Nutrient limitation is pervasive in the terrestrial biosphere, although the relationship between global carbon (C) nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycles remains uncertain. Using meta-analysis we show that gross primary production (GPP) partitioning belowground is inversely related to soil-available N�:�P, increasing with latitude from tropical to boreal forests. N-use efficiency is highest in boreal forests, and P-use efficiency in tropical forests. High C partitioning belowground in boreal forests reflects a 13-fold greater C cost of N acquisition compared to the tropics. By contrast, the C cost of P acquisition varies only 2-fold among biomes. This analysis suggests a new hypothesis that the primary limitation on productivity in forested ecosystems transitions from belowground resources at high latitudes to aboveground resources at low latitudes as C-intensive root- and mycorrhizal-mediated nutrient capture is progressively replaced by rapidly cycling, enzyme-derived nutrient fluxes when temperatures approach the thermal optimum for biogeochemical transformations. � 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS
Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
Recommended Citation:
Gill A.L.,Finzi A.C.. Belowground carbon flux links biogeochemical cycles and resource-use efficiency at the global scale[J]. Ecology Letters,2016-01-01,19(12)