Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
In grassland ecosystems, N and P fertilization often increase plant productivity, but there is no concensus if fertilization affects soil C fractions. We tested effects of N, P and N+P fertilization at 5, 10, 15 g m-2 yr-1 (N5, N10, N15, P5, P10, P15, N5P5, N10P10, and N15P15) compared to unfertiliz...
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doaj-da165f0a481f419d9f130600b0479bb12020-11-24T21:50:36ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-0197e10326610.1371/journal.pone.0103266Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Jin Hua LiYu Jie YangBo Wen LiWen Jin LiGang WangJohannes M H KnopsIn grassland ecosystems, N and P fertilization often increase plant productivity, but there is no concensus if fertilization affects soil C fractions. We tested effects of N, P and N+P fertilization at 5, 10, 15 g m-2 yr-1 (N5, N10, N15, P5, P10, P15, N5P5, N10P10, and N15P15) compared to unfertilized control on soil C, soil microbial biomass and functional diversity at the 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depth in an alpine meadow after 5 years of continuous fertilization. Fertilization increased total aboveground biomass of community and grass but decreased legume and forb biomass compared to no fertilization. All fertilization treatments decreased the C:N ratios of legumes and roots compared to control, however fertilization at rates of 5 and 15 g m-2 yr-1 decreased the C:N ratios of the grasses. Compared to the control, soil microbial biomass C increased in N5, N10, P5, and P10 in 0-20 cm, and increased in N10 and P5 while decreased in other treatments in 20-40 cm. Most of the fertilization treatments decreased the respiratory quotient (qCO2) in 0-20 cm but increased qCO2 in 20-40 cm. Fertilization increased soil microbial functional diversity (except N15) but decreased cumulative C mineralization (except in N15 in 0-20 cm and N5 in 20-40 cm). Soil organic C (SOC) decreased in P5 and P15 in 0-20 cm and for most of the fertilization treatments (except N15P15) in 20-40 cm. Overall, these results suggested that soils will not be a C sink (except N15P15). Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization may lower the SOC pool by altering the plant biomass composition, especially the C:N ratios of different plant functional groups, and modifying C substrate utilization patterns of soil microbial communities. The N+P fertilization at 15 g m-2 yr-1 may be used in increasing plant aboveground biomass and soil C accumulation under these meadows.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4116255?pdf=render |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jin Hua Li Yu Jie Yang Bo Wen Li Wen Jin Li Gang Wang Johannes M H Knops |
spellingShingle |
Jin Hua Li Yu Jie Yang Bo Wen Li Wen Jin Li Gang Wang Johannes M H Knops Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. PLoS ONE |
author_facet |
Jin Hua Li Yu Jie Yang Bo Wen Li Wen Jin Li Gang Wang Johannes M H Knops |
author_sort |
Jin Hua Li |
title |
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
title_short |
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
title_full |
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
title_fullStr |
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. |
title_sort |
effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil carbon fractions in alpine meadows on the qinghai-tibetan plateau. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS ONE |
issn |
1932-6203 |
publishDate |
2014-01-01 |
description |
In grassland ecosystems, N and P fertilization often increase plant productivity, but there is no concensus if fertilization affects soil C fractions. We tested effects of N, P and N+P fertilization at 5, 10, 15 g m-2 yr-1 (N5, N10, N15, P5, P10, P15, N5P5, N10P10, and N15P15) compared to unfertilized control on soil C, soil microbial biomass and functional diversity at the 0-20 cm and 20-40 cm depth in an alpine meadow after 5 years of continuous fertilization. Fertilization increased total aboveground biomass of community and grass but decreased legume and forb biomass compared to no fertilization. All fertilization treatments decreased the C:N ratios of legumes and roots compared to control, however fertilization at rates of 5 and 15 g m-2 yr-1 decreased the C:N ratios of the grasses. Compared to the control, soil microbial biomass C increased in N5, N10, P5, and P10 in 0-20 cm, and increased in N10 and P5 while decreased in other treatments in 20-40 cm. Most of the fertilization treatments decreased the respiratory quotient (qCO2) in 0-20 cm but increased qCO2 in 20-40 cm. Fertilization increased soil microbial functional diversity (except N15) but decreased cumulative C mineralization (except in N15 in 0-20 cm and N5 in 20-40 cm). Soil organic C (SOC) decreased in P5 and P15 in 0-20 cm and for most of the fertilization treatments (except N15P15) in 20-40 cm. Overall, these results suggested that soils will not be a C sink (except N15P15). Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization may lower the SOC pool by altering the plant biomass composition, especially the C:N ratios of different plant functional groups, and modifying C substrate utilization patterns of soil microbial communities. The N+P fertilization at 15 g m-2 yr-1 may be used in increasing plant aboveground biomass and soil C accumulation under these meadows. |
url |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4116255?pdf=render |
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