Do nutrients modify ecosystem stability in response to precipitation variability?

Climate change will likely increase precipitation variability, making drought and deluge more common. Structural and functional diversity is critical to stabilize ecosystems against precipitation variability. Diversity is higher when more niches are defined by more limiting factors. How does precipitation variability alter the number of niches defined by multiple nutrient limitation? What are the resulting impacts on ecosystem function when limiting nutrients are added? Answers to these questions provided by a global nutrient addition experiment in grasslands will identify key mechanisms conferring stability in response to precipitation variability, and potentially identify thresholds in the ability grasslands to maintain ecosystem services.