Global warming amplifies nitrogen over phosphorus limitation in aquatic ecosystems: A multi-trophic meta-analysis
Data files
Mar 19, 2026 version files 2.02 MB
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data1.csv
1.63 MB
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data2.csv
117.83 KB
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R_code.R
270.90 KB
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README_data1.csv
2.67 KB
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README_data2.csv
1.53 KB
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README.md
1.53 KB
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability fundamentally regulate the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems. While global-scale patterns of relative nutrient limitation have been increasingly documented, their responses to climate warming remain poorly quantified. To address this, we integrated a global meta-analysis of nutrient enrichment experiments (spanning 510 sites and multiple trophic levels) with large-scale datasets of water chemistry from 3,403 lakes and 13,032 marine sites. Meta-analysis showed that primary producers have the strongest responses to nutrient enrichment, especially NP co-addition, with effects attenuating at higher trophic levels. Increasing temperature amplifies the response of primary producers to nutrient enrichment, but not for consumers, indicating that warming disrupts energy flow to higher trophic levels. Furthermore, relative N limitation of primary producers intensifies with increasing temperature and decreasing latitude in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. Global field observation of water chemistry supports such a pattern as water N:P mass ratios decrease with increasing temperature across lake and marine ecosystems. Our findings provide robust empirical evidence that the relative nutrient limitation of primary producers exhibits a strong latitudinal gradient and climate warming could fundamentally enhance nitrogen over phosphorus limitation in aquatic ecosystems, which have critical implications for ecosystem functioning and management in a warmer world.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2rbnzs84c
Files and variables
All variables and units are included in the file named "Readme.csv".
The missing values in the CSV file are due to the fact that the original source did not provide the relevant information, and thus, the data could not be collected.
File: data1.csv
The dataset comprises a total of 4,345 data entries derived from 329 pieces of literature collected. It primarily encompasses primary producers, consumers, and decomposers of aquatic ecosystems, and includes a total of seven aquatic taxa: phytoplankton, macrophytes, periphytic algae, zooplankton, invertebrates, and bacteria. All variables and units are included in the file named "README_data1.csv".
File: data2.csv
The dataset comprises a total of 382 data entries derived from 42 collected publications. It primarily includes the responses of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) stoichiometry to warming. All variables and units are included in the file named "README_data2.csv".
File: R_code.R
According to the instructions set forth in the provided code, the article’s outcomes can be replicated using the indicated version of the R software and the requisite package.
Code/software
R software (version 4.4.3) and the ‘metafor’ support package were used for statistical analysis of the data.
