Author
Listed:
- Ting-Shuai Shi
(Lanzhou University)
- Scott L. Collins
(University of New Mexico)
- Kailiang Yu
(Princeton University)
- Josep Peñuelas
(Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB
Cerdanyola del Vallès)
- Jordi Sardans
(Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB
Cerdanyola del Vallès)
- Hailing Li
(Lanzhou University)
- Jian-Sheng Ye
(Lanzhou University)
Abstract
A central role for nature-based solution is to identify optimal management practices to address environmental challenges, including carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. Inorganic fertilization increases plant aboveground biomass but often causes a tradeoff with plant diversity loss. It remains unclear, however, whether organic fertilization, as a potential nature-based solution, could alter this tradeoff by increasing aboveground biomass without plant diversity loss. Here we compile data from 537 experiments on organic and inorganic fertilization across grasslands and croplands worldwide to evaluate the responses of aboveground biomass, plant diversity, and soil organic carbon (SOC). Both organic and inorganic fertilization increase aboveground biomass by 56% and 42% relative to ambient, respectively. However, only inorganic fertilization decreases plant diversity, while organic fertilization increases plant diversity in grasslands with greater soil water content. Moreover, organic fertilization increases SOC in grasslands by 19% and 15% relative to ambient and inorganic fertilization, respectively. The positive effect of organic fertilization on SOC increases with increasing mean annual temperature in grasslands, a pattern not observed in croplands. Collectively, our findings highlight organic fertilization as a potential nature-based solution that can increase two ecosystem services of grasslands, forage production, and soil carbon storage, without a tradeoff in plant diversity loss.
Suggested Citation
Ting-Shuai Shi & Scott L. Collins & Kailiang Yu & Josep Peñuelas & Jordi Sardans & Hailing Li & Jian-Sheng Ye, 2024.
"A global meta-analysis on the effects of organic and inorganic fertilization on grasslands and croplands,"
Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-47829-w
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47829-w
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