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Effects of long-term exposure to enriched CO2 on the nutrient-supplying capacity of a grassland soil

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Abstract

Altered soil nutrient cycling under future climate scenarios may affect pasture production and fertilizer management. We conducted a controlled-environment study to test the hypothesis that long-term exposure of pasture to enriched carbon dioxide (CO2) would lower soil nutrient availability. Perennial ryegrass was grown for 9 weeks under ambient and enriched (ambient + 120 ppm) CO2 concentrations in soil collected from an 11.5-year free air CO2 enrichment experiment in a grazed pasture in New Zealand. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers were applied in a full factorial design at rates of 0, 12.5, 25 or 50 kg N ha−1 and 0, 17.5 or 35 kg P ha−1. Compared to ambient CO2, under enriched CO2 without P fertilizer, total plant biomass did not respond to N fertilizer, and tissue N/P ratio was increased indicating that P was co-limiting. This limitation was alleviated with the lowest rate of P fertilizer (17.5 kg P ha−1). Plant biomass in both CO2 treatments increased with increasing N fertilizer when sufficient P was available. Greater inputs of P fertilizer may be required to prevent yield suppression under enriched CO2 and to stimulate any response to N.

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Author notes

  1. Roberta Gentile

    Present address: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Ave., Charlottetown, C1A 4N6, PE, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgResearch, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand

    Roberta Gentile, Mike Dodd, Mark Lieffering, Shona C. Brock, Phil W. Theobald & Paul C. D. Newton

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  1. Roberta Gentile
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  2. Mike Dodd
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  3. Mark Lieffering
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  4. Shona C. Brock
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  5. Phil W. Theobald
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  6. Paul C. D. Newton
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Correspondence to Roberta Gentile.

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Gentile, R., Dodd, M., Lieffering, M. et al. Effects of long-term exposure to enriched CO2 on the nutrient-supplying capacity of a grassland soil. Biol Fertil Soils 48, 357–362 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0616-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-011-0616-7

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