Chronic nitrogen additions decrease rates of N recovery and increase rates of soil inorganic N availability in a temperate grassland
Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs exceed natural sources, yet their fate in ecosystems remains uncertain. In a 13‑year N‑addition gradient in a temperate grassland, researchers found that ecosystem N pools did not increase across a 0–10 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹ range—despite higher plant tissue %N—because added N reduced plant biomass, especially roots. Mid‑ to high‑level additions also elevated soil inorganic N, indicating saturation and heightened leaching potential, particularly in sandy or low‑fertility soils. These results show that additional N is unlikely to enhance grassland nitrogen retention and instead increases vulnerability to N loss, with implications for watershed health and nutrient‑management strategies.
Subject Tags
- Life Sciences
- Soils
- Grassland
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities add more reactive nitrogen (N) to the environment than all natural sources combined, and the fate of this N is of environmental concern. If N that is deposited on terrestrial ecosystems through atmospheric deposition is retained in plant tissues or soil organic matter, it could stimulate carbon (C) storage in plant biomass or soils. However, added N also could increase soil inorganic N concentrations and leaching, potentially polluting watersheds, particularly in areas with low-N soils and/or a high propensity for leaching, such as sandy or arid areas. Here, we assessed N allocation and retention across a 13-year experimental N addition gradient in a temperate grassland. We found that N accumulation decreased significantly at mid- to high levels of N addition compared to the Control, such that ecosystem N pools were equivalent across a 10 g m−2 year−1 range of annual N addition rates (0–10 g N m−2 year−1), which spans most of the global range of N deposition. Nitrogen addition increased plant tissue percent N, but the total pool of N did not increase because of reduced plant biomass, particularly in roots. Nitrogen addition also increased soil inorganic N concentrations. Our results indicate that N addition is unlikely to increase grassland N pools, particularly in sandy or low-fertility ecosystems with a high potential for leaching because high application rates lead to N saturation, and additional inputs are lost.
Citation
Wilcots, M. E., Schroeder, K. M., Seabloom, E. W., Hobbie, S. E., & Borer, E. T. (2025). Chronic Nitrogen Additions Decrease Rates of N Recovery and Increase Rates of Soil Inorganic N Availability in A Temperate Grassland: ME Wilcots and others. Ecosystems, 28(3), 31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-025-00975-8
TNC Authors
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Megan E. Wilcots
Applied Grassland Climate Scientist, Tri-State Minnesota and Dakotas
The Nature Conservancy
Email: megan.wilcots@tnc.org