Nitrogen and phosphorus addition differentially enhance seed production of dominant species in a temperate steppe

Previous studies have demonstrated changes in plant growth and reproduction in response to nutrient availability, but how investigations of such responses to multiple levels of nutrient enrichment remains unclear. In this study, we manipulated nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability to examine seed production responses to three levels each of N and P addition in a factorial experiment: no N addition (0 g N m-2 yr-1), low N addition (10 g N m-2 yr-1), high N addition (40 g N m-2 yr-1), and no P addition (0 g P m-2 yr-1), low P addition (5 g P m-2 yr-1), high P addition (10 g P m-2 yr-1). Low N addition enhanced seed production by 814%, 1371%, and 1321% under ambient, low, and high P addition levels, respectively. High N addition increased seed production by 2136%, 3560%, and 3550% under ambient, low, and high P addition levels, respectively. However, P addition did not affect seed production in the absence of N addition, but it did enhance it under N addition. Furthermore, N addition enhanced seed production mainly by increasing the tiller number and inflorescence abundance per plant, whereas P addition stimulated it by decreasing the plant density yet stimulating height of plants and their seed number per inflorescence. Our results indicate seed production is limited not by P but rather by N in the temperate steppe, whereas seed production will be increased by P addition when N availability is improved. These findings enable a better understanding of plant reproduction dynamics of steppe ecosystems under intensified nutrient enrichment and can inform their improved management in the future.

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Effects of Increased Nitrogen and Phosphorus Deposition on Offspring Performance of Two Dominant Species in a Temperate Steppe Ecosystem

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/srep40951 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Yang Li ◽

Longyu Hou ◽

Bing Song ◽

Liuyi Yang ◽

Linghao Li

Keyword(s):

Dominant Species ◽

Temperate Steppe ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Offspring Performance ◽

Steppe Ecosystem

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Characteristics of Dominant Species Transition between the Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the Diatom Cyclotella sp. According to the Changes in Nitrogen and Phosphorus Concentration and Its Mass Ratio

Japanese Journal of Water Treatment Biology ◽

10.2521/jswtb.49.47 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 47-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

AI SAKAEDA ◽

YOSHIMASA AMANO ◽

MASAMI AIKAWA ◽

MOTOI MACHIDA

Keyword(s):

Microcystis Aeruginosa ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Phosphorus Concentration ◽

Mass Ratio ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus

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Effects of long-term nitrogen and phosphorus addition on plant defence compounds in a freshwater wetland

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.06.017 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Liping Shan ◽

Changchun Song ◽

Xinhou Zhang ◽

Jiusheng Ren

Keyword(s):

Plant Defence ◽

Freshwater Wetland ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Phosphorus Addition

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The effects of frequency and extent of defoliation, summer irrigation, and fertilizer on the production and survival of the grass Danthonia caespitosa Gaud

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar9760755 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 755 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

KC Hodgkinson

Keyword(s):

Seed Production ◽

Death Rate ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Seed Set ◽

Floral Induction ◽

Early Winter ◽

Phosphorus Fertilizer ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

Plant Survival ◽

Growth And Survival

The effects of extent and frequency of defoliation on the growth and survival of Danthonia caespitosa were measured in a series of field experiments. Additional treatments, of summer irrigation and application of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, were included in some of the experiments to assess how they modified the effects of defoliation. During the summer, complete defoliation increased the shoot yield of plants which had not been irrigated, but yield was decreased in the irrigated treatments. Frequent, partial defoliation increased yields of irrigated plants but decreased yields of plants not irrigated. Depression of yields was caused by both tiller death and reduced regrowth of individual tillers. In an experiment lasting 2 years, plants were completely defoliated monthly, bimonthly or tri-monthly or left intact, and shoot yields, tillering characteristics and plant survival under the treatments were compared. Monthly defoliation depressed yields and rate of tillering and accelerated the death rate of plants, particularly during the summer and autumn periods. Plants also died when cut bimonthly but the rate was slower. Plants irrigated during the first summer generally died at a faster rate than plants not irrigated. Tillering was more rapid during the autumn and early winter months. Midwinter application of fertilizer to plants cut bimonthly greatly stimulated shoot yields and seed production in the spring but not in the following year. Examination of tiller apices showed that floral induction took place prior to the beginning of July. Many apices were elevated above the 'grazing level' by early September, and flowering and seed set occurred in October.

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