Nitrogen deposition and mowing differentially alter the resistance and recovery of grassland communities

Nitrogen deposition and land use are known to influence various ecosystems, but how these anthropogenic activities influence community and ecosystem responses to disturbance remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the effects of increased nitrogen deposition and mowing on the resistance and recovery of a temperate semiarid grassland experiencing a three-year drought. Nitrogen addition reduced grassland biomass resistance and increased biomass recovery, whereas annual mowing reduced grassland structural resistance and increased structural recovery. The treatment effects on community biomass resistance and recovery were largely modulated by the stability of the most dominant species, whereas the treatment effects on community structural resistance and recovery were largely modulated by the structural stability of dominant species assemblages. The discrepancy in the response of biomass and structural stability emphasizes the need to study changes across levels of ecological organization for a more complete understanding of ecosystem responses to disturbances under widespread environmental changes.