance and future recovery," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Li, Xiran & Zhu, Zaichun & Zeng, Hui & Piao, Shilong, 2016. "Estimation of gross primary production in China (1982–2010) with multiple ecosystem models," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 324(C), pages 33-44.
    6. Ping Pan & Fang Zhao & Jinkui Ning & Ling Zhang & Xunzhi Ouyang & Hao Zang, 2018. "Impact of understory vegetation on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamic in aerially seeded Pinus massoniana plantations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, January.
    7. Verena Seufert & Gustaf Granath & Christoph Müller, 2019. "A meta-analysis of crop response patterns to nitrogen limitation for improved model representation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-25, October.
    8. Zhiwei Cao & Xi Fang & Wenhua Xiang & Pifeng Lei & Changhui Peng, 2020. "The Vertical Differences in the Change Rates and Controlling Factors of Soil Organic Carbon and Total Nitrogen along Vegetation Restoration in a Subtropical Area of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Eric C. Brevik, 2013. "The Potential Impact of Climate Change on Soil Properties and Processes and Corresponding Influence on Food Security," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 3(3), pages 1-20, July.
    10. Alexandru Milcu & Martin Lukac & Phil Ineson, 2012. "The role of closed ecological systems in carbon cycle modelling," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 112(3), pages 709-716, June.

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