Cited by 159Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsMycorrhizal Fungi and Plant InteractionsAgricultural Science and Fertilization

A plant–microbe interaction framework explaining nutrient effects on primary production

Čapek, Petr, Manzoni, Stefano, Kaštovská, Eva, Wild, Birgit, Diáková, Kateřina, Bárta, Jiří, Schnecker, Jörg, Biasi, Christina +12 more·2018·Nature Ecology & Evolution

Abstract

In most terrestrial ecosystems, plant growth is limited by nitrogen and phosphorus. Adding either nutrient to soil usually affects primary production, but their effects can be positive or negative. Here we provide a general stoichiometric framework for interpreting these contrasting effects. First, we identify nitrogen and phosphorus limitations on plants and soil microorganisms using their respective nitrogen to phosphorus critical ratios. Second, we use these ratios to show how soil microorganisms mediate the response of primary production to limiting and non-limiting nutrient addition along a wide gradient of soil nutrient availability. Using a meta-analysis of 51 factorial nitrogen-phosphorus fertilization experiments conducted across multiple ecosystems, we demonstrate that the response of primary production to nitrogen and phosphorus additions is accurately predicted by our stoichiometric framework. The only pattern that could not be predicted by our original framework suggests that nitrogen has not only a structural function in growing organisms, but also a key role in promoting plant and microbial nutrient acquisition. We conclude that this stoichiometric framework offers the most parsimonious way to interpret contrasting and, until now, unresolved responses of primary production to nutrient addition in terrestrial ecosystems.

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  • The growth of terrestrial plants is widely limited by soil N and P availabilities; adding these nutrients could enhance plant production and ecosystem C sequestration.

    “The growth of terrestrial plants is widely limited by soil N and P availabilities. Therefore, adding these nutrients to the soil could enhance plant production and ecosystem C sequestration.164,165”

    From Technologies and perspectives for achieving carbon neutrality (2021) · cites this paper as [165]

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  1. [17]Smith, S. E. & Read, D. J. Mycorrhizal Symbiosis 3rd ed (Academic Press, Cambridge, MA, 2010).

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Authors
Čapek, P., Manzoni, S., Kaštovská, E., Wild, B., Diáková, K., Bárta, J., Schnecker, J., Biasi, C., Martikainen, P. J., Alves, R. J. E., Guggenberger, G., Gentsch, N., Hugelius, G., Palmtag, J., Mikutta, R., Shibistova, O., Urich, T., Schleper, C., Richter, A., & Šantrůčková, H.
Affiliations
  • Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (US)
  • Stockholm University (SE)
  • University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (CZ)
  • University of Vienna (AT)
  • University of Eastern Finland (FI)
  • Leibniz University Hannover (DE)
  • Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE)
  • Universität Greifswald (DE)
Corresponding author
Čapek, Petr
Venue
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Published
2018-09-10
Volume
2
Issue
10
Pages
1588-1596
ISSN
2397-334X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2890720354
Cited by
159
References
110
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 4
FWCI
9.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature Ecology & Evolution (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
  • IIASA PURE (International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Agricultural Science and Fertilization
Keywords
plant-microbe interactions, nutrient limitation, nitrogen limitation, phosphorus limitation, N:P ratio, stoichiometry, primary production, nitrogen fertilization, phosphorus fertilization, soil microbes, nutrient addition, nutrient acquisition, terrestrial ecosystems
MeSH terms
Nutrients, Models, Biological, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Soil, Soil Microbiology, Ecosystem, Plant Development

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