Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s11104-024-06969-0
Document Shareable Link
Title (Primary) Nitrogen addition and plant functional type mediate the mesofauna-driven litter element release of subtropical forest
Author Li, J.; Liu, Q.; Yin, R.; You, C.; Zhang, L.; Li, H.; Wang, L.; Xu, H.; Xu, L.; Liu, S.; Tan, B.; Xu, Z.
Source Titel Plant and Soil
Year 2024
Department BZF
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11104-024-06969-0/MediaObjects/11104_2024_6969_MOESM1_ESM.docx
Keywords Carbon and nutrients release; Litter decomposition; N addition; Plant functional types; Soil mesofauna
Abstract Purpose
Soil mesofauna-associated biogeochemical cycles could be mediated by nitrogen (N) deposition and plant functional types. However, N addition effects on the contribution of soil mesofauna to litter element release under different plant functional types remain unclear.
Methods
A litterbag experiment with two mesh sizes (2 and 0.1 mm) examined the soil mesofauna's effect on litter carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) release of three functional types (evergreen broadleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and coniferous: 6 tree species for each group). Litterbags were exposed to varying N deposition levels (0, 20, and 40 kg N ha−1 yr−1) in a subtropical forest in southwest China.
Results
N addition and soil mesofauna promoted litter C, N, and P loss across three plant functional types. The soil mesofauna's effects on litter N loss were lower in deciduous broadleaf than in evergreen broadleaf and coniferous litter. However, the soil mesofauna's effects on litter P loss were greater in evergreen broadleaf than in deciduous broadleaf and coniferous litter. Further, N addition stimulated the soil mesofauna's effects on litter N release only in evergreen broadleaf. Soil mesofauna's contribution to C and P loss correlated with the initial litter C/P ratio across 18 species. N addition effects were greater under low-N than high-N treatments in 0.1 mm litter bags.
Conclusion
The findings suggested N addition and plant functional types independently mediated mesofauna-driven litter element release, highlighting the importance of soil mesofauna and plant functional types for belowground biogeochemical cycles via litter pathways in subtropical regions experiencing pronounced N deposition.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29766
Li, J., Liu, Q., Yin, R., You, C., Zhang, L., Li, H., Wang, L., Xu, H., Xu, L., Liu, S., Tan, B., Xu, Z. (2024):
Nitrogen addition and plant functional type mediate the mesofauna-driven litter element release of subtropical forest
Plant Soil 10.1007/s11104-024-06969-0