title: Drought effect on plant nitrogen and phosphorus: a meta-analysis.
abstract: Climate change scenarios forecast increased aridity in large areas worldwide with potentially important effects on nutrient availability and plant growth. Plant nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations (plant [N] and [P]) have been used to assess nutrient limitation, but a comprehensive understanding of drought stress on plant [N] and [P] remains elusive. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine responses of plant [N] and [P] to drought manipulation treatments and duration of drought stress. Drought stress showed negative effects on plant [N] (-3.73%) and plant [P] (-9.18%), and a positive effect on plant N:P (+ 6.98%). Drought stress had stronger negative effects on plant [N] and [P] in the short term (< 90 d) than in the long term (> 90 d). Drought treatments that included drying-rewetting cycles showed no effect on plant [N] and [P], while constant, prolonged, or intermittent drought stress had a negative effect on plant [P]. Our results suggest that negative effects on plant [N] and [P] are alleviated with extended duration of drought treatments and with drying-rewetting cycles. Availability of water, rather than of N and P, may be the main driver for reduced plant growth with increased long-term drought stress.
authors.affiliation: Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
authors.forename: Mingzhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Feike A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
mesh_terms: D055864:Droughts; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: N : P ratio; drought duration; drought manipulation type; drought stress; drying-rewetting cycle; nutrient mineralization