Changes in nutrient resorption efficiency with nitrogen and zinc addition and mowing in a meadow steppe

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtaf216

J Plant Ecol ›› Advance articles DOI:10.1093/jpe/rtaf216

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Changes in nutrient resorption efficiency with nitrogen and zinc addition and mowing in a meadow steppe

Qiuhua Li^1†, Yakun Liu^1†, Xinyue Jin¹, Xiaotian Fan¹, Jiaqiang Wang¹, Wanbing Liu¹, Chunbo Li¹, Jishuai Su¹, Osbert Jianxin Sun¹, Xingguo Han¹, Yong Jiang¹, Heyong Liu^1,2,*

¹College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China;
²Engineering Research Center of Ecological Safety and Conservation in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Xiong’an New Area) of MOE, Baoding 071002, China

Received:2025-09-08 Revised:2025-11-21 Accepted:2025-12-03 Published:2025-12-10
Contact: Heyong Liu, College of Life Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China. E-mail: liuheyong@hbu.edu.cn
About author:†Author Qiuhua Li and author Yakun Liu contributed equally to this work.

氮、锌添加与刈割对草甸草原植物养分回收的影响

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding how interacting environmental drivers alter plant nutrient resorption is essential for elucidating nutrient cycling in grasslands. We conducted a nine-year field experiment in a meadow steppe to examine the effects of nitrogen (N, 10 g N m^⁻2 yr^⁻1) and zinc (Zn, 0.5 g Zn m^⁻2 yr^⁻1) additions and mowing on community-level nutrient resorption efficiency (RE). We quantified RE for ten macro- and micronutrients and explored their links with soil properties, species richness, and aboveground productivity. N addition enhanced RE for N (+12.9%), P (+15.4%), S (+159.1%), and Mg (+64.4%), supporting the growth optimization hypothesis. Mowing reduced RE for N (-14.0%) and P (-4.8%) but increased RE for Mg (+26.0%) and Fe (+60.4%), indicating compensatory strategies. Zn addition showed limited effects on macronutrient RE but markedly altered micronutrient dynamics, weakening ZnRE through negative feedback and modifying Fe resorption depending on context: reducing by 113.8% in CK and 61.4% under N addition but enhancing by 24.3% under mowing treatment and 51.3% in treatment of combined mowing and N addition. Aboveground productivity was the strongest predictor of RE, surpassing soil nutrient availability. Our findings reveal that additions of N and Zn and mowing jointly regulate element-specific nutrient resorption and plant functional adjustments, reshaping nutrient cycling and productivity patterns in temperate grasslands.

Key words: nutrient resorption efficiency, nitrogen addition, zinc addition, mowing, meadow steppe

摘要：
理解环境因子相互作用如何影响植物养分回收,对于揭示草地养分循环机制具有重要意义。本研究在草甸草原开展了为期9年的野外实验,评估氮(10 g N m^-² yr⁻¹)和锌(0.5 g Zn m⁻² yr⁻¹)添加以及刈割对植物群落养分回收效率的影响。研究测定了10种大量与微量元素的养分回收效率,并分析了其与土壤性质、植物物种丰富度和群落生产力之间的关系。结果表明：氮添加分别使氮、磷、硫和镁回收效率提高了12.9%、15.4%、159.1%和64.4%,与生长优化假说一致。刈割显著降低了氮和磷的回收效率(分别下降14.0%和4.8%),但提高了镁和铁回收效率(分别增加26.0%和60.4%),表现出一种补偿性策略。锌添加对大量元素回收效率影响有限,但对微量元素回收效率的动态调控显著,具体表现为锌添加降低了锌的回收效率,体现了负反馈效应;而对铁的影响在不同处理下存在显著差异：在CK和氮添加处理中分别降低了113.8%和61.4%,而在刈割和氮与刈割复合处理中分别提高了24.3%和51.3%。此外,地上净初级生产力是影响养分回收效率的最重要因子,其作用超过了土壤养分有效性。综上,氮与锌添加以及刈割共同调控植物元素的养分回收效率,重塑了温带草原的养分循环与生产力格局。

关键词: 养分回收效率, 氮添加, 锌添加, 刈割, 草甸草原

Qiuhua Li, Yakun Liu, Xinyue Jin, Xiaotian Fan, Jiaqiang Wang, Wanbing Liu, Chunbo Li, Jishuai Su, Osbert Jianxin Sun, Xingguo Han, Yong Jiang, Heyong Liu. Changes in nutrient resorption efficiency with nitrogen and zinc addition and mowing in a meadow steppe[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtaf216.

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Changes in nutrient resorption efficiency with nitrogen and zinc addition and mowing in a meadow steppe

氮、锌添加与刈割对草甸草原植物养分回收的影响

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