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Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Elser, JJ; Bracken, MES; Cleland, EE; Gruner, DS; Harpole, WS; Hillebrand, H; Ngai, JT; Seabloom, EW; Shurin, JB; Smith, JE
Published in: Ecology letters
December 2007

The cycles of the key nutrient elements nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) have been massively altered by anthropogenic activities. Thus, it is essential to understand how photosynthetic production across diverse ecosystems is, or is not, limited by N and P. Via a large-scale meta-analysis of experimental enrichments, we show that P limitation is equally strong across these major habitats and that N and P limitation are equivalent within both terrestrial and freshwater systems. Furthermore, simultaneous N and P enrichment produces strongly positive synergistic responses in all three environments. Thus, contrary to some prevailing paradigms, freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems are surprisingly similar in terms of N and P limitation.

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Published In

Ecology letters

DOI

EISSN

1461-0248

ISSN

1461-023X

Publication Date

December 2007

Volume

10

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1135 / 1142

Related Subject Headings

  • Seawater
  • Population Dynamics
  • Phytoplankton
  • Photosynthesis
  • Phosphorus
  • Nitrogen
  • Geologic Sediments
  • Fresh Water
  • Eukaryota
  • Ecosystem
 

Citation

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Elser, J. J., Bracken, M. E. S., Cleland, E. E., Gruner, D. S., Harpole, W. S., Hillebrand, H., … Smith, J. E. (2007). Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology Letters, 10(12), 1135–1142. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01113.x
Elser, James J., Matthew E. S. Bracken, Elsa E. Cleland, Daniel S. Gruner, W Stanley Harpole, Helmut Hillebrand, Jacqueline T. Ngai, Eric W. Seabloom, Jonathan B. Shurin, and Jennifer E. Smith. “Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems.Ecology Letters 10, no. 12 (December 2007): 1135–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01113.x.
Elser JJ, Bracken MES, Cleland EE, Gruner DS, Harpole WS, Hillebrand H, et al. Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology letters. 2007 Dec;10(12):1135–42.
Elser, James J., et al. “Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems.Ecology Letters, vol. 10, no. 12, Dec. 2007, pp. 1135–42. Epmc, doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2007.01113.x.
Elser JJ, Bracken MES, Cleland EE, Gruner DS, Harpole WS, Hillebrand H, Ngai JT, Seabloom EW, Shurin JB, Smith JE. Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Ecology letters. 2007 Dec;10(12):1135–1142.
Journal cover image

Published In

Ecology letters

DOI

EISSN

1461-0248

ISSN

1461-023X

Publication Date

December 2007

Volume

10

Issue

12

Start / End Page

1135 / 1142

Related Subject Headings

  • Seawater
  • Population Dynamics
  • Phytoplankton
  • Photosynthesis
  • Phosphorus
  • Nitrogen
  • Geologic Sediments
  • Fresh Water
  • Eukaryota
  • Ecosystem