Potassium : a neglected nutrient in global change

Sardans i Galobart, Jordi; Peñuelas, Josep

doi:10.1111/geb.12259

Cita bibliogràfica -- Enllaç permanent: https://ddd.uab.cat/record/131540

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Potassium : a neglected nutrient in global change
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi

(Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Peñuelas, Josep

(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)

Data:	2015
Resum:	Aim: Potassium (K) is the second most abundant nutrient after nitrogen (N) in plant photosynthetic tissues. Thousands of physiological and metabolic studies in recent decades have established the fundamental role of K in plant function, especially in water use efficiency and economy, and yet macroecological studies have mostly overlooked this nutrient. - Methods: We have reviewed available studies on the contents, stoichiometries and roles of potassium in the soil-plant system and in terrestrial ecosystems. We have also reviewed the impacts of global change drivers on K contents, stoichiometries, and roles. - Conclusions: The current literature indicates that K, at a global level, is as limiting as N and phosphorus (P) for plant productivity in terrestrial ecosystems. K limitation has been seen up to some degree in 70% of all studied terrestrial ecosystems. However, atmospheric K deposition from human activities represents higher amounts than that from natural sources in some areas. We are far from understanding the K fluxes between the atmosphere and land, and the role of anthropogenic activities in these fluxes. The increasing aridity expected in wide areas of the world makes K more critical through its role in water use efficiency. N deposition exerts a strong impact on the ecosystem K-cycle, decreasing K availability and increasing K limitation. Plant invasive success is enhanced by higher soil K availability, especially in environments without strong abiotic stresses. The impacts of other global change drivers, such as increasing atmospheric CO² or changes in land use remain to be elucidated. Current models of the responses of ecosystems and carbon storage to projected global climatic and atmospheric changes are now starting to consider N and P, but they should also consider K, mostly in arid and semiarid ecosystems.
Ajuts:	European Commission 610028 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CGL2013-48074-P
Nota:	L'article inclou sis apèndixs
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Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió sotmesa a revisió
Matèria:	Climate change ; Drought ; Ecological stoichiometry ; Eutrophication ; Global change ; Invasiveness ; N:K ; Plant growth
Publicat a:	Global ecology and biogeography, Vol. 24 Issue 3 (March 2015) , p. 261-275, ISSN 1466-822X