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Down‐regulation of tissue N:P ratios in terrestrial plants by elevated CO 2
Author(s) -
Deng Qi,
Hui Dafeng,
Luo Yiqi,
Elser James,
Wang Ying-Ping,
Loladze Irakli,
Zhang Quanfa,
Dennis Sam
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.1890/15-0217.1
Subject(s) - ecological stoichiometry , terrestrial ecosystem , terrestrial plant , phosphorus , biomass (ecology) , nutrient , cycling , plant growth , nitrogen , ecosystem , stoichiometry , chemistry , plant physiology , environmental chemistry , biology , botany , ecology , history , organic chemistry , archaeology
Increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentrations generally alter element stoichiometry in plants. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the elevated CO 2 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 CO 2 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 CO 2 had lower N:P ratios in both above‐ and belowground 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 CO 2 ‐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 CO 2 corresponds with accelerated soil P cycling. These findings should be useful for better understanding of terrestrial plant stoichiometry in response to elevated CO 2 and of the underlying mechanisms affecting nutrient dynamics under climate change.