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Different Responses of Terrestrial C, N, and P Pools and C/N/P Ratios to P, NP, and NPK Addition: a Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Although phosphorus (P) enrichment alone or in combination with other nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) due to anthropogenic activities may modify the nutrient pools and nutrient elemental ratios of terrestrial ecosystems, few studies have revealed the global effects of P alone or in combination with N and K enrichment on terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis of the impacts of P addition alone or in combination with N and K on the C, N, and P pools and C/N/P ratios of plants, soils, and microbial biomass in terrestrial ecosystems. The results suggest that the following changes occurred: (1) P addition resulted in a significantly larger plant C pool, which was further enhanced when extra N and K were added. (2) The soil and microbial biomass C pools and the plant, soil, and microbial biomass N pools were minimally affected by P addition at the global scale but were noticeably affected when N and K were simultaneously added. (3) The P pools of the plants, soil, and microbial biomass were significantly and consistently enhanced by the addition of P, NP, and NPK. (4) The plant C/N, N/P, and C/P ratios were significantly reduced when P was added, while the C/N/P ratios in the soil and microbial biomass were minimally affected. These results, which show the inconsistent responses of plant, soil, and microbial biomass nutrient pools and elemental ratios to P, NP, and NPK addition, improve our understanding of terrestrial ecosystem functions under global change scenarios.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the scientists whose work was used in this meta-analysis. Kai Yue acknowledges the China Scholarship Council for supporting a joint Ph.D. program grant (201506910002). This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40202036, 40572163, and 41172277).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Dongsanlu, Erxianqiao, Chegndu, 610059, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Xin Peng & Yinger Deng

  2. College of Environment and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, People’s Republic of China

    Xin Peng & Yinger Deng

  3. Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958, Frederiksberg C, DK, Denmark

    Yan Peng

  4. Long-term Research Station of Alpine Forest Ecosystems, Institute of Ecology and Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China

    Kai Yue

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  1. Xin Peng
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Correspondence to Yinger Deng.

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Peng, X., Peng, Y., Yue, K. et al. Different Responses of Terrestrial C, N, and P Pools and C/N/P Ratios to P, NP, and NPK Addition: a Meta-Analysis. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 197 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-017-3383-8

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