DOI: 10.5061/dryad.m0cfxpp8z
title: Decoupled responses of above- and below-ground beta-diversity to nitrogen enrichment in a typical steppe

description: Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition affects biodiversity in
 terrestrial ecosystems. However, we do not know whether the effects of N
 on above-ground plant β-diversity are coupled with changes occurring in
 the soil seed bank. We conducted a long-term N-addition
 experiment in a typical steppe and found that above-ground
 β-diversity increased and then decreased with increasing
 N addition, whereas below-ground β-diversity decreased
 linearly. This suggests decoupled dynamics of plant communities
 and their soil seed bank under N enrichment. Species substitution
 determined above- and below-ground β-diversity change via an increasing
 role of deterministic processes with N addition. These
 effects were mostly driven by differential responses of the above-ground
 vegetation and the soil seed bank β-diversities to N-induced changes in
 environmental heterogeneity, increased soil inorganic N concentrations and
 soil acidification. Our findings highlight the importance of considering
 above- and below-ground processes simultaneously for effectively
 conserving grassland ecosystems under N enrichment.
description: Usage notes<br>These datasets were collected in the field
 experiment in a steppe grassland in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous
 Region, China (2019–2020). Details for each dataset are
 provided in the README file. Datasets
 included:<br>1) The distance matrix data for pairwise between 10
 replicates plots under different treatment         *
 Beta diversity, beta deviation and the two components of beta diversity
  in above-ground vegetation and soil seed bank<br>        * The
 normalised stochasticity ratio  in above-ground vegetation and soil seed
 bank and soil environmental heterogeneity 2) Soil
 physical and chemical properties and  abundance and proportation of
 grasses        * Six indexes of soil physical and
 chemical properties (90 plots of 2019-2020)<br>       * The
 proportion of grasses to total above-ground vegetation species richness
  (90 plots of 2019-2020)<br>       * The proportion of Leymus
 chinensis abundance  (90 plots of 2019-2020) 3) A
 aggregated version of all raw data used to make the figures
 <br>Additional details are available in the README
 file.
description: This README file was generated on 2023-11-07 by Ming Zhao GENERAL
 INFORMATION 1\. Title of Dataset: Decoupled responses of above\- and
 below\-ground beta\-diversity to nitrogen enrichment in a typical steppe
 \(https://doi\.org/10\.5061/dryad\.m0cfxpp8z\) 2\. Author Information: A.
 The first author contact Information Name: Ming Zhao Institution: State
 Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of
 Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Address: Beijing, China Email:
 zhaoming@ibcas.ac.cn B. Corresponding author Contact Information Name:
 Xingguo Han Institution: State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and
 Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
 Address: Beijing, China Email: xghan@ibcas.ac.cn 3\. Date of data
 collection \(single date\, range\, approximate date\): 2019\-2020 4\.
 Geographic location of data collection: The field experiment in a steppe
 grassland \(43°32′45′′N\, 116°40′30′′E\) in Xilinhot\, Inner Mongolia
 Autonomous Region\, China 5\. Information about funding sources that
 supported the collection of the data: The National Science Foundation of
 China \(42130515\) SHARING/ACCESS INFORMATION 1\. Licenses/restrictions
 placed on the data: CC0 1\.0 Universal \(CC0 1\.0\) Public Domain 2\.
 Links to publications that cite or use the data: Ming Zhao, Michel Loreau,
 Raúl Ochoa-Hueso, Hongxiang Zhang, Junjie Yang, Yunhai Zhang, Heyong Liu,
 Yong Jiang, Xingguo Han. (2023). Decoupled responses of above- and
 below-ground beta-diversity to nitrogen enrichment in a typical steppe.
 Ecology Letters. 3\. Links to other publicly accessible locations of the
 data: None 4\. Links/relationships to ancillary data sets: None 5\. Was
 data derived from another source? No A. If yes, list source(s): NA 6\.
