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Decomposition of harvest residue needles of different needle ages in a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation

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Abstract

Background and aims

The canopies in evergreen coniferous plantations are often composed of various-aged needles. Plantation management, such as thinning, produced abundant harvest residue, including needles with different needle ages. However, little attention was paid to the effect of needle age on decomposition, although the needle chemical properties varied substantially with leaf ages.

Methods

A field experiment was conducted for 3 years to investigate the decomposition of harvest residue needles at different needle ages, and determine the main controlling factors in different stages of decomposition in a Chinese fir plantation.

Results

We found that the initial decomposition rate varied 5-fold among different needle ages in a Chinese fir plantation. Litter quality controlled the overall litter decomposition rate, especially the initial decomposition rate. Needle nitrogen content was positively correlated to decomposition rate during the early stage of decomposition. However, it was negatively correlated to decomposition rate during the later stage of decomposition. The contents of needle tannins increased the asymptotic mass remaining (A, proportion of mass remaining at which decomposition approaches zero, i.e., the fraction of slowly decomposing litter). We also found that the initial litter decomposition rates in soil fauna presence were significantly higher than those in soil fauna absence across different needle ages. Moreover, the effect of soil fauna on initial litter decomposition is independent of needle quality.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that needle age and plant secondary metabolites should be considered to understand the response of litter decomposition and nutrient cycling to management practices, such as thinning, in conifer plantations.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant no. 2016YFD0600204), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41630755 and 31570402), and the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, Grant No. 2012CB416905). We also thank Xiuyong Zhang, Zhengqi Shen, Xiaojun Yu, Ke Huang and Munan Zhu for their invaluable assistance in the laboratory and the field experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72, Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, China

    Qingpeng Yang, Renshan Li, Weidong Zhang, Wenhui Zheng, Qingkui Wang, Longchi Chen, Xin Guan & Silong Wang

  2. Huitong National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Hunan Key Laboratory for Structure and Ecosystem Service of Subtropical Forest, Huitong, 418307, China

    Qingpeng Yang, Weidong Zhang, Qingkui Wang, Longchi Chen, Xin Guan & Silong Wang

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Renshan Li & Wenhui Zheng

  4. Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA

    Ming Xu

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  1. Qingpeng Yang
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  2. Renshan Li
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  3. Weidong Zhang
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  7. Xin Guan
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  8. Ming Xu
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  9. Silong Wang
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Correspondence to Qingpeng Yang or Silong Wang.

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Yang, Q., Li, R., Zhang, W. et al. Decomposition of harvest residue needles of different needle ages in a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation. Plant Soil 423, 273–284 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3515-3

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