高寒矮嵩草草甸两种主要植物耐牧性的比较

通过野外控制实验,研究了刈割(留茬3 cm、留茬1 cm及不刈割)、施肥(施肥、不施肥)和浇水(浇水、不浇水)处理对高寒草甸矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)和垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)补偿高度、株高相对生长率、比叶面积、叶片净光合速率和地上总生物量的影响.结果表明:2物种的株高和地上总生物量在刈割后均为低补偿响应,但其株高相对生长率显著提高,并均随年份而增加;垂穗披碱草比叶面积、叶片净光合速率和地上总生物量对刈割损伤更加敏感;尽管施肥能显著提高2物种上述各项指标,但在不同处理条件下矮嵩草的耐牧性指数均小于垂穗披碱草;浇水的作用不显著.说明2物种的耐牧性依赖于土壤养分资源获得性,矮嵩草的耐牧性强于垂穗披碱草.     

种群密度与施肥对垂穗披碱草刈割后补偿作用的影响

 以甘南亚高山草甸常见牧草垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)为对象,通过考察种群密度、施肥与刈割处理等对植物生长和生殖的影响效应,比较了垂穗披碱草在5个密度及2个施肥实验处理条件下对4种刈割处理的补偿性反应特点。结果表明,在所有密度及施肥处理条件下,早期轻度刈割处理 (分蘖期刈割,留茬4 cm) 都有利于植物的补偿作用,后期重度处理 (拔节期刈割,留茬2 cm) 可显著降低植物的地上部分生物量及生殖部分干重 (穗重)。在不施肥情况下,刈割对垂穗披碱草的影响程度随种群密度而加大,在低密度处理中早期轻度刈割的植物发生了超补偿。可以认为,低密度种群中植物具有较多的分蘖是植物在刈割后表现出较高补偿能力的一个重要生物学原因。实验还发现,施肥可提高植物个体的分蘖能力和秆叶再生能力,因而总体上可增强植物的补偿能力,并且在中等密度条件下垂穗披碱草的补偿能力较强,尽管没有发生超补偿现象。不过,施肥主要是有利于植物地上营养器官的补偿,生殖器官的补偿程度较小一些。试验结果对科学管理人工草场具有一定的指导意义。     

光照强度和肥力变化对垂穗披碱草生长的影响

在野外条件下,采用析因设计,对光照和肥力变化影响下垂穗披碱草的生长参数进行测定,评估垂穗披碱草对异质环境的适应特性。光照分为高光照(100%光照强度)、中度光照(43.5%光照强度)与低光照(6.74%光照强度);肥力分为施肥与不施肥。结果表明,垂穗披碱草在光照强度由高光照(100%)向中度光照(43.5%)变化情况下,地上生物量、分蘖数无变化,株高增大,光照强度减小到6.74%时,地上生物量、分蘖数、株高均减小。比叶面积(SLA)随光照强度的减弱而增加,相对生长率(RGR)随光照强度的减弱而减小,施肥对SLA和RGR无影响。根冠比在中度光照和低光照下各处理之间差异均不显著,高光照(100%)下增加肥力,根冠比增大。施肥时,叶分配随光照强度的减弱而增加,繁殖分配减小,不施肥时,叶分配与繁殖分配在高光照(100%)和中度光照(43.5%)下无差异,低光照(6.74%)下,叶分配增大,繁殖分配减小。施肥时茎分配在中度光照强度(43.5%)下最大,高光照强度(100%)下次之,低光照强度(6.74%)下最小,不施肥时,茎分配在高光照(100%)和中度光照(43.5%)下无差异,低光照(6.74%)下减小。研究表明:垂穗披碱草是一个光照耐受型物种,光照强度减小到全光照一半时仍可正常生长。在低光环境中,垂穗披碱草通过增加株高和大而薄的叶片,来适应环境,资源主要在叶分配、茎分配、繁殖分配之间进行了权衡。     

