Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition

V. F. Bondaruk; C. Xu; P. Wilfahrt; L. Yahdjian; Q. Yu; E. T. Borer; A. Jentsch; E. W. Seabloom; M. D. Smith; J. Alberti; G. R. Oñatibia; H. Dieguez; M. Carbognani; A. Kübert; S. A. Power; N. Eisenhauer; F. Isbell; H. Auge; M. H. Chandregowda; A. C. Churchill; P. Daleo; T. Forte; A. C. Greenville; S. E. Koerner; T. Ohlert; P. Peri; A. Petraglia; D. Salesa; M. Tedder; A. Valdecantos; E. Verhoeven; G. M. Wardle; C. Werner; G. R. Wheeler; H. An; L. Biancari; H. J. Diao; J. Gutknecht; L. B. Han; Y. G. Ke; J. L. Liu; Y. Maziko; D. S. Tian; D. Tissue; S. Wanke; C. Z. Wei; K. Wilkins; H. H. Wu; A. L. Young; F. W. Zhang; B. Zhang; J. T. Zhu; N. Zong; X. A. Zuo; Y. Hautier

doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8

Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition

V. F. Bondaruk
, C. Xu
, P. Wilfahrt
, L. Yahdjian
, Q. Yu^*
, E. T. Borer
, A. Jentsch
, E. W. Seabloom
, M. D. Smith
, J. Alberti
, G. R. Oñatibia
, H. Dieguez
, M. Carbognani
, A. Kübert
, S. A. Power
, N. Eisenhauer
, F. Isbell
, H. Auge
, M. H. Chandregowda
, A. C. Churchill

P. Daleo, T. Forte, A. C. Greenville, S. E. Koerner, T. Ohlert, P. Peri, A. Petraglia, D. Salesa, M. Tedder, A. Valdecantos, E. Verhoeven, G. M. Wardle, C. Werner, G. R. Wheeler, H. An, L. Biancari, H. J. Diao, J. Gutknecht, L. B. Han, Y. G. Ke, J. L. Liu, Y. Maziko, D. S. Tian, D. Tissue, S. Wanke, C. Z. Wei, K. Wilkins, H. H. Wu, A. L. Young, F. W. Zhang, B. Zhang, J. T. Zhu, N. Zong, X. A. Zuo, Y. Hautier

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Plant biomass tends to increase under nutrient addition and decrease under drought. Biotic and abiotic factors influence responses to both, making the combined impact of nutrient addition and drought difficult to predict. Using a globally distributed network of manipulative field experiments, we assessed grassland aboveground biomass response to both drought and increased nutrient availability at 26 sites across nine countries. Overall, drought reduced biomass by 19% and nutrient addition increased it by 24%, resulting in no net impact under combined drought and nutrient addition. Among the plant functional groups, only graminoids responded positively to nutrients during drought. However, these general responses depended on local conditions, especially aridity. Nutrient effects were stronger in arid grasslands and weaker in humid regions and nitrogen-rich soils, although nutrient addition alleviated drought effects the most in subhumid sites. Biomass responses were weaker with higher precipitation variability. Biomass increased more with increased nutrient availability and declined more with drought at high-diversity sites than at low-diversity sites. Our findings highlight the importance of local abiotic and biotic conditions in predicting grassland responses to anthropogenic nutrient and climate changes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	937-946
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Ecology & Evolution
Volume	9
Issue number	6
Early online date	19 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8
Publication status	Published - Jun 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2025.

Funding

This work used data from NPK-D Net ( https://www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/npkd/index.php?lang=en ) experiment, funded at the site level by individual researchers following protocols from the Nutrient Network ( http://www.nutnet.org ) experiment and Drought-Net ( https://droughtnet.weebly.com/ ). Q.Y. and his working collaboration group received funding from the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFE0128000, 2022YFF1300603), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32171592, 32061123005) and the Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CI2024C003YN). V.F.B. thanks the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for the Georg Forster Research Fellowship that provided the support necessary to complete most of this work during her research stay at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. L.Y. acknowledges PICT 2019-02324 from the National Agency of Scientific Promotion. A.J. received funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research Germany (BMBF, FKZ 031B1067C). E.W.S., E.T.B., F.I. and J.G. acknowledge support by grants from the National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network (NSF-DEB-1042132) and Long-Term Ecological Research (NSF-DEB-1234162 and NSF-DEB-1831944 to Cedar Creek LTER) programmes and the Institute on the Environment (DG-0001-13). They thank P.W. and A. Asmus for data coordination and management. M.D.S. was supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Coordination Network grant (DEB-1354732), US Department of Agriculture\u2019s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Postdoctoral Fellowship grant (2020-67034-31898), USDA-NIFA Conference Grant (2020-67019-31757), US Geological Survey John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis grant, US Geological Survey grant (G21AC10266-00), and a Global Drought Synthesis Group grant funded by the NSF Long-term Ecological Research Network Office (LNO) and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California-Santa Barbara. J.A. and P.D. acknowledge grants from CONICET, FONCyT and UNMdP. H.A. received funding from the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ and thanks the staff of the Bad Lauchst\u00E4dt Research Station for maintaining the plots and infrastructures. N.E. received support from iDiv funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG\u2013 FZT 118, 202548816). A.C.G., E.V. and G.M.W. received funding from the Hermon Slade Foundation (HSF 19103) and the Australian National Landcare Program: DigiFarm, the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment, and they thank the staff at the Narrabri Plant Breeding Institute for site maintenance. Y.M. and M.T. acknowledge support from a grant from the National Research Foundation (grant no: 116262). Y.H. thanks the Dutch state forestry (Staatsbosbeheer) for providing access to the study site.

