About the Authors

Ying Z. Gao

Affiliations Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China, Institute for Crop Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Marcus Giese

Affiliation Institute for Crop Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Qiang Gao

Affiliation College of Resources and Environment, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, Jilin, China

Holger Brueck

Affiliation Institute for Crop Production and Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Lian X. Sheng

Affiliation State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China

Hai J. Yang

Yang@nenu.edu.cn

Affiliation Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, China

Competing Interests

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: YG MG HB HY. Performed the experiments: YG MG QG. Analyzed the data: YG LS. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: YG MG. Wrote the paper: YG HY.