植株密度和氮素互作对垂穗披碱草生物量分配的影响

垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）是高寒地区建植和改良栽培草地的首选草种。虽然合理植株密度和氮素添加量是垂穗披碱草栽培草地稳产的关键因子,但两者之间是否存在最佳互作组合仍不清楚。采用盆栽试验,通过分析不同植株密度（58、102、146株/m²）和氮素添加量（0、200、400 mg/kg）组合状态下垂穗披碱草株高、单株分蘖数、地上生物量、地下生物量、根系体积和地上地下生物量比,以确定理论上是否存在植株密度和氮素添加量的最佳组合。结果表明：随植株密度增加,垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均先增加后降低,而单株分蘖数逐渐减小,根系体积和地下生物量先增加后保持相对稳定;随氮素添加量增加,垂穗披碱草单株分蘖数、地上生物量和地上地下生物量比值均表现为先增加后降低,地下生物量逐渐降低。植株密度与氮素添加量互作虽然对垂穗披碱草的根系体积和单株分蘖数没有显著影响,但两者互作显著影响了垂穗披碱草株高、地上生物量、地下生物量、地上地下生物量比（P<0.01）,这些指标与植株密度和氮素添加量的关系均表现为一个开口向下的抛物面。当植株密度为102株/m²和氮素添加量为200 mg/kg时,垂穗披碱草栽培草地产量最大,生物量分配最优。垂穗披碱草植株密度和氮素添加互作时理论上存在最佳组合,这为垂穗披碱草栽培草地的田间管理提供了理论依据。     

刈割、施肥和浇水对垂穗披碱草补偿生长的影响

植物的补偿生长特性受放牧强度和生境资源获得性的影响。通过为期2年的野外控制实验,研究了刈割高度(留茬1cm、3cm及不刈割)、施肥(施、不施)和浇水(浇、不浇)处理对垂穗披碱草(Elymus natans)补偿生长的影响,并结合对各处理分株密度、比叶面积、净光合速率和相对生长率的变化研究,探讨了其补偿生长机制。结果表明:刈割后垂穗披碱草分株种群密度显著增加,补偿生长高度显著降低,比叶面积和相对生长率随刈割强度增加而呈上升趋势,叶片净光合速率变化不显著;施肥能显著增加垂穗披碱草的补偿生长高度、比叶面积、叶片净光合速率和相对生长率;浇水处理以及刈割、浇水、施肥处理之间的交互作用均不显著。可见,在刈割条件下,垂穗披碱草具有一定的密度补偿机制,但由于刈割抑制补偿性高生长,导致分株高度出现低补偿。因此,即使刈割后比叶面积和株高相对生长率显著增加,也不一定必然引起株高的超补偿;但施肥可显著提高垂穗披碱草的补偿能力,增加耐牧性,证实了改进后的限制资源模型的预测。     

青藏高原东部高寒草甸群落生物量和补偿能力对施肥与刈割的响应

以青藏高原东部高寒草甸群落为研究对象,通过比较了不同施肥条件和不同刈割对群落地上生物量和多样性的影响。结果表明施肥可提高生物量且生物多样性降低,施肥和刈割处理后,施肥效应显著而刈割效应不显著,说明施肥是主效应。实验还发现施肥可提高群落的补偿能力;不同资源梯度的情况下植物群落对刈割处理后补偿作用也不相同,对刈割处理后植物群落补偿能力随资源的升高而增强。当未施肥和施肥30g/m^2时相同强度的1次刈割的补偿能力较相同强度的2次刈割的补偿能力大;当施肥60g/m^2和120g/m^2时相同强度的2次刈割的补偿能力较相同强度的1次刈割的补偿能力大。     

施肥和刈割对冷地早熟禾补偿生长的影响

以青藏高原东部高寒草甸常见牧草冷地早熟禾(Poa crymophila)为研究对象,比较研究了肥力和不同刈割处理对植物生长和生物量补偿的影响。实验采用随机设计,肥力分为施肥和不施肥,刈割处理为刈割时间、刈割频度和刈割强度3因子组合。结果表明:不刈割情况下,施肥显著促进冷地早熟禾的生长,而在刈割情况下,施肥对植物的生长没有明显的促进作用甚至有负作用。不施肥,刈割可促进冷地早熟禾地上生物量的增加并发生超补偿,但补偿程度因刈割强度、刈割频度和刈割时间而异;施肥时,刈割没有或很少促进植株发生超补偿。超补偿发生时,资源贫瘠的条件可能是必需的。冷地早熟禾发生超补偿可能是以损耗地下部分的资源为代价的,刈割刺激分蘖的增加对超补偿的发生也有一定的贡献。     

