TY - JOUR

T1 - Nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation and grazing moderate nitrogen impacts on plant growth and nutrient cycling in sand dune grassland

AU - Ford, Hilary

AU - Roberts, Aled

AU - Jones, Laurence

PY - 2016/1/15

Y1 - 2016/1/15

N2 - Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition alters plant biodiversity and ecosystem function in grasslands worldwide. This study examines the impact of 6 years of nutrient addition and grazing management on a sand dune grassland. Results indicate that co-limitation of N and phosphorus (P) moderates the impact of realistic rates of N addition (7.5, 15 kg N ha1 year− 1). Combined NP addition (15 kg N + 10 kg P ha− 1 year− 1) was the only nutrient treatment to differ significantly from the control, with greater above-ground biomass (mainly moss), and enhanced N and P mineralisation rates. Grazing management altered plant functional group composition, reduced above-ground biomass and meso-faunal feeding rates, and decoupled N and P mineralisation. There were no synergistic effects of grazing and N treatment. Although NP co-limitation apparently prevents adverse impacts of N deposition above the critical load, excess N is likely to be stored in moss biomass and soil, with unknown future consequences.CapsuleThis study shows that at realistic levels of N addition, NP co-limitation in a dune grassland appears to prevent adverse impacts of N on plant growth and nutrient cycling

AB - Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition alters plant biodiversity and ecosystem function in grasslands worldwide. This study examines the impact of 6 years of nutrient addition and grazing management on a sand dune grassland. Results indicate that co-limitation of N and phosphorus (P) moderates the impact of realistic rates of N addition (7.5, 15 kg N ha1 year− 1). Combined NP addition (15 kg N + 10 kg P ha− 1 year− 1) was the only nutrient treatment to differ significantly from the control, with greater above-ground biomass (mainly moss), and enhanced N and P mineralisation rates. Grazing management altered plant functional group composition, reduced above-ground biomass and meso-faunal feeding rates, and decoupled N and P mineralisation. There were no synergistic effects of grazing and N treatment. Although NP co-limitation apparently prevents adverse impacts of N deposition above the critical load, excess N is likely to be stored in moss biomass and soil, with unknown future consequences.CapsuleThis study shows that at realistic levels of N addition, NP co-limitation in a dune grassland appears to prevent adverse impacts of N on plant growth and nutrient cycling

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.10.089

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.10.089

M3 - Article

VL - 542

SP - 203

EP - 209

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

SN - 0048-9697

IS - part A

ER -