Abstract
Aims
Although litter decomposition is closely linked to soil biochemical processes, the non-additive effects of litter mixing on soil C:N:P stoichiometry and the factors that regulate it have been rarely studied.
Methods
In this study, an in situ foliar litter decomposition experiment examined the effects of mixtures of the foliar litter of Eucalyptus urophylla × grandis with five native tree species (Acacia crassicarpa, Castanopsis hystrix, Michelia macclurei, Magnolia sumatrana and Mytilaria laosensis) in subtropical China. We investigated the decomposition and element release dynamics of single and mixed foliar litters, their non-additive effects on soil C:N:P stoichiometry, and the potential factors regulating this non-additive effect.
Results
Our results show that foliar litter mixing promoted mass loss and element release, with less mass remaining for one mixture. The magnitude of the non-additive effects of decomposing mixed foliar litter on mass remaining, element release, and soil C:N:P stoichiometry varied by litter type. Specifically, antagonistic effects were common for mass remaining (accounting for 10.0% of all cases), the release of N (16.7%) and N:P (10.0%) of mixed foliar litter, and soil C:N (13.3%). Synergistic effects were common for the release of C (23.3%), P (10.0%), C:N (23.3%), C:P (26.7%) of mixed foliar litter, and C (20.0%), N (16.7%), P (16.7%), C:P (13.3%), N:P (10.0%) of soil. Mixing the foliar litter of Eucalyptus with some species had significant synergistic effects on soil N and N:P, whereas mixing it with other species had significant antagonistic effects on soil C:P and N:P.
Conclusions
Overall, foliar litter mixtures affected soil C:N:P stoichiometry in non-additive ways, and the magnitude and direction of these effects were jointly regulated by edaphic factors, initial litter chemical traits, and the presence of an invasive species, Eucalyptus.
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Data Availability
We declared that the data are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Yongtang Wang, Mengyun Tang and Weiling Zhai for their assistance in this study. We also thank the editors and anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.
Funding
This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31600493 and 32160359).
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He, P., Deng, X., Liu, J. et al. Non-additive responses of litter decomposition, litter chemical traits, and soil C:N:P stoichiometry to mixing with Eucalyptus in plantation environments. Plant Soil 499, 457–472 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06470-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06470-0