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Further evidence for slow decomposition of very fine roots using two methods: litterbags and intact cores

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Abstract

Background and aims

Root decomposition studies have rarely considered the heterogeneity within a fine-root system. Here, we investigated fine root (< 0.5 and 0.5–2 mm in diameter) decomposition and accompanying nutrient dynamics of two temperate tree species—Betula costata Trautv and Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.

Methods

Both litterbag and intact-core techniques were used to examine decomposition dynamic and nutrient release of the two size class roots over a 498-day period. Moreover, we examined differences between the two approaches.

Results

The very fine roots (< 0.5 mm) with an initially lower C:N ratio, decomposed more slowly than 0.5–2 mm roots of both tree species. The differences in mass loss between size classes were smaller when using the intact-core technique compared with litterbag technique. In contrast to root biomass loss, net N release was much higher in the fine roots (< 0.5 mm). All fine roots initially released N (0–75 days), but immobilized N to varying extent in the following days (75–498 days) during decomposition.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the slow decomposition rate of very fine roots (< 0.5 mm) may be determined by their high concentration of acid-unhydrolyzable structural components. Additionally, the heterogeneity within a bulk fine-root system could lead to differences in their contribution to soil in terms of carbon and nitrogen dynamics.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Guohua Song, Quanbo Wang for assistance in the field. We also thank Drs. Björn Berg for suggestions that improved earlier versions of this work and anonymous reviewers for greatly improving the manuscript with their valuable comments. The funding for this research was supported by National Basic Research Program (973 Program) (2010CB951301), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31070350) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (DL11BA10).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Forest Plant Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China

    Tao Sun, Zijun Mao, Lili Dong, Lingling Hou & Yuan Song

  2. Engineering Research Center of Forest Bio-preparation, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China

    Lili Dong

  3. School of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China

    Xiuwei Wang

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  1. Tao Sun
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  2. Zijun Mao
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  3. Lili Dong
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Correspondence to Zijun Mao.

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Sun, T., Mao, Z., Dong, L. et al. Further evidence for slow decomposition of very fine roots using two methods: litterbags and intact cores. Plant Soil 366, 633–646 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1457-3

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