Varying soil moisture and pH with alpine meadow degradation affect nitrogen preference of dominant species

While it is established that dominant plant species of alpine meadows showed differential preference for N forms (ammonia, nitrate, and amino acids) under various degradation stages, the perseverance of the N-uptake preference and its affecting factors remains unknown. This is an important consideration because it determines efficacy of nutrient additions for restoration of degraded alpine meadows. An indoor pot experiment was conducted to investigate the plasticity and determinants of different plant species’ N-uptake preference using ¹⁵N-labeled inorganic N (¹⁵NH₄⁺ and ¹⁵NO₃⁻) and one of dual-labeled (¹³C-¹⁵N) amino acid (glycine). In the experiment, dominant species of alpine meadow from specific degradation status were planted in soils of alpine meadows with three different degradation status. Most species preferred to uptake nitrate in all soils, except the Kobresia humilis, Carex moorcroftii, and Aster flaccidus planted in the soil of severely degraded alpine meadow (SD-soil) that take up more ammonia. The relative abundance of different available N forms directly affects the N-uptake preferences of all species. The partial correlations between percentage uptake and availability of various N forms were different with the zero-order correlations when either soil moisture or pH was controlled. Differences in soil moisture and pH among the three alpine meadows affects the N uptake preference of the nine species through their impacts on the relative abundance of different available N forms. In conclusion, the differences in soil moisture and pH among soils of alpine meadows under different degradation statuses influence the relative abundance of various available N forms, thereby affecting the plant N uptake.