摘要The present study was conducted to examine photosynthetic characteristics of three dominant grass species (Agropyron cristatum, Leymus chinensis, and Cleistogenes squarrosa) and their responses to burning and nitrogen fertilization in a semiarid grassland in northern China. Photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and water use efficiency (WUE) showed strong temporal variability over the growing season. C. squarrosa showed a significantly higher Pn and WUE than A. cristatum and L. chinensis. Burning stimulated Pn of A. cristatum and L. chinensis by 24-59% (P＜0.05) in the early growing season, but not during other time periods. Light-saturated photosynthetic rate (φmax) in A. cristatum C. squarrosa. The burning-induced changes in soil moisture could explain 51% (P=0.01) of the burning-induced changes The stimulation of Pn under N fertilization was mainly observed in the early growing season when the soil extractable N content was significantly higher in the fertilized plots. The N fertilization-induced changes in soil extractable N content could explain 66% (P=0.001) of the changes in Pn, under N fertilization. The photosynthetic responses of the three species indicate that burning and N fertilization will potentially change the community structure and ecosystem productivity in the semiarid grasslands of northern China.