 Recommended citation for this dataset: Zhao, Ming et al. (2023). Data
 from: Decoupled responses of above- and below-ground beta-diversity to
 nitrogen enrichment in a typical steppe. Dryad Digital Repository.
 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m0cfxpp8z. DATA & FILE OVERVIEW 1\.
 File List: A) Aggregated\_data.csv B) plot\_level\_data.csv C)
 soil\_data.csv D) R\_code.R 2\. Relationship between files\, if important:
 None 3\. Additional related data collected that was not included in the
 current data package: None 4\. Are there multiple versions of the dataset?
 No A. If yes, name of file(s) that was updated: NA i. Why was the file
 updated? NA ii. When was the file updated? NA
 #########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Aggregated\_data.csv This dataset was a
 aggregated version of all raw data. It can be read directly into the
 supplied R code to generate Figures 1-4 and the supplemental figures
 S1-S6. 1\. Number of variables: 41 2\. Number of cases/rows: 19 3\.
 Variable List: * Sampling year: year of the study (2019-2020) * N addition
 amount: Nitrogen was added in the form of NH4NO3 with nine different loads
 (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 50 g m-2 year-1) * N: The result of log10
 conversion of nitrogen addition amount, Units g m-2 year-1 * above-ground
 vegetation beta diversity average (per m2): The above-ground vegetation
 beta diversity mean of the statistical results of 10 repeated plots with
 the same treatment * soil seed bank beta diversity average (per m2): The
 soil seed bank beta diversity mean of the statistical results of 10
 repeated plots with the same treatment * above-ground vegetation beta
 deviation average (per m2): The above-ground vegetation beta deviation
 mean of the statistical results of 10 repeated plots with the same
 treatment * soil seed bank beta deviation average (per m2): The soil seed
 bank beta deviation mean of the statistical results of 10 repeated plots
 with the same treatment * above-ground vegetation species substitution
 average (per m2): The above-ground vegetation species substitution mean of
 the statistical results of 10 repeated plots with the same treatment *
 above-ground vegetation species abundance difference average (per m2): The
 above-ground vegetation species abundance difference mean of the
 statistical results of 10 repeated plots with the same treatment * soil
 seed bank species substitution average (per m2): The soil seed bank
 species substitution mean of the statistical results of 10 repeated plots
 with the same treatment * soil seed bank species abundance difference
 average (per m2): The soil seed bank species abundance difference mean of
 the statistical results of 10 repeated plots with the same treatment * the
 normalised stochasticity ratio in above-ground vegatation: The
 contribution of stochastic assembly relative to deterministic assembly in
 above-ground vegetation, Units % * the normalised stochasticity ratio in
 soil seed bank: The contribution of stochastic assembly relative to
 deterministic assembly in soil seed bank, Units % * soil environmental
 heterogeneity: The average value of soil environmental heterogeneity in 10
 repeated plots with the same treatment * Soil water content: Average soil
 water content in 10 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units % *
 inorganic N concentration: Average soil inorganic N concentration in 10
 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units mg/kg * total C
 concentration: Average soil total C concentration in 10 repeated plots
 with the same treatment, Units g/kg * total N concentration: Average soil
 total N concentration in 10 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units
 g/kg * soil pH: Average soil pH in 10 repeated plots with the same
 treatment * ECEC: Average soil soil effective cation exchange capacity in
 10 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units cmol/kg * proportion of
 grasses in above-ground: The average value of the proportion of grasses
 species richness to total above-ground vegetation species richness in 10
 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units % * proportion of Leymus
 chinensis abundance: The average value of the proportion of Leymus
 chinensis species abundance to the total aboveground vegetation species
 abundance in 10 repeated plots with the same treatment, Units % *
 similarity between the above-ground vegetation and soil seed bank: The
 average value of similarity of species composition of above-ground
 vegetation and soil seed bank in 10 repeated plots with the same treatment
 * occurrence frequency of Agropyron cristatum in above-ground vegetation:
 The number of occurrences of Agropyron cristatum in aboveground vegetation
