The effects of N‐addition on litter mixture effects depend on decomposition time: A case from mixed‐litter decomposition in the Gurbantunggut Desert

Abstract

Changes in nitrogen (N) deposition and litter mixtures have been shown to influence ecosystem processes such as litter decomposition. However, the interactive effects of litter mixing and N‐deposition on decomposition process in desert regions remain poorly identified. We assessed the simultaneous effects of both N addition and litter mixture on mass loss in a litterbag decomposition experiment using six native plants in single‐species samples with diverse quality and 14‐species combinations in the Gurbantunggut Desert under two N addition treatments (control and N addition). The N addition had no significant effect on decomposition rate of single‐species litter (expect Haloxylon ammodendron), whereas litter mass loss and decomposition rate differed significantly among species, with variations positively correlated with initial phosphorus concentration and negatively correlated with initial lignin concentration. After 18 months, the average mass loss across litter mixtures did not overall differ from those predicted from single species either in control or N addition treatments, that is, mixing of different species had no non‐additive effects on decomposition. The N addition, however, did modify the direction of mixture effects and interacted with incubation time. Added N transformed synergistic effects of litter mixtures to antagonistic effects on mass loss after 1 month of decomposition, while transforming neutral effects of litter mixture to synergistic effects after 6 months of decomposition. Our results demonstrated that initial chemical properties played an important role in litter decomposition, while no effects of litter mixture on decomposition process in this desert region. The N addition altered the litter mixture effects on mass loss with incubation time, implying that increased N deposition in the future may have profound effects on carbon turnover to a greater extent than previously thought in desert ecosystems.