Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture

Oliver H. Carroll; Eric W. Seabloom; Elizabeth T. Borer; W. Stanley Harpole; Peter Wilfahrt; Carlos A. Arnillas; Jonathan D. Bakker; Dana M. Blumenthal; Elizabeth Boughton; Miguel N. Bugalho; Maria Caldeira; Malcolm M. Campbell; Jane Catford; Qingqing Chen; Christopher R. Dickman; Ian Donohue; Mary Ellyn DuPre; Anu Eskelinen; Catalina Estrada; Philip A. Fay; Evan D. G. Fraser; Nicole Hagenah; Yann Hautier; Erika Hersh-Green; Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir; Taku Kadoya; Kimberly Komatsu; Luciola Lannes; Maowei Liang; Harry Olde Venterink; Pablo Peri; Sally A. Power; Jodi N. Price; Zhengwei Ren; Anita C. Risch; Grégory Sonnier; G. F. Veen; Risto Virtanen; Glenda M. Wardle; Elizabeth F. Waring; George Wheeler; Laura Yahdjian; Andrew S. MacDougall

doi:10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z

Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture

Oliver H. Carroll, Eric W. Seabloom, Elizabeth T. Borer, W. Stanley Harpole, Peter Wilfahrt, Carlos A. Arnillas, Jonathan D. Bakker, Dana M. Blumenthal, Elizabeth Boughton, Miguel N. Bugalho, Maria Caldeira, Malcolm M. Campbell, Jane Catford, Qingqing Chen, Christopher R. Dickman, Ian Donohue, Mary Ellyn DuPre, Anu Eskelinen, Catalina Estrada, Philip A. FayEvan D. G. Fraser, Nicole Hagenah, Yann Hautier, Erika Hersh-Green, Ingibjörg S. Jónsdóttir, Taku Kadoya, Kimberly Komatsu, Luciola Lannes, Maowei Liang, Harry Olde Venterink, Pablo Peri, Sally A. Power, Jodi N. Price, Zhengwei Ren, Anita C. Risch, Grégory Sonnier, G. F. Veen, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. Wardle, Elizabeth F. Waring, George Wheeler, Laura Yahdjian, Andrew S. MacDougall

NIOO - Terrestrial Ecology (TE)

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Implementing precision fertilization to maximize crop yield while minimizing economic and environmental impacts has become critical for agriculture. Variability in biomass response to fertilization within fields, among regions, and over time creates simultaneous risks of under-yielding and overfertilization. We quantify factors determining fertilization responsiveness (i.e., biomass increases with fertilization) up to 15 years in 61 unfertilized rangelands on six continents. We demonstrate widespread multi-year variability in responsiveness, with fertilization increasing average yield by 43% but failing to improve biomass 26% of the time. All sites were responsive at least once, but only four of 61 responded in all plots and years. Modelled management scenarios highlighted that fertilizer cessation is likely to generate sizable economic savings but always reduces yield because of the difficulty in predicting when and where biomass will be unresponsive. This work reveals substantial scale-dependent variability in fertilization responsiveness globally, while clarifying the prospects and pitfalls of managing more spatially and temporally precise nutrient application.

Original language	English
Article number	14564
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	15
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z
Publication status	Published - 25 Apr 2025

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Carroll, O. H., Seabloom, E. W., Borer, E. T., Harpole, W. S., Wilfahrt, P., Arnillas, C. A., Bakker, J. D., Blumenthal, D. M., Boughton, E., Bugalho, M. N., Caldeira, M., Campbell, M. M., Catford, J., Chen, Q., Dickman, C. R., Donohue, I., DuPre, M. E., Eskelinen, A., Estrada, C., ... MacDougall, A. S. (2025). Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture. Scientific Reports, 15, Article 14564 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z

@article{721850f43f8945549414bf6811d3f339,

title = "Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture",

abstract = "Implementing precision fertilization to maximize crop yield while minimizing economic and environmental impacts has become critical for agriculture. Variability in biomass response to fertilization within fields, among regions, and over time creates simultaneous risks of under-yielding and overfertilization. We quantify factors determining fertilization responsiveness (i.e., biomass increases with fertilization) up to 15 years in 61 unfertilized rangelands on six continents. We demonstrate widespread multi-year variability in responsiveness, with fertilization increasing average yield by 43% but failing to improve biomass 26% of the time. All sites were responsive at least once, but only four of 61 responded in all plots and years. Modelled management scenarios highlighted that fertilizer cessation is likely to generate sizable economic savings but always reduces yield because of the difficulty in predicting when and where biomass will be unresponsive. This work reveals substantial scale-dependent variability in fertilization responsiveness globally, while clarifying the prospects and pitfalls of managing more spatially and temporally precise nutrient application.",

