Precipitation and nitrogen addition enhance biomass allocation to aboveground in an alpine steppe.

ABSTRACT: There are two important allocation hypotheses in plant biomass allocation: allometric and isometric. We tested these two hypotheses in an alpine steppe using plant biomass allocation under nitrogen (N) addition and precipitation (Precip) changes at a community level. An in situ field manipulation experiment was conducted to examine the two hypotheses and the responses of the biomass to N addition (10 g N m^-2 y^-1) and altered Precip (±50% precipitation) in an alpine steppe on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from 2013 to 2016. We found that the plant community biomass differed in its response to N addition and reduced Precip such that N addition significantly increased aboveground biomass (AGB), while reduced Precip significantly decreased AGB from 2014 to 2016. Moreover, r

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6854108 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature