Nonlinear response of soil microbial necromass nitrogen to nitrogen addition gradient in an alpine grassland

Clicks: 3
ID: 315631
2026
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Emerging

Ranked #41 of 98 articles by views in journal of plant ecology

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
Abstract Microbial necromass nitrogen (N) constitutes a major component of soil N pools, and elucidating its response to N enrichment is essential for optimizing fertilizer management in grassland ecosystems. However, the effects of varying N addition levels on microbial necromass N and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we leveraged a decade-long field experiment in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), applying six N addition levels (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 g N m−2 yr−1) to investigate the response of microbial necromass N and its key drivers. Microbial necromass N exhibited a nonlinear response to N enrichment, remaining stable under low N inputs (2, 4, and 8 g N m−2 yr−1) but increasing significantly at higher N addition levels (16 and 32 g N m−2 yr−1). Across all treatments, microbial necromass N accounted for 67–76% of total soil N. Nitrogen-induced changes in plant, soil, and microbial factors collectively explained 60% of the variation in microbial necromass N. Among these, soil factors were the dominant predictors, accounting for 34% of the total variance, with mineral protection (Feo + Alo) and soil inorganic nitrogen (SIN) identified as the primary drivers. These findings highlight the pivotal role of microbial necromass N in soil N storage and its nonlinear response to N enrichment, underscoring the importance of effective N management for enhancing soil N retention and stability in alpine grasslands.
Reference Key
openalex_W7163367441 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Quan-Cheng Wang, Yì Wáng, Yang Li, Houkun Chu, Ronglei Zhou, Ning Liu, Mengjie Liu, Fangfang Ma, Chen Chen, Jingjing Shi, Huichen Zhang, Ruifa Wang, Shuli Niu
Journal journal of plant ecology
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jpe/rtag132
URL
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.