The effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on plant root traits: A meta-analysis

• We evaluated the responses of plant root traits to simulated nitrogen deposition.
• Simulated nitrogen deposition elevated the ratio of carbon sequestered in plant.
• Simulated nitrogen deposition increased carbon and nutrient retention in the soil.
• The amount of N-addition of many simulated experiments was excessive.

Global atmospheric nitrogen deposition has increased steadily since the 20th century, and has complex effects on terrestrial ecosystems. This work synthesized results from 54 papers and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the general response of 15 variables related to plant root traits to simulated nitrogen deposition. Simulated nitrogen deposition resulted in significantly decreasing fine root biomass (<2 mm diameter; −12.8%), while significantly increasing coarse root (≥2 mm diameter; +56.5%) and total root (+20.2%) biomass, but had no remarkable effect on root morphology. This suggests that simulated nitrogen deposition could stimulate carbon accumulation in root biomass. The root: shoot ratio decreased (−10.7%) suggests that aboveground biomass was more sensitive to simulated nitrogen deposition than root biomass. In addition, simulated nitrogen deposition increased the fine root nitrogen content (+17.6%), but did not affect carbon content, and thus decreased the fine root C:N ratio (−13.5%). These changes delayed the decomposition of roots, combined with increasing of the fine root turnover rate (+21.4%), which suggests that simulated nitrogen deposition could increase carbon and nutrient retention in the soil. Simulated nitrogen deposition also strongly affected the functional traits of roots, which increased root respiration (+20.7%), but decreased fungal colonization (−17.0%). The effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on the plant root systems were dependent on ecosystem and climate zone types, because soil nutrient conditions and other biotic and abiotic factors vary widely. Long-term simulated experiments, in which the experimental N-addition levels were less than twofold of the average of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, would better reflect the response of ecosystems under atmospheric nitrogen deposition. These results provide a synthetic understanding of the effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on plant root systems, as well as the mechanisms underlying the effects of simulated nitrogen deposition on plants and the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle.