Impact of litter quality and soil nutrient availability on leaf decomposition rate in a semi-arid grassland of Northeast China

Li, Lujun; Zeng, De‐Hui; Yu, Zhan-Yuan; Fan, Zhiping; Yang, Dan

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2011.04.009

Cited by 71 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…This suggests that the C:N ratio and initial N content could be the main drivers for litter decomposition. In comparison, initial P content seems a less relevant controlling factor in the present study, although some studies suggested that it is a good indicator of the decomposition rate [49]. Thus, Mongolian oak litter decomposed faster than Chinese pine litter, in spite of its much lower P concentration.…”

Section: Decomposition Of Single-species Littercontrasting

confidence: 63%

Effects of Nitrogen Addition on Leaf Decomposition of Single-Species and Litter Mixture in Pinus tabulaeformis Forests

Zhao

et al. 2015

Forests

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Abstract:The litter decomposition process is closely correlated with nutrient cycling and the maintenance of soil fertility in the forest ecosystem. In particular, the intense environmental concern about atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition requires a better understanding of its influence on the litter decomposition process. This study examines the responses of single-species litter and litter mixture decomposition processes to N addition in Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.) ecosystems. Chinese pine litter, Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb.) litter, and a pine-oak mixture were selected from a plantation and a natural forest of Chinese pine. Four N addition treatments, i.e., control (N0: 0 kg N ha´1¨year´1), low-N (N1: 50 kg N ha´1¨year´1), medium-N (N2: 100 kg N ha´1¨year´1), and high-N (N3: 150 kg N ha´1¨year´1), were applied starting May 2010. In the plantation, N addition significantly stimulated the decomposition of the Chinese pine litter. In the natural forest, N addition had variable effects on the decomposition of single-species litter and the litter mixture. A stimulatory effect of the high-N treatment on the Chinese pine litter decomposition could be attributed to a decrease in the substrate C:N ratio. However, an opposite effect was found for the Mongolian oak litter decomposition. The stimulating effect of N addition on the Chinese pine litter may offset the suppressive effect on the Mongolian oak litter, resulting in a neutral effect on the litter mixture. These results suggest that the different responses in decomposition of single-species litter and the litter mixture to N addition are mainly attributed to litter chemical composition. Further investigations are required to characterize the effect of long-term high-level N addition on the litter decomposition as N deposition is likely to increase rapidly in the region where this study was conducted.

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Section: Decomposition Of Single-species Littercontrasting

confidence: 63%

Effects of Nitrogen Addition on Leaf Decomposition of Single-Species and Litter Mixture in Pinus tabulaeformis Forests

Zhao

et al. 2015

Forests

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“…The increased N s with N addition, together with increased litter quantity (Li et al 2011a), would add to the amount of N returned to soils by leaf litter production. Moreover, leaf litter decomposition is mainly controlled by litter N concentration (Li et al 2011b), and thus litters with high N concentration following N addition would decompose faster. Therefore, given the expected increases in soil nutrient availability due to human activities (Gruber and Galloway 2008), our fertilization study may contribute to predicting the potential effects of soil nutrient enrichment on nutrient cycling, including the nutrient partitioning between the resorption and decomposition pathways.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption of Artemisia scoparia, Chenopodium acuminatum, Cannabis sativa, and Phragmites communis under nitrogen and phosphorus additions in a semiarid grassland, China

Li¹,

Zeng²,

Mao³

et al. 2012

Plant Soil Environ.

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A factorial nitrogen (N) × phosphorus (P) addition experiment was conducted to evaluate responses of leaf nutrient resorption to increased soil N and P availability in a semiarid grassland in Keerqin Sandy Lands, China. Four plant species were selected, among which Artemisia scoparia and Chenopodium acuminatum were dominant species in the control and P-added plots, and Cannabis sativa and Phragmites communis were dominant in the N-and N + P-treated plots. Results showed that N and P resorption varied substantially among species (P < 0.01). A general trend of decrease in N resorption efficiency (NRE) and N resorption proficiency (NRP) was observed in response to increased soil N availability for all species, except P. communis only for NRE. Similarly, P resorption proficiency (PRP) decreased in response to P addition for all species, whereas P resorption efficiency (PRE) was not affected by P addition. Species responded differently in terms of PRE and PRP to N addition, whereas no changes in NRE and NRP occurred in response to P addition except P. communis for NRE. Our results suggest that increased soil nutrient availability can influence plant-mediated nutrient cycling directly by changing leaf nutrient resorption and indirectly by altering species composition in the sandy grassland.

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“…There is not a unanimity regarding a valid index of litter degradability, although certain nutrient concentrations have been usually associated to higher quality [50]. High nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, as well as high proportions of easily degradable carbon compounds, such as sugars, have been associated to better litter quality [50], which translates into higher decomposition rates. Contrarily, less degradable carbon compounds (such as lignin), decrease degradability and litter quality, because these compounds require higher energy from decomposers to break the organic matter [46].…”

Section: The Process Model -Litter Decompositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Leaves with certain physical characteristics, such as lower hardness and lignin content, are correlated to higher decomposition rates [55]. Chemical aspects, such as higher carbon and nitrogen concentrations, are frequently correlated to higher decomposition rates [26,50,55,56], even though this pattern is not fully established [51]. According to our flowchart, there would be a positive relationship between environmental heterogeneity and the possibility of the litter mixture being explored Biodiversity -The Dynamic Balance of the Planetby different decomposer species, which possess distinct nutritional needs, or different abilities to exploit resources originated from a varied plant species.…”

Section: The Process Model -Litter Decompositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: a Conceptual Model of Leaf Litter Decomposition

Muscardi¹,

Schoereder²,

Sperber³

2014

Biodiversity - The Dynamic Balance of the Planet

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Impact of litter quality and soil nutrient availability on leaf decomposition rate in a semi-arid grassland of Northeast China

Cited by 71 publications

References 49 publications

Effects of Nitrogen Addition on Leaf Decomposition of Single-Species and Litter Mixture in Pinus tabulaeformis Forests

Effects of Nitrogen Addition on Leaf Decomposition of Single-Species and Litter Mixture in Pinus tabulaeformis Forests

Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption of Artemisia scoparia, Chenopodium acuminatum, Cannabis sativa, and Phragmites communis under nitrogen and phosphorus additions in a semiarid grassland, China

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning: a Conceptual Model of Leaf Litter Decomposition

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