Fine root production and turnover rate responses to long-term warming and nitrogen addition in a semi-arid grassland

Abstract

Soil carbon pool is closely linked to fine root production and turnover rate. Lack of knowledge about the effects of nitrogen addition and warming on fine root production and turnover rate limits our ability to accurately predict soil carbon stocks. We studied the responses of fine root production and turnover rate with an 8-year soil warming (ambient +1 °C) and nitrogen addition (ambient + 4.42 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹) experiment in a semi-arid grassland on the Loess Plateau of China. Warming significantly decreased fine root production but increased fine root turnover rate due to warming-induced reduction in soil water content. Conversely, nitrogen addition significantly increased fine root production due to decreased soil phosphorus availability. Combined warming and nitrogen addition had no significant effect on fine root production, but decreased fine root turnover rate due to low phosphorus availability caused by nitrogen addition and low soil moisture induced by warming. Our findings have important implications for more accurately predicting the belowground responses of dryland to global changes.