A global dataset of phosphorus addition experiments in terrestrial ecosystems
Phosphorus (P) limitation of aboveground plant
production is usually assumed to occur in tropical regions but rarely
elsewhere. Here we report that P limitation of aboveground plant production is
more widespread and much stronger than previously estimated. In our
meta-analysis of 652 P-addition field experiments described in 285 published
studies, almost half (46.2%) of the experiments reveal a significant P
limitation on aboveground plant production. Globally, P additions increase
aboveground plant production by 34.9% in natural terrestrial ecosystems, which is
7.0–15.9% higher than that previously suggested. In croplands, in contrast, P
additions increase aboveground plant production by only 13.9%; this increase is
less than in natural terrestrial ecosystems probably because of historical
fertilizations of croplands. The magnitude of P limitation also differs among climate
zones and regions, and is evidently driven by climate, ecosystem properties,
and fertilization regimes. In addition to confirming that P limitation is
widespread in tropical regions, our study also demonstrates that P limitation
often occurs in other regions. Our results suggest that previous studies have
underestimated the importance of altered P supply on aboveground plant
production in natural terrestrial ecosystems. Paper on this dataset is, in principle,accepted for publication in Nature Communications (updated 18th December, 2019).