Changes in species composition, diversity and biomass of herbaceous plant traits due to N amendment in a dry tropical environment of India

Aim European and North American studies have suggested that nitrogen (N) depositions reduce plant diversity and increase primary productivity due to changes in plant traits. To predict the vegetation response to future global change, experimental validations from other regions are widely needed. We assessed the effects of N treatment by urea fertilization on the diversity and biomass of the herbaceous plant traits (HPTs) in a dry tropical environment of India. Methods Diversity and biomass of different HPTs were determined on the basis of data collected in year 2010, from 135, 1 m x 1 m plots distributed over 15 locations. The plots were treated with urea fertilizer in different doses (Control, 60 kgNha(-1) yr(-1) and 120 kg N ha(-1)yr(-1)) since 1st January 2007. The plots were ordinated and data were subjected to appropriate statistical analyses. Important Findings Correspondence analysis (CA) suggested uniqueness of species composition due to N amendment. Species number and biomass of the trait categories varied due to N fertilization and traits. All studied trait categories (except N-fixers) yielded maximum mean species number at moderate level of N fertilization. Different levels of N fertilization exhibited different species diversity-primary productivity (D-P) relationships. Further, study showed reduction in plant diversity due to increase in biomass at high rates of N addition. Conclusions Tall, erect, non N-fixers, annuals, grasses HPTs were favoured by N enrichment. N dose above 60 kg enhanced the biomass of fast growing, erect, annuals, non N-fixers, nitrophilic HPTs. The changes in traits with N addition, especially the increase in annuals and grasses and decrease in typically N-rich N-fixers, have implications for sustainable cattle production.