Yuan Sun et al.,   Coherent responses of terrestrial C:N stoichiometry to drought across plants, soil, and microorganisms in forests and grasslands

META-ANALYSIS

Yuan Sun, Jiahui Liao, Xiaoming Zou, Xuan Xu,Jinyan Yang, Han Y.H.Chen, Honghua Ruan 

Coherent responses of terrestrial C:N stoichiometry to drought across plants, soil, and microorganisms in forests and grasslands

Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Volumes 292–293, 15 October 2020, 108104

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2020.108104

Abstract

Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) are key to biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Despite the negative effects of drought on multiple ecosystem processes, our understanding of the responses of C and N in plants, soil, and microorganisms to drought remains incomplete. Our meta-analysis of 379 observations from 79 studies revealed that the C and N concentrations and C:N ratios of plant organs, litter, and soil, and activities and stoichiometry of C- and N-acquiring extracellular enzymes all decreased under drought, while the microbial biomass C:N ratio increased. Moreover, the magnitudes of these responses generally increased with drought intensity and drought duration. These effects of drought were consistent across ecosystem types, including forests and grasslands. Our study underpinned the strong coherent responses of C:N stoichiometry to drought encompassing plants, soil, and microorganisms.