N and P constrain C in ecosystems under climate change: Role of nutrient redistribution, accumulation, and stoichiometry

We use the Multiple Element Limitation (MEL) model to examine responses of 12 ecosystems to elevated carbon dioxide (CO2), warming, and 20% decreases or increases in precipitation. Ecosystems respond synergistically to elevated CO2, warming, and decreased precipitation combined because higher water-use efficiency with elevated CO2 and higher fertility with warming compensate for responses to drought. Response to elevated CO2, warming, and increased precipitation combined is additive. We analyze changes in ecosystem carbon (C) based on four nitrogen (N) and four phosphorus (P) attribution factors: (1) changes in total ecosystem N and P, (2) changes in N and P distribution between vegetation and soil, (3) changes in vegetation C:N and C:P ratios, and (4) changes in soil C:N and C:P ratios. In the combined CO2 and climate change simulations, all ecosystems gain C. The contributions of these four attribution factors to changes in ecosystem C storage varies among ecosystems because of differences in the initial distributions of N and P between vegetation and soil and the openness of the ecosystem N and P cycles. The net transfer of N and P from soil to vegetation dominates the C response of forests. For tundra and grasslands, the C gain is also associated with increased soil C:N and C:P. In ecosystems with symbiotic N fixation, C gains resulted from N accumulation. Because of differences in N versus P cycle openness and the distribution of organic matter between vegetation and soil, changes in the N and P attribution factors do not always parallel one another. Differences among ecosystems in C-nutrient interactions and the amount of woody biomass interact to shape ecosystem C sequestration under simulated global change. We suggest that future studies quantify the openness of the N and P cycles and changes in the distribution of C, N, and P among ecosystem components, which currently limit understanding of nutrient effects on C sequestration and responses to elevated CO2 and climate change.

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Related Links

Related Dataset #1 : Eddy Flux Measurements, Tussock Station, Imnavait Creek, Alaska - 2018 - Provisional

Related Dataset #2 : Ecosystem responses to changes in climate and carbon dioxide in twelve mature ecosystems ranging from prairie to forest and from the arctic to the tropics

Related Dataset #3 : Steady state carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water budgets for twelve mature ecosystems ranging from prairie to forest and from the arctic to the tropics

Related Dataset #4 : ClimHyrdoDB Archive: Meteorologic and hydrologic observations from LTER and USFS sites, 2001-2020 - orignal database format
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Author Rastetter, E. B.
Kwiatkowski, B. L.
Kicklighter, D. W.
Barker Plotkin, A.
Genet, H.
Nippert, J. B.
O'Keefe, K.
Perakis, S. S.
Porder, S.
Roley, S. S.
Ruess, R. W.
Thompson, J. R.
Wieder, William
Wilcox, K.
Yanai, R. D.
Publisher UCAR/NCAR - Library
Publication Date 2022-12-01T00:00:00
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) Not Assigned
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Resource Version N/A
Topic Category geoscientificInformation
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Metadata Date 2025-07-11T15:57:12.711180
Metadata Record Identifier edu.ucar.opensky::articles:25912
Metadata Language eng; USA
Suggested Citation Rastetter, E. B., Kwiatkowski, B. L., Kicklighter, D. W., Barker Plotkin, A., Genet, H., Nippert, J. B., O'Keefe, K., Perakis, S. S., Porder, S., Roley, S. S., Ruess, R. W., Thompson, J. R., Wieder, William, Wilcox, K., Yanai, R. D.. (2022). N and P constrain C in ecosystems under climate change: Role of nutrient redistribution, accumulation, and stoichiometry. UCAR/NCAR - Library. https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d73f4thq. Accessed 02 August 2025.

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