 in 10 repeated plots under the same treatment * occurrence frequency of
 Agropyron cristatum in soil seed bank: The number of occurrences of
 Agropyron cristatum in soil seed bank in 10 repeated plots under the same
 treatment * occurrence frequency of Leymus chinensis in above-ground
 vegetation: The number of occurrences of Leymus chinensis in aboveground
 vegetation in 10 repeated plots under the same treatment * occurrence
 frequency of Leymus chinensis in soil seed bank: The number of occurrences
 of Leymus chinensis in soil seed bank in 10 repeated plots under the same
 treatment * occurrence frequency of Chenopodium aristatum in above-ground
 vegetation: The number of occurrences of Chenopodium aristatum in
 aboveground vegetation in 10 repeated plots under the same treatment *
 occurrence frequency of Chenopodium aristatum in soil seed bank: The
 number of occurrences of Chenopodium aristatum in soil seed bank in 10
 repeated plots under the same treatment * occurrence frequency of
 Chenopodium glaucum in above-ground vegetation: The number of occurrences
 of Chenopodium glaucum in aboveground vegetation in 10 repeated plots
 under the same treatment * occurrence frequency of Chenopodium glaucum in
 soil seed bank: The number of occurrences of Chenopodium glaucum in soil
 seed bank in 10 repeated plots under the same treatment * Total species
 substitution in above-ground vegatation: The total species substitution of
 above-ground vegetation across 10 repeated plots * Total abundance
 difference in above-ground vegatation: The total abundance difference of
 above-ground vegetation across 10 repeated plots * Total beta diversity in
 above-ground vegatation: The total dissimilarity of above-ground
 vegetation across 10 repeated plots * relative contributions of the
 species substitution in above-ground vegatation: The relative relative
 contribution of total species substitution to total beta diversity of
 above-ground vegetatiom, Units % * relative contributions of the abundance
 difference in above-ground vegatation: The relative contribution of total
 abundance difference to total beta diversity of above-ground vegetatiom,
 Units % * Total species substitution in soil seed bank: The total species
 substitution of soil seed bank across 10 repeated plots * Total abundance
 difference in soil seed bank: The total abundance difference of soil seed
 bank across 10 repeated plots * Total beta diversity in soil seed bank:
 The total dissimilarity of soil seed bank across 10 repeated plots *
 relative contributions of the species substitution in soil seed bank: The
 relative contribution of total species substitution to total beta
 diversity of soil seed bank , Units % * relative contributions of the
 abundance difference in soil seed bank: The relative contribution of total
 abundance difference to total beta diversity of soil seed bank, Units %
 4\. Missing data codes: None 5\. Specialized formats or other
 abbreviations used: None
 #########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: plot\_level\_data.csv These are the data
 were distance matrix data for pairwise between 10 replicates plots under
 different treatment. It used to calculate the mean of beta diversity, the
 two components of beta diversity, beta deviation, the normalised
 stochasticity ratio and soil environmental heterogeneity 1\. Number of
 variables: 13 2\. Number of cases/rows: 811 3\. Variable List: * Sampling
 year: year of the study (2019-2020) * N addition amount: Nitrogen was
 added in the form of NH4NO3 with nine different loads (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10,
 15, 20, and 50 g N m−2 year−1) * above-ground vegetation beta diversity
 average (per m2): * Sampling year: year of the study (2019-2020) * N
 addition amount: Nitrogen was added in the form of NH4NO3 with nine
 different loads (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 50 g N m−2 year−1) * N:
 The result of log10 conversion of nitrogen addition amount, Units g m−2
 year−1 * above-ground vegetation beta diversity average (per m2): The
 pairwise beta diversity of above-ground vegetation between plot in 10
 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45 values in each N addition amount *
 soil seed bank beta diversity (per m2): The pairwise beta diversity of
 soil seed bank between plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45
 values in each N addition amount * above-ground vegetation beta deviation
 (per m2): The pairwise beta deviation of above-ground vegetation between
 plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45 values in each N
 addition amount * soil seed bank beta deviation (per m2): The pairwise
 beta deviation of soil seed bank between plot in 10 repeated plots.
