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Litter chemical traits, microbial and soil stoichiometry regulate organic carbon accrual of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter

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Abstract

Plant litter quality considerably affects C accrual in soil organic matter (SOM). However, the chemical traits of litter that influence C distribution in SOM fractions, such as particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), are not fully understood. Thus, we conducted a 150-day incubation experiment with litter addition (poplar leaves, roots, grasses grown under the canopy, and a mixture of these three litter types). We analyzed the organic C concentration in the POM and MAOM fractions and the stoichiometric ratios (C:N:P) of the soil and microbial biomass 50, 100, and 150 days after the initial litter addition. Microbial residue C (amino sugar biomarkers) in SOM fractions was registered at the end of decomposition. High-quality litter (i.e., leaf) increased MAOM-C accrual, and low-quality litter (i.e., root and grass) contributed more to POM-C accrual. The mixed litter addition accumulated more C in the SOM via high POM-C levels compared to single litter input, likely resulting from an antagonistic effect caused by different litter trait dissimilarity. Moreover, POM-C dynamics were dominated by litter chemical traits during litter decomposition, and MAOM-C was controlled mainly by microbial and soil stoichiometry. Furthermore, the contribution of microbial residue C to SOM (especially POM-C) was lower in the mixed litter than in the single litter. These findings highlight the direct or indirect impacts of litter types on the C dynamics of POM and MAOM, and demonstrate that litter diversity is conducive to C accumulation in SOM.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Peng Ding and Jing Fan for their assistance with field sampling and for their insightful suggestions.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31870596).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. East China Coastal Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Zhejiang, 311400, Hangzhou, China

    Xiangrong Cheng, Wenli Xing & Jiangwei Liu

  2. College of Forestry, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China

    Jiangwei Liu

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  1. Xiangrong Cheng
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Correspondence to Xiangrong Cheng.

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Cheng, X., Xing, W. & Liu, J. Litter chemical traits, microbial and soil stoichiometry regulate organic carbon accrual of particulate and mineral-associated organic matter. Biol Fertil Soils 59, 777–790 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-023-01746-0

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