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Down-regulation of tissue N:P ratios in terrestrial plants by elevated CO2.
- Source :
-
Ecology . Dec2015, Vol. 96 Issue 12, p3354-3362. 9p. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations generally alter element stoichiometry in plants. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the elevated CO2 impact on plant nitrogen : phosphorus (N:P) ratios and the underlying mechanism has not been conducted. We synthesized the results from 112 previously published studies using meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of elevated CO2 on the N:P ratio of terrestrial plants and to explore the underlying mechanism based on plant growth and soil P dynamics. Our results show that terrestrial plants grown under elevated CO2 had lower N:P ratios in both above-and below-ground biomass across different ecosystem types. The response ratio for plant N:P was negatively correlated with the response ratio for plant growth in croplands and grasslands, and showed a stronger relationship for P than for N. In addition, the CO2-induced down-regulation of plant N:P was accompanied by 19.3% and 4.2% increases in soil phosphatase activity and labile P, respectively, and a 10.1% decrease in total soil P. Our results show that down-regulation of plant N:P under elevated CO2 corresponds with accelerated soil P cycling. These findings should be useful for better understanding of terrestrial plant stoichiometry in response to elevated CO2 and of the underlying mechanisms affecting nutrient dynamics under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *PLANT fibers
*EUKARYOTES
*ENDOPHYTES
*CLIMATE change
*ECOSYSTEMS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00129658
- Volume :
- 96
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Ecology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 112022067
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1890/15-0217.1