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Effects of Litter Evenness, Nitrogen Enrichment and Temperature on Short-Term Litter Decomposition in Freshwater Marshes of Northeast China

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Abstract

Knowledge about the effects of global change factors on litter decomposition is critical for accurate prediction of future carbon (C) and nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we collected Deyeuxia angustifolia and Carex lasiocarpa litters from freshwater marshes in Northeast China, and conducted an incubation study to examine the effects of nitrogen (N) enrichment (0 and 25 mg N g−1 litter), temperature (5, 15, and 25 °C), and litter evenness on litter mixing effect and decomposition. Non-additive effects were more common than additive effects during decomposition of litter mixtures, and synergistic effect was detected in two thirds of the litter mixtures. Moreover, litter mixing effects on decomposition varied with N enrichment, incubation temperature, and litter evenness. Both increased proportions of D. angustifolia in litter assemblages and elevated temperature generally accelerated litter decomposition. However, N enrichment slowed litter decomposition at 5 and 15 °C, but had positive or neutral effect at 25 °C. Our results highlight the importance of the interactive effects of N enrichment, temperature, and plant community structure on litter mixing effects during decomposition, and suggest that accelerated litter decomposition induced by climate warming and altered vegetation community would be modulated by N enrichment in freshwater marshes of Northeast China.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31570479, 41103037, and 31100357), “Strategic Priority Research Program – Climate Change: Carbon Budget and Related Issue” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDA05050508), and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS (No. 2013152). We thank the Sanjiang Experimental Station of Wetland Ecology for providing working facilities, and the editor and the anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130102, China

    Xin-Hou Zhang & Rong Mao

  2. College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China

    Xiao-Xin Sun

  3. The Three Gorges Institute of Ecological Environment, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China

    Rong Mao

  4. Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Road, Changchun, China

    Rong Mao

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  1. Xin-Hou Zhang
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  2. Xiao-Xin Sun
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Correspondence to Rong Mao.

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Zhang, XH., Sun, XX. & Mao, R. Effects of Litter Evenness, Nitrogen Enrichment and Temperature on Short-Term Litter Decomposition in Freshwater Marshes of Northeast China. Wetlands 37, 145–152 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-016-0855-3

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