Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2017, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (6): 639-649.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2016.0350

Special Issue: 凋落物

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of leachate from understory medicinal plants on litter decomposition and soil enzyme activities of Betula albo-sinensis and Eucommia ulmoides

Yu-Peng LU1, Ji-Yuan XU2, Xiao-Xi ZHANG2, Bo-Ya WANG3, Bo XIE3, Zeng-Wen LIU3,4,*()   

  1. 1College of Forestry, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;

    2Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;

    3College of Natural Resources and Environment , Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China;
    and
    4Key Laboratory for Agricultural Resources and Environmental Remediation in Loess Plateau of Agriculture Ministry of China, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
  • Received:2017-04-05 Accepted:2016-11-23 Online:2017-06-10 Published:2017-07-19
  • Contact: Zeng-Wen LIU
  • About author:KANG Jing-yao(1991-), E-mail: kangjingyao_nj@163.com

Abstract:

Aims Forest litter decomposition is an important factor affecting nutrient cycling and ecosystem stability. In a complex system with forest and understory medicinal plants, leachate from the medicinal plants enriched in plant secondary metabolites (PSM) may inhibit litter decomposition and soil enzyme activity of forest trees. Thus, inspection on whether or not this phenomenon exits is one important basis for selecting understory medicinal plants.Methods In this paper, typical forest species Betula albo-sinensis and Eucommia ulmoides and six species of common medicinal plants (Corydalis bungeana, Mentha haplocalyx, Houttuynia cordata, Nepeta cataria, Gynostemma pentaphyllum and Prunella vulgaris) in Qinling Mountains area were taken as objects, and the litter decomposition experiment was carried out. The leachate (water-extraction solution) from the stems and leaves of the medicinal materials were sprayed onto the litter in order to study the effects of leachate from understory plants on forests litter decomposition, nutrient release (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) and soil enzyme activity.Important findings For litter of B. albo-sinensis, the decomposition half-life and the turnover period were extended by 76% and 4.3 times, respectively, under H. cordata leachate treatment and the inhibitory effects on the release of carbon and nitrogen were also significant. While under G. pentaphyllum leachate treatment, the half-life of litter decomposition and turnover period were extended by 35% and 2.7 times, respectively, and the inhibitory effects on the release of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were all significant. The leachate from these two species of medicinal plants displayed significant inhibitory effects on seven kinds of soil enzymes (invertase, carboxymethyl cellulase, β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, polyphenol oxidase, protease and phosphatase) activity. For litter of E. ulmoides, the decomposition half-life and the turnover period were extended by 1.7 times and 4.2 times respectively, under H. cordata leachate treatment; while they were extended by 1 times and 9 times respectively, under G. pentaphyllum leachate treatment. The leachate from these two species of medicinal plants displayed significant inhibitory effects on the release of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from litter decomposition and the activities of all seven kinds of soil enzymes. Therefore, results suggested that H. cordata and G. pentaphyllum should not be planted under B. albo-sinensis and E. ulmoides forests, or the interplanting density must be low to reduce the inhibitory effects of litter decomposition.

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Key words: compound system of forest-medicinal, plant secondary metabolites, litter decomposition, nutrients release, soil enzyme activity