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Effects of nitrogen addition on root respiration of trees and understory herbs at different temperatures in Pinus tabulaeformis forest

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Abstract

Aims

Nitrogen (N) addition had differential effects on root respiration. However, the reasons and mechanism have not yet been analyzed. We speculated that the differential effects of N addition are related to the N addition rate, root diameter, and temperature. Meanwhile, tree and understory herb in forest ecosystems maybe another reason that root respiration has different responses.

Methods

N addition was performed in a Pinus tabulaeformis forest for six years. P. tabulaeformis and Carex lanceolata fine roots with three size classes (< 0.5 mm; 0.5–1.0 mm; 1.0–2.0 mm) were sampled for respiration and temperature sensitivity measurement at three temperatures and chemical analysis.

Results

(1) N addition increased the root respiration of P. tabulaeformis and had the maximum values in 3, 6, and 9 g N m−2 y−1 at 1 °C, 14 °C, and 18 °C, respectively. (2) The root respiration of C. lanceolata significantly decreased under N addition only at 18 °C. (3) The effect of N addition on temperature sensitivity of root respiration was also varied due to N addition rate. (4) N and carbon/nitrogen ratio were the main driving factors of root respiration of P. tabulaeformis, while chemical properties had a slight driving effect on root respiration of C. lanceolata.

Conclusions

N addition rate and temperature were the reasons for the differential effect of N addition on root respiration, but not root diameter. Furthermore, root respirations of tree and understory herb have varied changing mechanism, which demonstrated an apparent species specificity.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41671513) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC0504601).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi Province, China

    Hang Jing, Ying Liu, Guoliang Wang & Guobin Liu

  2. Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Science and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China

    Ying Liu, Guoliang Wang & Guobin Liu

Authors
  1. Hang Jing
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  2. Ying Liu
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  3. Guoliang Wang
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  4. Guobin Liu
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Correspondence to Guoliang Wang.

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Research highlights

• Root respiration of P. tabulaeformis had the maximum values in 3, 6, and 9 g of N m−2 y−1 at 1 °C, 14 °C, and 18 °C, respectively.

• Root respiration of C. lanceolata significantly decreased to N addition only at 18 °C.

• Temperature sensitivity of root respiration had varied responses to N addition due to the N addition rate.

• N, C/N and non-structural carbohydrate were the driving factors of root respiration of P. tabulaeformis, but not of C. lanceolata.

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Jing, H., Liu, Y., Wang, G. et al. Effects of nitrogen addition on root respiration of trees and understory herbs at different temperatures in Pinus tabulaeformis forest. Plant Soil 463, 447–459 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-04925-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-04925-w

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