Phosphorus amendment mitigates nitrogen addition-induced phosphorus limitation in two plant species in a desert steppe, China

Background and aims: The increasing deposition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) due to anthropogenic activities has significantly enhanced N inputs to ecosystems, resulting in an imbalance in the N: phosphorus (P) ratios in plants and soils. This study aimed to determine whether, and to what extent, P addition alleviates N-induced P limitation in a desert steppe ecosystem. Methods: We conducted a multi-level N:P supply experiment (i.e., constant N with varied P-addition levels) for a grass species, Pennisetum centrasiaticum, and a N-fixing species, Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Results: With increasing amounts of P addition (thereby decreasing the N:P ratio), green-leaf P concentrations of the two species studied tended to increase, while P-resorption proficiency and efficiency tended to decrease. There were no consistent trends in green-leaf N concentrations in response to P addition. However, both species exhibited high N-resorption proficiency, especially in G. uralensis, with high P addition....