Contrasting effects of elevated CO2 and warming on nitrogen cycling in a semiarid grassland

New Phytol. 2010 Jul;187(2):426-437. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03293.x. Epub 2010 May 10.

Abstract

*Simulation models indicate that the nitrogen (N) cycle plays a key role in how other ecosystem processes such as plant productivity and carbon (C) sequestration respond to elevated CO(2) and warming. However, combined effects of elevated CO(2) and warming on N cycling have rarely been tested in the field. *Here, we studied N cycling under ambient and elevated CO(2) concentrations (600 micromol mol(-1)), and ambient and elevated temperature (1.5 : 3.0 degrees C warmer day:night) in a full factorial semiarid grassland field experiment in Wyoming, USA. We measured soil inorganic N, plant and microbial N pool sizes and NO(3)(-) uptake (using a (15)N tracer). *Soil inorganic N significantly decreased under elevated CO(2), probably because of increased microbial N immobilization, while soil inorganic N and plant N pool sizes significantly increased with warming, probably because of increased N supply. We observed no CO(2 )x warming interaction effects on soil inorganic N, N pool sizes or NO(3)(-) uptake in plants and microbes. *Our results indicate a more closed N cycle under elevated CO(2) and a more open N cycle with warming, which could affect long-term N retention, plant productivity, and C sequestration in this semiarid grassland.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / drug effects
  • Bacteria / growth & development
  • Biomass
  • Carbon Dioxide / pharmacology*
  • Desert Climate*
  • Global Warming*
  • Isotope Labeling
  • Nitrogen / metabolism*
  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Plant Roots / drug effects
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Shoots / drug effects
  • Plant Shoots / metabolism
  • Poaceae / drug effects*
  • Poaceae / metabolism*
  • Soil / analysis
  • Temperature
  • Water / metabolism

Substances

  • Nitrogen Isotopes
  • Soil
  • Water
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Nitrogen