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Title: Asynchronous nitrogen supply and demand produce nonlinear plant allocation responses to warming and elevated CO2

Journal Article · · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [1];  [1]
  1. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD (United States)
  2. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA (United States). Virginia Inst. of Marine Science
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Terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate change are mediated by complex plant–soil feedbacks that are poorly understood, but often driven by the balance of nutrient supply and demand. We actively increased aboveground plant-surface temperature, belowground soil temperature, and atmospheric CO2 in a brackish marsh and found nonlinear and nonadditive feedbacks in plant responses. Changes in root-to-shoot allocation by sedges were nonlinear, with peak belowground allocation occurring at +1.7 °C in both years. Above 1.7 °C, allocation to root versus shoot production decreased with increasing warming such that there were no differences in root biomass between ambient and +5.1 °C plots in either year. Elevated CO2 altered this response when crossed with +5.1 °C, increasing root-to-shoot allocation due to increased plant nitrogen demand and, consequently, root production. Here, we suggest these nonlinear responses to warming are caused by asynchrony between the thresholds that trigger increased plant nitrogen (N) demand versus increased N mineralization rates. The resulting shifts in biomass allocation between roots and shoots have significant consequences for forecasting terrestrial ecosystem responses to climate change and understanding global trends.

Research Organization:
Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Climate and Environmental Sciences Division; National Science Foundation (NSF); Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth and Environmental Systems Science Division
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0019110; SC0014413; DEB-0950080; DEB-1457100; DEB-1557009
OSTI ID:
1569767
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1597084; OSTI ID: 1970444
Journal Information:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 116, Issue 43; ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher:
National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 37 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
climate change
warming
nitrogen cycling
plants
coastal wetland