Elevated CO2 reduces losses of plant diversity caused by nitrogen deposition

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

116 Scopus citations

Abstract

The interactive effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) concentrations and elevated nitrogen (N) deposition on plant diversity are not well understood. This is of concern because both factors are important components of global environmental change and because each might suppress diversity, with their combined effects possibly additive or synergistic. In a long-term open-air experiment, grassland assemblages planted with 16 species were grown under all combinations of ambient and elevated CO2 and ambient and elevated N. Over 10 years, elevated N reduced species richness by 16% at ambient CO2 but by just 8% at elevated CO2. This resulted from multiple effects of CO2 and N on plant traits and soil resources that altered competitive interactions among species. Elevated CO2 thus ameliorated the negative effects of N enrichment on species richness.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1399-1402
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume326
Issue number5958
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 4 2009

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Elevated CO2 reduces losses of plant diversity caused by nitrogen deposition'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this