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Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Standard

Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory. / Nelson, Rebecca A.; Sullivan, Lauren L.; Hersch-Green, Erika I. et al.
In: Communications Biology, Vol. 8, No. 1, 444, 12.2025.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Nelson, RA, Sullivan, LL, Hersch-Green, EI, Seabloom, EW, Borer, ET, Tognetti, PM, Adler, PB, Biederman, L, Bugalho, MN, Caldeira, MC, Cancela, JP, Carvalheiro, LG, Catford, JA, Dickman, CR, Dolezal, AJ, Donohue, I, Ebeling, A, Eisenhauer, N, Elgersma, KJ, Eskelinen, A, Estrada, C, Garbowski, M, Graff, P, Gruner, DS, Hagenah, N, Haider, S, Harpole, WS, Hautier, Y, Jentsch, A, Johanson, N, Koerner, SE, Lannes, LS, MacDougall, AS, Martinson, H, Morgan, JW, Olde Venterink, H, Orr, D, Osborne, BB, Peri, PL, Power, SA, Raynaud, X, Risch, AC, Shrestha, M, Smith, NG, Stevens, CJ, Veen, GFC, Virtanen, R, Wardle, GM, Wolf, AA, Young, AL & Harrison, SP 2025, 'Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory', Communications Biology, vol. 8, no. 1, 444. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7

APA

Nelson, R. A., Sullivan, L. L., Hersch-Green, E. I., Seabloom, E. W., Borer, E. T., Tognetti, P. M., Adler, P. B., Biederman, L., Bugalho, M. N., Caldeira, M. C., Cancela, J. P., Carvalheiro, L. G., Catford, J. A., Dickman, C. R., Dolezal, A. J., Donohue, I., Ebeling, A., Eisenhauer, N., Elgersma, K. J., ... Harrison, S. P. (2025). Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory. Communications Biology, 8(1), Article 444. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7

Vancouver

Nelson RA, Sullivan LL, Hersch-Green EI, Seabloom EW, Borer ET, Tognetti PM et al. Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory. Communications Biology. 2025 Dec;8(1):444. doi: 10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7

Bibtex

@article{c85cc2cd76d34f519b1bfa610cab5c70,
title = "Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory",
abstract = "Forbs (“wildflowers”) are important contributors to grassland biodiversity but are vulnerable to environmental changes. In a factorial experiment at 94 sites on 6 continents, we test the global generality of several broad predictions: (1) Forb cover and richness decline under nutrient enrichment, particularly nitrogen enrichment. (2) Forb cover and richness increase under herbivory by large mammals. (3) Forb richness and cover are less affected by nutrient enrichment and herbivory in more arid climates, because water limitation reduces the impacts of competition with grasses. (4) Forb families will respond differently to nutrient enrichment and mammalian herbivory due to differences in nutrient requirements. We find strong evidence for the first, partial support for the second, no support for the third, and support for the fourth prediction. Our results underscore that anthropogenic nitrogen addition is a major threat to grassland forbs, but grazing under high herbivore intensity can offset these nutrient effects.",
keywords = "Biology, Ecosystems Research",
author = "Nelson, {Rebecca A.} and Sullivan, {Lauren L.} and Hersch-Green, {Erika I.} and Seabloom, {Eric W.} and Borer, {Elizabeth T.} and Tognetti, {Pedro M.} and Adler, {Peter B.} and Lori Biederman and Bugalho, {Miguel N.} and Caldeira, {Maria C.} and Cancela, {Juan P.} and Carvalheiro, {Lu{\'i}sa G.} and Catford, {Jane A.} and Dickman, {Chris R.} and Dolezal, {Aleksandra J.} and Ian Donohue and Anne Ebeling and Nico Eisenhauer and Elgersma, {Kenneth J.} and Anu Eskelinen and Catalina Estrada and Magda Garbowski and Pamela Graff and Gruner, {Daniel S.} and Nicole Hagenah and Sylvia Haider and Harpole, {W. Stanley} and Yann Hautier and Anke Jentsch and Nicolina Johanson and Koerner, {Sally E.} and Lannes, {Luc{\'i}ola S.} and MacDougall, {Andrew S.} and Holly Martinson and Morgan, {John W.} and {Olde Venterink}, Harry and Devyn Orr and Osborne, {Brooke B.} and Peri, {Pablo L.} and Power, {Sally A.} and Xavier Raynaud and Risch, {Anita C.} and Mani Shrestha and Smith, {Nicholas G.} and Stevens, {Carly J.} and Veen, {G. F.Ciska} and Risto Virtanen and Wardle, {Glenda M.} and Wolf, {Amelia A.} and Young, {Alyssa L.} and Harrison, {Susan P.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",
year = "2025",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7",
language = "English",
volume = "8",
journal = "Communications Biology",
issn = "2399-3642",
publisher = "Springer Nature AG",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Forb diversity globally is harmed by nutrient enrichment but can be rescued by large mammalian herbivory

AU - Nelson, Rebecca A.

AU - Sullivan, Lauren L.

AU - Hersch-Green, Erika I.

AU - Seabloom, Eric W.

AU - Borer, Elizabeth T.

AU - Tognetti, Pedro M.

AU - Adler, Peter B.

AU - Biederman, Lori

AU - Bugalho, Miguel N.

AU - Caldeira, Maria C.

AU - Cancela, Juan P.

AU - Carvalheiro, Luísa G.

AU - Catford, Jane A.

AU - Dickman, Chris R.

AU - Dolezal, Aleksandra J.

AU - Donohue, Ian

AU - Ebeling, Anne

AU - Eisenhauer, Nico

AU - Elgersma, Kenneth J.

AU - Eskelinen, Anu

AU - Estrada, Catalina

AU - Garbowski, Magda

AU - Graff, Pamela

AU - Gruner, Daniel S.

AU - Hagenah, Nicole

AU - Haider, Sylvia

AU - Harpole, W. Stanley

AU - Hautier, Yann

AU - Jentsch, Anke

AU - Johanson, Nicolina

AU - Koerner, Sally E.

AU - Lannes, Lucíola S.

AU - MacDougall, Andrew S.

AU - Martinson, Holly

AU - Morgan, John W.

AU - Olde Venterink, Harry

AU - Orr, Devyn

AU - Osborne, Brooke B.

AU - Peri, Pablo L.

AU - Power, Sally A.

AU - Raynaud, Xavier

AU - Risch, Anita C.

AU - Shrestha, Mani

AU - Smith, Nicholas G.

AU - Stevens, Carly J.

AU - Veen, G. F.Ciska

AU - Virtanen, Risto

AU - Wardle, Glenda M.

AU - Wolf, Amelia A.

AU - Young, Alyssa L.

AU - Harrison, Susan P.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025.

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Forbs (“wildflowers”) are important contributors to grassland biodiversity but are vulnerable to environmental changes. In a factorial experiment at 94 sites on 6 continents, we test the global generality of several broad predictions: (1) Forb cover and richness decline under nutrient enrichment, particularly nitrogen enrichment. (2) Forb cover and richness increase under herbivory by large mammals. (3) Forb richness and cover are less affected by nutrient enrichment and herbivory in more arid climates, because water limitation reduces the impacts of competition with grasses. (4) Forb families will respond differently to nutrient enrichment and mammalian herbivory due to differences in nutrient requirements. We find strong evidence for the first, partial support for the second, no support for the third, and support for the fourth prediction. Our results underscore that anthropogenic nitrogen addition is a major threat to grassland forbs, but grazing under high herbivore intensity can offset these nutrient effects.

AB - Forbs (“wildflowers”) are important contributors to grassland biodiversity but are vulnerable to environmental changes. In a factorial experiment at 94 sites on 6 continents, we test the global generality of several broad predictions: (1) Forb cover and richness decline under nutrient enrichment, particularly nitrogen enrichment. (2) Forb cover and richness increase under herbivory by large mammals. (3) Forb richness and cover are less affected by nutrient enrichment and herbivory in more arid climates, because water limitation reduces the impacts of competition with grasses. (4) Forb families will respond differently to nutrient enrichment and mammalian herbivory due to differences in nutrient requirements. We find strong evidence for the first, partial support for the second, no support for the third, and support for the fourth prediction. Our results underscore that anthropogenic nitrogen addition is a major threat to grassland forbs, but grazing under high herbivore intensity can offset these nutrient effects.

KW - Biology

KW - Ecosystems Research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105000362524&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7

DO - 10.1038/s42003-025-07882-7

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 40089613

AN - SCOPUS:105000362524

VL - 8

JO - Communications Biology

JF - Communications Biology

SN - 2399-3642

IS - 1

M1 - 444

ER -

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DOI