Effect of Fertilizer on Production and Biomass of Tussock Tundra, Alaska, U.S.A.

Abstract

The effects of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilization on primary production and plant biomass were determined for four tussock tundra sites in Alaska. The results generally supported conclusions drawn from studies of single species and processes, i.e., that production is overall nutrient limited, but the results also showed that individualistic responses of single species and individual processes are not good indicators of the whole-plant or the whole-vegetation response. The most responsive species were the grasses, which were rare in unfertilized tundra. Production:biomass ratio increased under fertilization, especially in sites where grasses became important members of the fertilized community.