Funders	Funder number
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata
Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment
National Agency of Scientific Promotion
U.S. Department of Agriculture
University of California, Santa Barbara
Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica
UFZ
U.S. Geological Survey	G21AC10266-00
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft	202548816, FZT 118
Institute on the Environment	DG-0001-13, DEB-1354732
National Science Foundation	NSF-DEB-1042132
National Research Foundation	116262
Hermon Slade Foundation	HSF 19103
Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung	PICT 2019-02324
National Key Research and Development Program of China	2022YFF1300603, 2022YFE0128000
National Natural Science Foundation of China	32061123005, 32171592
China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences	CI2024C003YN
National Institute of Food and Agriculture	2020-67019-31757, 2020-67034-31898
Long-Term Ecological Research	NSF-DEB-1831944, NSF-DEB-1234162
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung	FKZ 031B1067C

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s41559-025-02705-8Final published version, 3.53 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

Bondaruk, V. F., Xu, C., Wilfahrt, P., Yahdjian, L., Yu, Q., Borer, E. T., Jentsch, A., Seabloom, E. W., Smith, M. D., Alberti, J., Oñatibia, G. R., Dieguez, H., Carbognani, M., Kübert, A., Power, S. A., Eisenhauer, N., Isbell, F., Auge, H., Chandregowda, M. H., ... Hautier, Y. (2025). Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 9(6), 937-946. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8

@article{9fc3c20b20b048f9a4f34e5f8dacd52b,

title = "Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition",

abstract = "Plant biomass tends to increase under nutrient addition and decrease under drought. Biotic and abiotic factors influence responses to both, making the combined impact of nutrient addition and drought difficult to predict. Using a globally distributed network of manipulative field experiments, we assessed grassland aboveground biomass response to both drought and increased nutrient availability at 26 sites across nine countries. Overall, drought reduced biomass by 19\% and nutrient addition increased it by 24\%, resulting in no net impact under combined drought and nutrient addition. Among the plant functional groups, only graminoids responded positively to nutrients during drought. However, these general responses depended on local conditions, especially aridity. Nutrient effects were stronger in arid grasslands and weaker in humid regions and nitrogen-rich soils, although nutrient addition alleviated drought effects the most in subhumid sites. Biomass responses were weaker with higher precipitation variability. Biomass increased more with increased nutrient availability and declined more with drought at high-diversity sites than at low-diversity sites. Our findings highlight the importance of local abiotic and biotic conditions in predicting grassland responses to anthropogenic nutrient and climate changes.",

author = "Bondaruk, \{V. F.\} and C. Xu and P. Wilfahrt and L. Yahdjian and Q. Yu and Borer, \{E. T.\} and A. Jentsch and Seabloom, \{E. W.\} and Smith, \{M. D.\} and J. Alberti and O{\~n}atibia, \{G. R.\} and H. Dieguez and M. Carbognani and A. K{\"u}bert and Power, \{S. A.\} and N. Eisenhauer and F. Isbell and H. Auge and Chandregowda, \{M. H.\} and Churchill, \{A. C.\} and P. Daleo and T. Forte and Greenville, \{A. C.\} and Koerner, \{S. E.\} and T. Ohlert and P. Peri and A. Petraglia and D. Salesa and M. Tedder and A. Valdecantos and E. Verhoeven and Wardle, \{G. M.\} and C. Werner and Wheeler, \{G. R.\} and H. An and L. Biancari and Diao, \{H. J.\} and J. Gutknecht and Han, \{L. B.\} and Ke, \{Y. G.\} and Liu, \{J. L.\} and Y. Maziko and Tian, \{D. S.\} and D. Tissue and S. Wanke and Wei, \{C. Z.\} and K. Wilkins and Wu, \{H. H.\} and Young, \{A. L.\} and Zhang, \{F. W.\} and B. Zhang and Zhu, \{J. T.\} and N. Zong and Zuo, \{X. A.\} and Y. Hautier",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "937--946",

