Nitrogen- or phosphorus-limited growth in herbaceous, wet vegetation: Relations with atmospheric inputs and management regimes

Herbaceous vegetation under temperate climatic conditions generally shows nitrogen- or phosphorus-limited plant growth, which creates conditions for a high botanical diversity. Is nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) the most important limiting factor, or are both generally in short supply? What are the consequences of increased N and P inputs that result from anthropogenic disturbances? A new indicator of N or P limitation, that is, the vegetation N:P ratio, allows us to address these questions for a range of mires, dune slacks and moist grasslands.