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Warming prevents the elevated CO 2 ‐induced reduction in available soil nitrogen in a temperate, perennial grassland
Author(s) -
HOVENDEN MARK J.,
NEWTON P. C. D.,
CARRAN R. A.,
THEOBALD P.,
WILLS K. E.,
VANDER SCHOOR J. K.,
WILLIAMS A. L.,
OSANAI Y.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2008.01558.x
Subject(s) - environmental science , ecosystem , grassland , perennial plant , terrestrial ecosystem , nitrogen cycle , temperate climate , cycling , carbon dioxide , sink (geography) , agronomy , nitrogen , ecology , chemistry , biology , forestry , cartography , organic chemistry , geography
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]) has the potential to stimulate ecosystem productivity and sink strength, reducing the effects of carbon (C) emissions on climate. In terrestrial ecosystems, increasing [CO 2 ] can reduce soil nitrogen (N) availability to plants, preventing the stimulation of ecosystem C assimilation; a process known as progressive N limitation. Using ion exchange membranes to assess the availability of dissolved organic N, ammonium and nitrate, we found that CO 2 enrichment in an Australian, temperate, perennial grassland did not increase plant productivity, but did reduce soil N availability, mostly by reducing nitrate availability. Importantly, the addition of 2 °C warming prevented this effect while warming without CO 2 enrichment did not significantly affect N availability. These findings indicate that warming could play an important role in the impact of [CO 2 ] on ecosystem N cycling, potentially overturning CO 2 ‐induced effects in some ecosystems.