Effects of elevated CO2, temperature and N fertilization on nitrogen fluxes in a temperate grassland ecosystem

Abstract

SummaryThe soil nitrogen cycle was investigated in a pre‐established Lolium perenne sward on a loamy soil and exposed to ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (350 and 700 μL L−1) and, at elevated [CO2], to a 3 °C temperature increase. At two levels of mineral nitrogen supply, N– (150 kgN ha−1 y−1) and N+ (533 kgN ha−1 y−1), 15N‐labelled ammonium nitrate was supplied in split applications over a 2.5‐y period. The recovery of the labelled fertilizer N was measured in the harvests, in the stubble and roots, in the macro‐organic matter fractions above 200 μm in size (MOM) and in the aggregated organic matter below 200 μM (AOM). Elevated [CO2] reduced the total amount of N harvested in the clipped parts of the sward. The harvested N derived from soil was reduced to a greater extent than that derived from fertilizer. At both N supplies, elevated [CO2] modified the allocation of the fertilizer N in the sward, in favour of the stubble and roots and significantly increased the recovery of fertilizer N in the soil macro‐organic matter fractions. The increase of fertilizer N immobilization in the MOM was associated with a decline of fertilizer N uptake by the grass sward, which supported the hypothesis of a negative feedback of elevated [CO2] on the sward N yield and uptake. Similar and even more pronounced effects were observed for the native N mineralized in the soil. At N–, a greater part of the fertilizer N organized in the root phytomass resulted in an underestimation of N immobilized in dead roots and, in turn, an underestimation of N immobilization in the MOM. The 3 °C temperature increase alleviated the [CO2] effect throughout much of the N cycle, increasing soil N mineralization, N derived from soil in the harvests, and the partitioning of the assimilated fertilizer N to shoots. In conclusion, at ambient temperature, the N cycle was slowed down under elevated [CO2], which restricted the increase in the aboveground production of the grass sward, and apparently contributed to the sequestration of carbon belowground. In contrast, a temperature increase under elevated [CO2] stimulated the soil nitrogen cycle, improved the N nutrition of the sward and restricted the magnitude of the soil C sequestration.