Nitrogen deposition and land use are known to influence various
ecosystems, but how these anthropogenic activities influence community
and ecosystem responses to disturbance remains poorly understood. Here
we investigated the effects of increased nitrogen deposition and mowing
on the resistance and recovery of a temperate semiarid grassland
experiencing a three-year drought. Nitrogen addition reduced grassland
biomass resistance and increased biomass recovery, whereas annual mowing
reduced grassland structural resistance and increased structural
recovery. The treatment effects on community biomass resistance and
recovery were largely modulated by the stability of the most dominant
species, whereas the treatment effects on community structural
resistance and recovery were largely modulated by the structural
stability of dominant species assemblages. The discrepancy in the
response of biomass and structural stability emphasizes the need to
study changes across levels of ecological organization for a more
complete understanding of ecosystem responses to disturbances under
widespread environmental changes.