Global variability of leaf functional traits under nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation

Global variability of leaf functional traits under nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Global variability of leaf functional traits under nitrogen and phosphorus co-limitation Zhifeng Lu, Wen Fang, Xiaowen Yu, Patricio Grassini, Tao Ren, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8168755/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Nutrient availability drives leaf trait variation, yet how plants reconcile trait plasticity and trade-offs under individual or combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) limitations remains elusive. Our global synthesis, comprising 1380 observations across 105 sites, revealed that N and P co-limitation prevailed in 52% of the field studies. Under single-nutrient limitation, trait responses depend primarily on the limiting nutrient, whereas under co-limitation, both nutrients shape responses and often interact synergistically. Relieving nutrient constraints shifts traits toward acquisitive strategies while maintaining scaling exponents (slopes) in leaf economic trait relationships across most nutrient regimes. However, it induces shifts in elevations (intercepts) that reflect changes in resource-use efficiencies. Crucially, scaling exponents for trait pairs involving mass-based P concentration (P mass ) reconfigure trait coordination: N addition enhanced photosynthesis in low-P mass species, whereas P addition disproportionately reduced photosynthetic area per unit P investment in high-P mass species. These patterns are likely driven by P mass -related differences in nutrient allocation and functional differentiation, underscoring the need to integrate co-limitation and P-centered trait coordination into predictions of ecosystem responses to anthropogenic nutrient inputs. Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant stress responses/Abiotic Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant ecology Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Plant physiology Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryInformation.pdf Supplementary Information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8168755","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":551905527,"identity":"adf63779-e230-4107-9070-54124edb126d","order_by":0,"name":"Zhifeng 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Our global synthesis, comprising 1380 observations across 105 sites, revealed that N and P co-limitation prevailed in 52% of the field studies. Under single-nutrient limitation, trait responses depend primarily on the limiting nutrient, whereas under co-limitation, both nutrients shape responses and often interact synergistically. Relieving nutrient constraints shifts traits toward acquisitive strategies while maintaining scaling exponents (slopes) in leaf economic trait relationships across most nutrient regimes. However, it induces shifts in elevations (intercepts) that reflect changes in resource-use efficiencies. 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