Date and R code-Guo.xlsx

Widespread evidence found that N enrichment reduces grassland plant species diversity. However, how N enrichment influences species diversity from the crucial process of seed to seed remains unclear. We monitored/investigated plant community, seed rain, seed bank, seedlings, rodents, and litter along an N enrichment gradient in an alpine meadow. We found that the N enrichment significantly decreased the species diversity of seed rain, seed bank, and seedling, ultimately resulting in the loss of plant diversity. Increased seed dispersal and decreased recruitment limitations due to N enrichment constrain plant species diversity, and increased rodent density and litter mass are crucial reasons for the seed dispersal and recruitment limitation. This is the first study to explain the mechanism of species diversity lost due to N enrichment from the crucial process of seed to seed. Seed dispersal and recruitment limitations constrain plant species diversity following N enrichment.