Fire rather than nitrogen addition affects understory plant communities in the short term in a coniferous-broadleaf mixed forest.

ABSTRACT: Increasing fire risk and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition have the potential to alter plant community structure and composition, with consequent impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This study was conducted to examine short-term responses of understory plant community to burning and N addition in a coniferous-broadleaved mixed forest of the subtropical-temperate transition zone in Central China. The experiment used a pair-nested design, with four treatments (control, burning, N addition, and burning plus N addition) and five replicates. Species richness, cover, and density of woody and herbaceous plants were monitored for 3 years after a low-severity fire in the spring of 2014. Burning, but not N addition, significantly stimulated the cover (+15.2%, absolute change) and de

SUBMITTER: Hu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6144994 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature