Co-limitation in northern hardwood forest ecosystems: a synthesis of recent studies

Co-limitation is defined as the coincident limitation of biological activity by multiple resources. According to theories of resource optimization, co-limitation should be common as organisms adjust to changes in the availability of resources in the environment. We review the multi-faceted nature of the co-limitation concept and provide a synthesis of recent experimental studies of co-limitation in northern hardwood forests to illustrate the complexities of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) co-limitation and possible responses to environmental stressors such as acid rain, N deposition, elevated CO2, land-use, and climate change. In a factorial nutrient addition experiment, cycling of one nutrient changed in response to addition of the other through synergistic interactions and feedbacks between N and P, including microbial recycling, soil enzyme activity, and foliar nutrient resorption; these responses were suggestive of some degree of N–P co-limitation in these forests. After 8 years of treatment, aboveground growth increased in response to either N or P added individually and even more in response to N + P addition, indicating N–P co-limitation. Surprisingly, fine root growth incr