caa a22 4500 606220062 CHVBK 20210128101121.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150901xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11104-015-2525-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11104-015-2525-2 Grass-legume mixtures impact soil N, species recruitment, and productivity in temperate steppe grassland [Elektronische Daten] [Qiang Li, Yantao Song, Guangdi Li, Pujia Yu, Ping Wang, Daowei Zhou] Aims: In this study, we aimed to understand effects and mechanisms of legume species and their relative abundance on soil N, species recruitment, and productivity in mixed grassland. We also assessed the utilization prospect of several legumes in natural grassland. Methods: In 2006, grass-legume combinations (GLCs) with different ratios (GLR) were established using Leymus chinensis and four legume species (Medicago ruthenica, Lespedeza daurica, Medicago falcata, and Medicago sativa). In 2009, plant and soil samples were taken to examine the differences in soil nitrogen (N) properties, biological N fixation (BNF), recruitment characteristics, and aboveground biomass of the community under different mixture patterns. Results: Soil total N and available N concentration increased when legume component increased from GLR 1:0 (grass monoculture) to GLR 1:1 (grass:legume 1:1) but decreased as legume component increased further from GLR 1:3 (grass:legume 1:3) to GLR 0:1 (legume monoculture). GLR 1:1 had the highest BNF in most GLCs except for L. chinensis-M. falcata. For any GLR with legume, L. chinensis-M. sativa combination (L-MS) had higher soil total N, available N, water content, and BNF. The legume combinations with a GLR lower than 1:1 resulted in more species recruitments compared with the grass monoculture, and L-MS induced relatively more species recruitments than other GLCs, which were correlated with improved soil water and NO3 −-N status. The grassland productivity increased as the GLR decreased; in any GLRs with legume, higher productivity was found under L-MS combination, and current results showed that grassland productivity was positively linked to soil NO3 −-N availability influenced by grass-legume mixture. Conclusions: We concluded that the species and relative abundance of legumes had great impact on soil N status, species recruitment, and productivity in this temperate grassland ecosystem. In this study site, legume introduction can be considered as an alternative to N fertilization for increasing grassland productivity. M. sativa has the greatest economic and ecological potential species to be mixed into natural temperate steppe grassland, and grass-legume ratio 1:1 is the best combination in mixed communities. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2015 Legume nationallicence N fertilization nationallicence N fixation nationallicence Species recruitment nationallicence Productivity nationallicence Facilitation effect nationallicence Li Qiang Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut Song Yantao College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Nationalities University, 116600, Dalian, China aut Li Guangdi Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University, 2650, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia aut Yu Pujia Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut Wang Ping School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 130012, Changchun, China aut Zhou Daowei Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 394/1-2(2015-09-01), 271-285 0032-079X 394:1-2<271 2015 394 11104 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2525-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2525-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Li Qiang Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Song Yantao College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Nationalities University, 116600, Dalian, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Li Guangdi Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University, 2650, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Yu Pujia Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Wang Ping School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, 130012, Changchun, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Zhou Daowei Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, 130102, Changchun, People's Republic of China aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 394/1-2(2015-09-01), 271-285 0032-079X 394:1-2<271 2015 394 11104