title: Stoichiometry in aboveground and fine roots of Seriphidium korovinii in desert grassland in response to artificial nitrogen addition.
abstract: Nitrogen (N) input by atmospheric deposition and human activity enhances the availability of N in various ecosystems, which may further affect N and phosphorus (P) cycling and use by plants. However, the internal use of N, P, and N:P stoichiometry by plants in response to N supply, particularly for grass species in a desert steppe ecosystem, remains unclear. In this work, a field experiment was conducted at an infertile area in a desert steppe to investigate the effects of N fertilizer addition rates on the stoichiometry of N and P in a dominant grass species, Seriphidium korovinii. Results showed that for both aboveground and fine roots of S. korovinii, N inputs exponentially increased the N concentration and N:P ratios while P concentrations decreased. Meanwhile, the relationships between N and P concentrations for both aboveground and fine roots were significantly negative. Furthermore, while the N concentrations in the plants were relatively low, P concentrations were higher than the global means, resulting in a relatively low N:P ratio. These results suggest that the stoichiometric characteristics of N were different from that of P for this desert plant species. Results also show that the intraspecific variations in the main element traits (N, P, and N:P ratios) were consistent at the whole-plant level. Our results also suggest that N should be part of any short-term fertilization plan that is part of a management strategy designed to restore degraded desert grassland. These findings highlight that nutrient addition by atmospheric N deposition and human activity can have significant effects on the internal use of N and P by plants. Therefore, establishing a nutrient-conservation strategy for desert grasslands is important.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 818 South Beijing Rd., Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.|Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, 848300, Xinjiang, China.|Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Zone, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 818 South Beijing Rd., Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.|Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, 848300, Xinjiang, China.|Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Zone, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.|Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 818 South Beijing Rd., Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.|Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, 848300, Xinjiang, China.|Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Zone, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Dongwei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, 276005, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 818 South Beijing Rd., Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China.|Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, 848300, Xinjiang, China.|Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Zone, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS 818 South Beijing Rd., Urumqi, 830011, Xinjiang, China. lixy@ms.xjb.ac.cn.|Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert-Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele, 848300, Xinjiang, China. lixy@ms.xjb.ac.cn.|Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Zone, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China. lixy@ms.xjb.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xiangyi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D019659:Asteraceae / Q000378:metabolism*; D003889:Desert Climate; D005308:Fertilizers; D065948:Grassland; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Aboveground and fine root; Desert grassland; N input; Nutrient concentration; Stoichiometry