 Therefore, there are 45 values in each N addition amount * above-ground
 vegetation species substitution (per m2): The pairwise species
 substitution of above-ground vegetation between plot in 10 repeated plots.
 Therefore, there are 45 values in each N addition amount * above-ground
 vegetation species abundance difference (per m2): The pairwise abundance
 difference of above-ground vegetation between plot in 10 repeated plots.
 Therefore, there are 45 values in each N addition amount * soil seed bank
 species substitution (per m2): The pairwise species substitution of soil
 seed bank between plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45
 values in each N addition amount * soil seed bank species abundance
 difference (per m2): The pairwise abundance difference of soil seed bank
 between plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45 values in each
 N addition amount * the normalised stochasticity ratio in above-ground
 vegatation: The pairwise normalised stochasticity ratio of above-ground
 vegetation between plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45
 values in each N addition amount, Units % * the normalised stochasticity
 ratio in soil seed bank: The pairwise normalised stochasticity ratio of
 soil seed bank between plot in 10 repeated plots. Therefore, there are 45
 values in each N addition amount, Units % * soil environmental
 heterogeneity: The pairwise soil environmental heterogeneity between plot
 in 10 repeated plots.Therefore, there are 45 values in each N addition
 amount 4\. Missing data codes: None 5\. Specialized formats or other
 abbreviations used: None
 #########################################################################
 DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: soil\_data.csv These are the data used to
 calculate soil environmental heterogeneity, the mean of soil physical and
 chemical properties and the mean of proportion of grasses and grasses
 abundance in above-ground vegetation 1\. Number of variables: 11 2\.
 Number of cases/rows: 181 3\. Variable List: * Sampling year: year of the
 study (2019-2020) * N addition amount: Nitrogen was added in the form of
 NH4NO3 with nine different loads (0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and
 50 g N m−2 year−1) * Soil water content: Soil water content in 10 repeated
 plots under different N addition amount, Units % * inorganic N
 concentration: soil inorganic N concentration in 10 repeated plots under
 different N addition amount, Units mg/kg * total C concentration: soil
 total C concentration in 10 repeated plots under different N addition
 amount, Units g/kg * total N concentration: soil total N concentration in
 10 repeated plots under different N addition amount, Units g/kg * soil pH:
 soil pH in in 10 repeated plots under different N addition amount * ECEC:
 soil soil effective cation exchange capacity in 10 repeated plots under
 different N addition amount, Units cmol/kg * proportion of grasses in
 above-ground: The proportion of grasses species richness to total
 above-ground vegetation species richness in 10 repeated plots under
 different N addition amount, Units % * proportion of Leymus chinensis
 abundance: The proportion of Leymus chinensis abundance to the total
 aboveground vegetation abundance in 10 repeated plots under different N
 addition amount, Units % * similarity between the above-ground vegetation
 and soil seed bank: Similarity of species composition of above-ground
 vegetation and soil seed bank in 10 repeated plots under different N
 addition amount 4\. Missing data codes: None 5\. Specialized formats or
 other abbreviations used: None
 #########################################################################
 Code/Software: R\_code.R 1\. For describing R code and the software used
 to run it: This code is used to generate the figure1\, figure2\, figure3\,
 figure4\, figureS1\-S6\, Drawing data can be read from a file named
 Aggregated\_data\.csv\. R code were performed using R version 3\.4\.0\.
 The software packages that need to be loaded before drawing are
 "ggplot2"\, "nnet"\, "rdacca\.hp"\,
 "vegan"\.