刈割、施肥和浇水对矮嵩草补偿生长的影响

通过对青海海北高寒矮嵩草(Kobresia humilis)草甸进行为期3年的野外控制试验, 研究了刈割(留茬1 cm、3 cm及不刈割)、施肥(2.5 g·m^-2尿素+ 0.6 g·m^-2磷酸二胺、不施肥)和浇水(20.1 kg·m^-2、不浇水)处理对矮嵩草补偿生长(包括分株密度、株高和分株地上生物量)的影响, 及其比叶面积、叶片净光合速率和相对增长率的变化, 探讨矮嵩草补偿生长的机制。研究结果表明: 刈割后, 矮嵩草的补偿生长高度和比叶面积显著降低; 分株密度有增加的趋势, 但会随刈割强度的增加而下降; 株高和生物量的相对增长率随刈割强度的增加而呈上升趋势; 补偿地上生物量在重度刈割处理下最高。施肥能显著增加矮嵩草的补偿高度、分株密度、补偿地上生物量、株高相对增长率、生物量相对增长率、比叶面积和净光合速率; 与不浇水处理相比, 浇水处理对重度刈割处理下的分株地上生物量、密度相对增长率、比叶面积和净光合速率无影响, 而显著降低了中度刈割处理下的补偿高度和株高相对增长率, 提高了不刈割处理下的分株密度和重度刈割处理下的生物量相对增长率。刈割、施肥和浇水处理的交互作用也显示出刈割与施肥对矮嵩草补偿生长具有拮抗效应, 而刈割与浇水具有协同效应。上述结果说明, 矮嵩草在刈割后可通过增加分株密度和相对增长率等途径来提高补偿能力, 弥补在生长高度上出现的低补偿, 而施肥可显著抵消刈割的不利影响, 提高矮嵩草的补偿能力。     

高原鼠兔刈割行为与栖息地植物群落的关系

采用观察法和样条法对不同栖息地高原鼠兔刈割植物的行为、相对频次、生物量百分比以及刈割植物与鼠兔冬季食物组成之间的关系进行了分析,并阐述了高原鼠兔刈割植物的生物学意义。结果表明:高原鼠兔刈割植物始于每年的6 月下旬,早于其它草原小型哺乳动物贮草时间。不同栖息地鼠兔对植物的刈割频次和生物量比例并非完全一致。在矮嵩草草甸,鼠兔刈割频次较高的为垂穗披碱草、二柱头藨草、甘肃棘豆、短穗兔耳草、铺散亚菊和鹅绒萎陵菜;这些植物生物量所占比例亦较高,仅短穗兔耳草比例较低;在垂穗披碱草草甸,鼠兔刈割频次较高的为垂穗披碱草和早熟禾;垂穗披碱草生物量较高;而在杂类草草甸,鼠兔主要刈割植物为铺散亚菊、大籽蒿、黄帚橐吾、长茎藁本和圆齿狗娃花,生物量比例较高的主要为铺散亚菊。相似性分析结果表明,不同栖息地间鼠兔刈割植物频次和生物量比例差异较大,相似性系数最大分别为0. 7862 和0. 6100, 最小仅为0.1422 和0. 1035,而同一栖息地间鼠兔刈割植物频次和生物量差异相对较小,相似性系数最高达0. 9203 和0. 8490,最小亦达到0. 6662 和0. 4440,表明栖息地变化对鼠兔刈割植物频次和比例有明显的影响作用。鼠兔刈割主要植物频次和生物量比例与冬季主要食物组成的相关分析结果表明,生物量比例与主要食物组成呈显著的正相关(r =0.8412,df = 6, P <0. 05),而刈割植物频次与主要食物相关不显著。     

不同刈割频度对绵毛优若藜地上生物量及根系的影响

采用盆栽试验,研究了不同刈割频度对绵毛优若藜地上生物量和根系的影响.结果显示:(1)不同刈割处理下绵毛优若藜地上生物量及其营养成分百分含量差异极显著(P<0.01),地上生物量随刈割频度增大呈先增大后减小,其1次刈割生物量最大,单株均值高达5.63g;随刈割次数增加其地上部分的粗脂肪和粗蛋白百分含量均极显著提高,而粗纤维和粗灰分的百分含量则均极显著降低.(2)与不刈割相比,不同频度的刈割均能使根系生物量、根系体积总量和主根直径减少,并随着刈割频度的增大显著减少.(3)刈割显著抑制植株主根伸长,也限制侧根发生,使整个根系在土壤中的分布因刈割频度增大而逐渐变浅,刈割频度≤1时,植物根系主要分布在0～30cm的土层中;刈割频度≥2时,植物根系基本分布在0～20cm的土层中.试验结果说明,绵毛优若藜在民勤沙区适应低频度刈割管理,即1年刈割1次,其地上生物量最大,而根系受影响最小.     