author = "Carroll, {Oliver H.} and Seabloom, {Eric W.} and Borer, {Elizabeth T.} and Harpole, {W. Stanley} and Peter Wilfahrt and Arnillas, {Carlos A.} and Bakker, {Jonathan D.} and Blumenthal, {Dana M.} and Elizabeth Boughton and Bugalho, {Miguel N.} and Maria Caldeira and Campbell, {Malcolm M.} and Jane Catford and Qingqing Chen and Dickman, {Christopher R.} and Ian Donohue and DuPre, {Mary Ellyn} and Anu Eskelinen and Catalina Estrada and Fay, {Philip A.} and Fraser, {Evan D. G.} and Nicole Hagenah and Yann Hautier and Erika Hersh-Green and J{\'o}nsd{\'o}ttir, {Ingibj{\"o}rg S.} and Taku Kadoya and Kimberly Komatsu and Luciola Lannes and Maowei Liang and Venterink, {Harry Olde} and Pablo Peri and Power, {Sally A.} and Price, {Jodi N.} and Zhengwei Ren and Risch, {Anita C.} and Gr{\'e}gory Sonnier and Veen, {G. F.} and Risto Virtanen and Wardle, {Glenda M.} and Waring, {Elizabeth F.} and George Wheeler and Laura Yahdjian and MacDougall, {Andrew S.}",

note = "Data archiving: on request",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z",

language = "English",

volume = "15",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

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Carroll, OH, Seabloom, EW, Borer, ET, Harpole, WS, Wilfahrt, P, Arnillas, CA, Bakker, JD, Blumenthal, DM, Boughton, E, Bugalho, MN, Caldeira, M, Campbell, MM, Catford, J, Chen, Q, Dickman, CR, Donohue, I, DuPre, ME, Eskelinen, A, Estrada, C, Fay, PA, Fraser, EDG, Hagenah, N, Hautier, Y, Hersh-Green, E, Jónsdóttir, IS, Kadoya, T, Komatsu, K, Lannes, L, Liang, M, Venterink, HO, Peri, P, Power, SA, Price, JN, Ren, Z, Risch, AC, Sonnier, G, Veen, GF, Virtanen, R, Wardle, GM, Waring, EF, Wheeler, G, Yahdjian, L & MacDougall, AS 2025, 'Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture', Scientific Reports, vol. 15, 14564 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z

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T1 - Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture

AU - Carroll, Oliver H.

AU - Seabloom, Eric W.

AU - Borer, Elizabeth T.

AU - Harpole, W. Stanley

AU - Wilfahrt, Peter

AU - Arnillas, Carlos A.

AU - Bakker, Jonathan D.

AU - Blumenthal, Dana M.

AU - Boughton, Elizabeth

AU - Bugalho, Miguel N.

AU - Caldeira, Maria

AU - Campbell, Malcolm M.

AU - Catford, Jane

AU - Chen, Qingqing

AU - Dickman, Christopher R.

AU - Donohue, Ian

AU - DuPre, Mary Ellyn

AU - Eskelinen, Anu

AU - Estrada, Catalina

AU - Fay, Philip A.

AU - Fraser, Evan D. G.

AU - Hagenah, Nicole

AU - Hautier, Yann

AU - Hersh-Green, Erika

AU - Jónsdóttir, Ingibjörg S.

AU - Kadoya, Taku

AU - Komatsu, Kimberly

AU - Lannes, Luciola

AU - Liang, Maowei

AU - Venterink, Harry Olde

AU - Peri, Pablo

AU - Power, Sally A.

AU - Price, Jodi N.

AU - Ren, Zhengwei

AU - Risch, Anita C.

AU - Sonnier, Grégory

AU - Veen, G. F.

AU - Virtanen, Risto

AU - Wardle, Glenda M.

AU - Waring, Elizabeth F.

AU - Wheeler, George

AU - Yahdjian, Laura

AU - MacDougall, Andrew S.

N1 - Data archiving: on request

PY - 2025/4/25

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N2 - Implementing precision fertilization to maximize crop yield while minimizing economic and environmental impacts has become critical for agriculture. Variability in biomass response to fertilization within fields, among regions, and over time creates simultaneous risks of under-yielding and overfertilization. We quantify factors determining fertilization responsiveness (i.e., biomass increases with fertilization) up to 15 years in 61 unfertilized rangelands on six continents. We demonstrate widespread multi-year variability in responsiveness, with fertilization increasing average yield by 43% but failing to improve biomass 26% of the time. All sites were responsive at least once, but only four of 61 responded in all plots and years. Modelled management scenarios highlighted that fertilizer cessation is likely to generate sizable economic savings but always reduces yield because of the difficulty in predicting when and where biomass will be unresponsive. This work reveals substantial scale-dependent variability in fertilization responsiveness globally, while clarifying the prospects and pitfalls of managing more spatially and temporally precise nutrient application.

AB - Implementing precision fertilization to maximize crop yield while minimizing economic and environmental impacts has become critical for agriculture. Variability in biomass response to fertilization within fields, among regions, and over time creates simultaneous risks of under-yielding and overfertilization. We quantify factors determining fertilization responsiveness (i.e., biomass increases with fertilization) up to 15 years in 61 unfertilized rangelands on six continents. We demonstrate widespread multi-year variability in responsiveness, with fertilization increasing average yield by 43% but failing to improve biomass 26% of the time. All sites were responsive at least once, but only four of 61 responded in all plots and years. Modelled management scenarios highlighted that fertilizer cessation is likely to generate sizable economic savings but always reduces yield because of the difficulty in predicting when and where biomass will be unresponsive. This work reveals substantial scale-dependent variability in fertilization responsiveness globally, while clarifying the prospects and pitfalls of managing more spatially and temporally precise nutrient application.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z

DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-99071-z

M3 - Article

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 15

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

M1 - 14564

ER -

Frequent failure of nutrients to increase plant biomass supports the need for precision fertilization in agriculture

Abstract

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