Leaf economic strategies drive global variation in phosphorus stimulation of terrestrial plant production

Nan Yang, Constantin M. Zohner, Thomas W. Crowther, Jiguang Feng, Jin Wu, Xinli Chen, Wenxuan Han, Benjamin D. Stocker, Dafeng Hui, Laurent Augusto, Kai Yue, Enqing Hou, Mingkai Jiang, Huili Feng, Zixin Chen, Wenjuan Wu, Aijun Xing, Chengrong Chen, Jordi Sardans, Yiqi Luo, Josep Peñuelas, Hans Lambers, Jingyun Fang and Zhengbing Yan ()
Additional contact information
Nan Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Constantin M. Zohner: Universitätsstrasse 16
Thomas W. Crowther: Universitätsstrasse 16
Jiguang Feng: Inner Mongolia University
Jin Wu: The University of Hong Kong
Xinli Chen: Zhejiang A&F University
Wenxuan Han: China Agricultural University
Benjamin D. Stocker: University of Bern
Dafeng Hui: Tennessee State University
Laurent Augusto: ISPA
Kai Yue: Fujian Normal University
Enqing Hou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Mingkai Jiang: Zhejiang University
Huili Feng: Hainan University
Zixin Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wenjuan Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Aijun Xing: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chengrong Chen: Griffith University
Jordi Sardans: Bellaterra
Yiqi Luo: Cornell University
Josep Peñuelas: Bellaterra
Hans Lambers: The University of Western Australia
Jingyun Fang: Peking University
Zhengbing Yan: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Plant biomass and its allocation are fundamental for understanding biospheric matter production. However, the impacts of atmospheric phosphorus (P) deposition on species-specific biomass and its allocation in global terrestrial plants remain unclear. By synthesizing 5548 observations of plant biomass and its allocation related to P addition worldwide, we find that P addition increases plant biomass by an average of 35% globally. This increase varies across plant functional groups, with stronger responses in deciduous (45%), C3 (36%), and N2-fixing plants (54%) than in evergreen (28%), C4 (19%), and non-N2-fixing plants (31%), respectively. Plants possessing traits indicative of an acquisitive strategy, such as higher nutrient concentrations and specific leaf area, faster photosynthetic rates and shorter leaf lifespan, are particularly responsive to P addition. Furthermore, P addition promotes a greater allocation of biomass to aboveground than belowground organs, resulting in a 5% decrease in root-to-shoot ratio. Our findings provide global-scale quantifications of how P addition regulates biomass accumulation and allocation strategies in terrestrial plants, offering critical insights for predicting the response of terrestrial carbon storage to rising atmospheric P deposition.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60633-4

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