Nitrogen fertilization increases diversity and productivity of prairie communities used for bioenergy

Using prairie biomass as a renewable source of energy may constitute an important opportunity to improve the environmental sustainability of managed land. To date, assessments of the feasibility of using prairies for bioenergy production have focused on marginal areas with low yield potential. Growing prairies on more fertile soil or with moderate levels of fertilization may be an effective means of increasing yields, but increased fertility often reduces plant community diversity. At a fertile site in central Iowa with high production potential, we tested the hypothesis that nitrogen fertilization would increase aboveground biomass production but would decrease diversity of prairies sown and managed for bioenergy production. Over a 3 year period (years 2–4 after seeding), we measured aboveground biomass after plant senescence and species and functional‐group diversity in June and August for multispecies mixtures of prairie plants that received no fertilizer or 84 kg N ha^?1 year^?1. We found that nitrogen fertilization increased aboveground biomass production, but with or without fertilization, the prairies produced a substantial amount of biomass: averaging (±SE) 12.2 ± 1.3 and 9.1 ± 1.0 Mg ha^?1 in fertilized and unfertilized prairies, respectively. Unfertilized prairies had higher species diversity in June, whereas fertilized prairies had higher species diversity in August at the end of the study period. Functional‐group diversity was almost always higher in fertilized prairies. Composition of unfertilized prairies was characterized by native C₄ grasses and legumes, whereas fertilized prairies were characterized by native C₃ grasses and forbs. Although most research has found that nitrogen fertilization reduces prairie diversity, our results indicate that early‐spring nitrogen fertilization, when used with a postsenescence annual harvest, may increase prairie diversity. Managing prairies for bioenergy production, including the judicious use of fertilization, may be an effective means of increasing the amount of saleable products from managed lands while potentially increasing plant diversity.     

水分亏缺和施氮对冬小麦生长及氮素吸收的影响

利用管栽试验研究了不同生育期,水分亏缺和施氮对冬小麦生长及氮素吸收的影响.结果表明：任何生育期水分亏缺都会影响冬小麦的株高、叶面积、干物质累积及对氮素的吸收.冬小麦对水分亏缺的敏感期为拔节期,其次为开花期、灌浆期和苗期.苗期干旱后复水对后期生长有显著的补偿效应,开花期适度干旱后复水对生物量形成和氮素吸收有一定的补偿作用,拔节期干旱对小麦的生长影响明显.相同氮肥处理下, 与不亏水处理比较, 苗期水分亏缺、拔节期水分亏缺、开花期水分亏缺、灌浆期水分亏缺的根系氮素积累量分别平均降低25.82%、55.68%、46.14%和16.34%,地上部氮素积累量分别平均降低33.37%、51.71%、27.01%和2.60%.在相同水分处理下冬小麦含氮量、累积吸收氮量都表现为高氮处理（0.3 g N·kg^-1FM）>中氮处理（0.2 g N·kg^-1FM）>低氮处理（0.1 g N·kg^-1FM）.水分逆境条件下施用氮肥对冬小麦植株生长和干物质累积及氮吸收具有明显的调节效应.     

Physiological indicators of nitrogen response in a short rotation sycamore plantation. I. CO2 assimilation, photosynthetic pigments and soluble carbohydrates

