Micronutrients enhance macronutrient effects in a meta-analysis of grassland arthropod abundance

Aim: Ongoing alterations to Earth’s biogeochemical cycles (e.g. via fertilization, burning of fossil fuels, and pollution) are expected to impact plants, plant consumers, and all subsequent trophic levels. While fertilization experiments often reveal arthropod nutrient limitation by nitrogen and phosphorus via effects on plant nutrient density and biomass, these macronutrients are only two of many nutrients important to arthropod fitness. Micronutrients are key to osmoregulation and enzyme function and can interact synergistically with macronutrients to shape the geography of arthropod abundance. We examine arthropod response to macro- and micronutrient fertilization as a function of nutrient type, application amount, duration, frequency, and plant responses to fertilization with the goal of addressing how ongoing alterations to biogeochemical cycles will shape future grassland food webs.
Location: Global.
Time period: 1987-2018.
Major taxa studied: Invertebrates.
Methods: We compiled a...