Authors measured clipping effects on plant growth and nitrogen accumulation of Agropyron smithii plants, that were grown with an A. smithii or Artemisia frigida neighbor, in greenhouse pots with additions of no, low, or high levels of nitrogen. Three months of clipping treatments increased aboveground biomass and leaf length and decreased belowground biomass and tillering of A. smithii plants, however, these effects were less evident in A. smithii plants grown with an A. frigida neighbor. Fertilizing treatments increased tillering, leaf length and nitrogen content of A. smithii plant parts, however again, these effects was more evident in plants grown with A. smithii neighbors than plants grown with A. frigida neighbors. The results of the study suggest that nitrogen cycling and plant growth of A. smithii plants are dependent on neighboring species and nitrogen input levels, however, nitrogen use efficiency declines as nitrogen availability increases, causing an excess of nitrogen in the system.
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