journal = "Nature Ecology \& Evolution",

issn = "2397-334X",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "6",

}

Bondaruk, VF, Xu, C, Wilfahrt, P, Yahdjian, L, Yu, Q, Borer, ET, Jentsch, A, Seabloom, EW, Smith, MD, Alberti, J, Oñatibia, GR, Dieguez, H, Carbognani, M, Kübert, A, Power, SA, Eisenhauer, N, Isbell, F, Auge, H, Chandregowda, MH, Churchill, AC, Daleo, P, Forte, T, Greenville, AC, Koerner, SE, Ohlert, T, Peri, P, Petraglia, A, Salesa, D, Tedder, M, Valdecantos, A, Verhoeven, E, Wardle, GM, Werner, C, Wheeler, GR, An, H, Biancari, L, Diao, HJ, Gutknecht, J, Han, LB, Ke, YG, Liu, JL, Maziko, Y, Tian, DS, Tissue, D, Wanke, S, Wei, CZ, Wilkins, K, Wu, HH, Young, AL, Zhang, FW, Zhang, B, Zhu, JT, Zong, N, Zuo, XA & Hautier, Y 2025, 'Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition', Nature Ecology & Evolution, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 937-946. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8

TY - JOUR

T1 - Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition

AU - Bondaruk, V. F.

AU - Xu, C.

AU - Wilfahrt, P.

AU - Yahdjian, L.

AU - Yu, Q.

AU - Borer, E. T.

AU - Jentsch, A.

AU - Seabloom, E. W.

AU - Smith, M. D.

AU - Alberti, J.

AU - Oñatibia, G. R.

AU - Dieguez, H.

AU - Carbognani, M.

AU - Kübert, A.

AU - Power, S. A.

AU - Eisenhauer, N.

AU - Isbell, F.

AU - Auge, H.

AU - Chandregowda, M. H.

AU - Churchill, A. C.

AU - Daleo, P.

AU - Forte, T.

AU - Greenville, A. C.

AU - Koerner, S. E.

AU - Ohlert, T.

AU - Peri, P.

AU - Petraglia, A.

AU - Salesa, D.

AU - Tedder, M.

AU - Valdecantos, A.

AU - Verhoeven, E.

AU - Wardle, G. M.

AU - Werner, C.

AU - Wheeler, G. R.

AU - An, H.

AU - Biancari, L.

AU - Diao, H. J.

AU - Gutknecht, J.

AU - Han, L. B.

AU - Ke, Y. G.

AU - Liu, J. L.

AU - Maziko, Y.

AU - Tian, D. S.

AU - Tissue, D.

AU - Wanke, S.

AU - Wei, C. Z.

AU - Wilkins, K.

AU - Wu, H. H.

AU - Young, A. L.

AU - Zhang, F. W.

AU - Zhang, B.

AU - Zhu, J. T.

AU - Zong, N.

AU - Zuo, X. A.

AU - Hautier, Y.

PY - 2025/6

Y1 - 2025/6

N2 - Plant biomass tends to increase under nutrient addition and decrease under drought. Biotic and abiotic factors influence responses to both, making the combined impact of nutrient addition and drought difficult to predict. Using a globally distributed network of manipulative field experiments, we assessed grassland aboveground biomass response to both drought and increased nutrient availability at 26 sites across nine countries. Overall, drought reduced biomass by 19% and nutrient addition increased it by 24%, resulting in no net impact under combined drought and nutrient addition. Among the plant functional groups, only graminoids responded positively to nutrients during drought. However, these general responses depended on local conditions, especially aridity. Nutrient effects were stronger in arid grasslands and weaker in humid regions and nitrogen-rich soils, although nutrient addition alleviated drought effects the most in subhumid sites. Biomass responses were weaker with higher precipitation variability. Biomass increased more with increased nutrient availability and declined more with drought at high-diversity sites than at low-diversity sites. Our findings highlight the importance of local abiotic and biotic conditions in predicting grassland responses to anthropogenic nutrient and climate changes.

AB - Plant biomass tends to increase under nutrient addition and decrease under drought. Biotic and abiotic factors influence responses to both, making the combined impact of nutrient addition and drought difficult to predict. Using a globally distributed network of manipulative field experiments, we assessed grassland aboveground biomass response to both drought and increased nutrient availability at 26 sites across nine countries. Overall, drought reduced biomass by 19% and nutrient addition increased it by 24%, resulting in no net impact under combined drought and nutrient addition. Among the plant functional groups, only graminoids responded positively to nutrients during drought. However, these general responses depended on local conditions, especially aridity. Nutrient effects were stronger in arid grasslands and weaker in humid regions and nitrogen-rich soils, although nutrient addition alleviated drought effects the most in subhumid sites. Biomass responses were weaker with higher precipitation variability. Biomass increased more with increased nutrient availability and declined more with drought at high-diversity sites than at low-diversity sites. Our findings highlight the importance of local abiotic and biotic conditions in predicting grassland responses to anthropogenic nutrient and climate changes.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005545721

U2 - 10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8

DO - 10.1038/s41559-025-02705-8

M3 - Article

C2 - 40389741

SN - 2397-334X

VL - 9

SP - 937

EP - 946

JO - Nature Ecology & Evolution

JF - Nature Ecology & Evolution

IS - 6

ER -

Aridity modulates grassland biomass responses to combined drought and nutrient addition

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