American sycamore ( Platanus occidentalis L.) seedlings were grown in the field under different urea-nitrogen fertilization regimes to identify physiological variables that characterize the growth response. Treatments included fertilization at the beginning of the growing season with 50, 150, 450 kg N ha⁻¹, fertilization 3 times each at 37.5 kg N ha⁻¹ and unfertilized control. The greatest aboveground biomass accumulation (3× that of control) occurred in plots fertilized with 450 kg N ha⁻¹, but nearly as much growth occurred when 37.5 kg N ha⁻¹ was added periodically. Photosynthesis, chlorophyll concentrations and growth increased rapidly after the midseason application of 37.5 kg N ha⁻¹ but not after the late-season application. Although nitrogen fertilization increased leaf area per plant, leaf nitrogen concentration did not differ between treatments. There was no evidence to indicate that fertilization extended the physiologically active season or increased susceptibility to drought or cold. Sycamore leaves accumulated sucrose and mannose in response to water stress in all treatments. Photosynthetic pigment concentrations and net photosynthetic rate were the most sensitive indicators of growth response to nitrogen fertilization in the first growing season. Careful timing (based on physiological indicators) of low level applications of nitrogen fertilizer can optimize growth.     

Plant community responses to long-term fertilization: changes in functional group abundance drive changes in species richness

Declines in species richness due to fertilization are typically rapid and associated with increases in aboveground production. However, in a long-term experiment examining the impacts of fertilization in an early successional community, we found it took 14 years for plant species richness to significantly decline in fertilized plots, despite fertilization causing a rapid increase in aboveground production. To determine what accounted for this lag in the species richness response, we examined several potential mechanisms. We found evidence suggesting the abundance of one functional group—tall species with long-distance (runner) clonality—drove changes in species richness, and we found little support for other mechanisms. Tall runner species initially increased in abundance due to fertilization, then declined dramatically and were not abundant again until later in the experiment, when species richness and the combined biomass of all other functional groups (non-tall runner) declined. Over 86 % of the species found throughout the course of our study are non-tall runner, and there is a strong negative relationship between non-tall runner and tall runner biomass. We therefore suggest that declines in species richness in the fertilized treatment are due to high tall runner abundance that decreases the abundance and richness of non-tall runner species. By identifying the functional group that drives declines in richness due to fertilization, our results help to elucidate how fertilization decreases plant richness and also suggest that declines in richness due to fertilization can be lessened by controlling the abundance of species with a tall runner growth form.     

黄土丘陵区撂荒群落演替序列种根系对氮素施肥方式和水平的形态响应

采用盆栽试验,研究了黄土丘陵区撂荒群落演替序列种(即,黄土丘陵区摞荒群落演替主要阶段的优势种)根系对氮素施肥方式和水平的形态响应,对了解我国氮沉降增加背景下的群落生态效应及人为施肥干扰促进植被恢复具有较好的理论和实践意义。测试并分析了6个演替序列种在不同施氮方式(匀质和异质施氮)和水平(高、低和无氮对照)条件下植株个体生物量指标(地上及地下生物量和根冠比)、根系形态指标(根长、直径、表面积、比根长和比表面积)的变化及其差异显著性;并且利用根钻法和单样本T检验比较了异质施氮方式下施氮斑块与不施氮斑块根系形态指标的差异。结果表明:1)6种演替序列种地上、地下生物量和根冠比存在种间固有差别,施氮方式和水平整体上对三者无显著影响;施氮方式和植物种类对根冠比存在显著交互作用,说明个别种的根冠比对施氮方式响应明显,其中猪毛蒿根冠比在异质施氮方式下显著高于匀质施氮。2)6种演替序列种根系塑形指标包括比根长、比表面积和直径存在种间差别,并且施氮水平对比根长影响显著,高、低施氮水平下比根长都显著低于不施氮对照。3)狗尾草和铁杆蒿分别在异质高氮和异质低氮条件下施氮斑块根系生物量密度显著高于未施氮斑块;猪毛蒿在异质高氮条件下施氮斑块发生了更多的伸长生长,其根长、根表面积、比根长和比表面积在施氮斑块中的密度显著高于未施氮斑块;猪毛蒿和狗尾草在异质高氮条件下,以及白羊草在异质低氮条件下,其根系直径在施氮斑块显著小于未施氮斑块。从根系形态变化敏感性和施氮对促进植物生长来看,演替过程中演替序列种对施氮响应的敏感性总体上呈降低趋势,前期种对施氮响应更敏感,从施氮获利也更多,因而恢复前期进行人为干扰促进植被恢复效果也会更好。     

Fine root distribution in a young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand: Effects of preplant phosphorus fertilization

