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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

A CO2 Concentration Gradient Facility for Testing CO2 Enrichment and Soil Effects on Grassland Ecosystem Function
Published on: November 21, 2015
Nitrogen enhancement amplifies the precipitation-driven productivity allocation pattern in temperate and alpine
Xiaoxiao Han1, Qun Gang2, Qianguang Liu3
1Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Grassland carbon allocation shifts with changing precipitation, with more carbon going to aboveground biomass and less to roots and hyphae. Nitrogen addition amplifies these precipitation effects, impacting ecosystem stability.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Global Change Biology
- Soil Science
Background:
- Grasslands are vital carbon sinks susceptible to climate change.
- Hyphae's role in carbon allocation within grasslands is not well understood.
- Precipitation changes and nitrogen deposition are key global change factors affecting grasslands.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify carbon allocation to aboveground biomass, roots, and hyphae under altered precipitation and nitrogen levels.
- To compare the sensitivity of carbon allocation in temperate versus alpine grasslands.
- To investigate the mediating roles of community and soil traits.
Main Methods:
- Multi-site manipulative experiments were conducted across China's temperate and alpine grasslands.
- Carbon allocation to aboveground biomass (fANPP), roots (fBNPP), and hyphae (fHNPP) was quantified.
- Effects of precipitation gradients and nitrogen enhancement were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Increasing precipitation led to higher proportional carbon allocation to aboveground productivity (fANPP) and decreased allocation to roots (fBNPP) and hyphae (fHNPP).
- Alpine grasslands showed 1.30-1.50-fold greater sensitivity to precipitation changes than temperate grasslands.
- Nitrogen enhancement amplified the sensitivity of precipitation-driven allocation patterns by 1.18–3.25-fold.
Conclusions:
- Global change factors differentially alter carbon productivity allocation in grassland components.
- Community, soil, and root traits mediate responses to precipitation and nitrogen addition.
- Hyphae play a crucial role in maintaining grassland carbon sink stability under environmental change.
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