The effects of preplant phosphorus fertilization on fine root (2 mm) distribution were examined in an 11-year-old stand of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) located on the lower Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Root auger cores were collected from the planting bed and interbed areas from two depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm) from fertilized (45 kg P ha^–1 at time of planting) and nonfertilized plots. Root samples were collected and aboveground growth measured during the 11th year after fertilization. Despite significant increases in aboveground volume and biomass due to fertilization, fine root biomass was unaffected. No differences in rooting density (root length per volume of soil) due to phosphorus additions were detected. However, the ratio of fine root biomass to aboveground (shoot) biomass (R:S) was significantly smaller on plots receiving phosphorus fertilization.operated by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., under Contract No. DE-AC05-840 R21400 with the U.S. Department of Energy     

Root-shoot competition interactions cause diversity loss after fertilization: a field experiment in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Aims A decrease in species diversity after fertilization is a common phenomenon in grasslands; however, the mechanism causing it remains highly controversial. The light competition hypothesis to explain loss of diversity has received much attention. The aim of the present paper was to test this hypothesis.Methods Fertilization was used to control above- and belowground resources simultaneously, while shade was used to control aboveground resource in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. Univariate general linear models was used to estimate the effects of fertilization and shade on above- and belowground vegetation characteristics, including photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the understory, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, R:S ratio, species richness and Simpson's diversity index.Important findings PAR was similar in the understory of shaded and fertilized plots, but only fertilization reduced species richness and diversity, suggesting that light competition alone could not explain diversity loss after fertilization. The root biomass and R:S ratio had a significant increase in shaded plots, but the richness and diversity did not change, suggesting that root competition alone also could not explain diversity loss after fertilization in this community. Our results illustrated that the root–shoot competition interactions, investigated from a functional groups perspective, should be the most reasonable explanation leading to the diversity loss due to fertilization.     

EFFECTS OF SALINITY,NITROGEN, AND POPULATION DENSITY ON THE SURVIVAL,GROWTH, AND REPRODUCTION OF ATRIPLEX TRIANGULARIS (CHENOPODIACEAE)

Populations of Atriplex triangularis were grown under laboratory conditions in a growth chamber and manipulated in an inland Ohio saline pond in order to examine the relative effects of salinity, nitrogen fertilization, and population density on growth, reproduction, and survival. For laboratory plants, nitrogen fertilization was the most important variable, with biomass and reproductive effort being greatest at the high nitrogen level. As salinity increased, biomass decreased only in plants not limited by nitrogen. Increasing density caused biomass per plant to decrease at both high and low nitrogen levels. For field plants, density was the most important variable, with biomass per plant and survival both decreasing as density increased. As density increased, size inequality among individuals increased but biomass per unit area and individual reproductive effort remained relatively constant. Nitrogen fertilization slightly enhanced survival, but did not affect biomass. It is suggested that density-dependent processes may be significant even in relatively harsh physical environments.     

Above- and belowground responses to nitrogen addition in a Chihuahuan Desert grassland

Increased available soil nitrogen can increase biomass, lower species richness, alter soil chemistry and modify community structure in herbaceous ecosystems worldwide. Although increased nitrogen availability typically increases aboveground production and decreases species richness in mesic systems, the impacts of nitrogen additions on semiarid ecosystems remain unclear. To determine how a semiarid grassland responds to increased nitrogen availability, we examined plant community structure and above- and belowground net primary production in response to long-term nitrogen addition in a desert grassland in central New Mexico, USA. Plots were fertilized annually (10 g N m⁻²) since 1995 and NPP measured from 2004 to 2009. Differences in aboveground NPP between fertilized and control treatments occurred in 2004 following a prescribed fire and in 2006 when precipitation was double the long-term average during the summer monsoon. Presumably, nitrogen only became limiting once drought stress was alleviated. Belowground NPP was also related to precipitation, and greatest root growth occurred the year following the wettest summer, decreasing gradually thereafter. Belowground production was unrelated to aboveground production within years and unrelated to nitrogen enrichment. Species richness changed between years in response to seasonal precipitation variability, but was not altered by nitrogen addition. Community structure did respond to nitrogen fertilization primarily through increased abundance of two dominant perennial grasses. These results were contrary to most nitrogen addition studies that find increased biomass and decreased species richness with nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, factors other than nitrogen deposition, such as fire or drought, may play a stronger role in shaping semiarid grassland communities than soil fertility.