Root tissue and shoot litter decomposition of dominant species Stipa baicalensis in Hulun Buir meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia, China

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01156

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims In grassland ecosystems, decomposition of litter is an important process in nutrient cycling and soil organic matter formation. Our objectives are to explores (1) seasonal dynamics of decomposition of root tissues and shoot litter of Stipa baicalensis, a dominant species in a typical meadow steppe in Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia, China, and (2) the effects on decomposition of placing litterbags on the soil surface vs. in the 15-cm soil layer.
Methods We placed litterbags with root tissues and shoot litter of S. baicalensis on the soil surface and in the 15-cm soil layer in May 2010. We collected the litterbags after 1, 2, 3, 5, and 12 months and determined mass loss and carbon and nitrogen content in the remaining litter. Microbial carbon and nitrogen contents were determined in the laboratory.
Important findings The mass loss rates of root and shoot litter were smaller on the soil surface than in the 15-cm soil layer, but the mass loss rates of root litter were not significantly different at the two positions. Irrespective of decomposition position, shoot litter decomposed faster than root tissues. Seasonal variation of carbon release showed a similar pattern with mass loss during decomposition. But seasonal variation patterns for nitrogen release were significantly different between shoot litter and root tissues. Nitrogen release of shoot litter exhibited a pattern of release―increase―release and that of root a pattern of release―increase. Nitrogen content difference in shoot or root litter was relatively small at both decomposition positions. Initial chemical compositions and soil moisture played dominant roles in seasonal dynamics of decomposition of root tissues and shoot litter. Findings suggest that future changes of temperature and soil moisture will markedly influence shoot decomposition, but not root decomposition in this meadow steppe.

Key words: decomposition, initial chemical composition of decomposition substrate, root tissues, shoot, Stipa baicalensis

ZHANG Cai-Hong, ZHANG Lei-Ming, LIU Xing-Ren, XIN Xiao-Ping, LI Sheng-Gong. Root tissue and shoot litter decomposition of dominant species Stipa baicalensis in Hulun Buir meadow steppe of Inner Mongolia, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(11): 1156-1166.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.01156

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2011/V35/I11/1156

Figures/Tables 7

Table 1 Initial chemical composition of root tissues and shoot litter of Stipa baicalensis

化学组成 Chemical composition	地上部分凋落物 Shoot litter		根系凋落物 Root litter
化学组成 Chemical composition	平均值 Mean	标准误差 Standard error (SE)	平均值 Mean	标准误差 Standard error (SE)
碳 Carbon (mg·g^-1)	473.50^a	0.890 0	460.40^b	2.160
氮 Nitrogen (mg·g^-1)	9.80^a	0.480 0	9.80^a	0.240
磷 Phosphorus (mg·g^-1)	0.80^a	0.050 0	0.40^b	0.040
钾 Potassium (mg·g^-1)	9.50^a	0.500 0	2.70^b	0.110
钙 Calcium (mg·g^-1)	2.20^a	0.200 0	6.30^b	0.150
镁 Magnesium (mg·g^-1)	0.70^a	0.040 0	1.10^b	0.030
锰 Manganese (mg·g^-1)	0.02^a	0.001 0	0.10^b	0.003
锌 Zinc (mg·g^-1)	0.01^a	0.000 9	0.02^b	0.001
N:P	12.60^a	0.300 0	23.70^b	2.290
C:N	48.60^a	2.560 0	47.10^a	1.280

Fig. 1 Litter mass loss (remaining mass percentage) changes of shoot litter and root tissues of Stipa baicalensis (mean ± SE). SBL, shoot litter; SBR, root litter. N, laid on the soil surface; Y, laid in the 15 cm soil layer. Different lowercase letters denote significant difference between treatments at 0.05 level.

Fig. 2 Changes of C, N content and C:N of root tissues and shoot litter for Stipa baicalensis (mean ± SE). SBL, shoot litter; SBR, root litter. N, laid on the soil surface; Y, laid in the 15 cm soil layer. Different lowercase letters denote significant difference between treatments at 0.05 level.

Fig. 3 Variations of soil temperature, soil moisture and litter mass loss during litter decomposition. The values are not shown because of litter decomposition less in winter.

Fig. 4 Effects of the litter placing position on root tissue and shoot litter decomposition for Stipa baicalensis (mean ± SE). SBL, shoot litter; SBR, root litter. N, laid on the soil surface; Y, laid in the 15 cm soil layer. Different lowercase letters denote significant difference between treatments at 0.05 level.

Fig. 5 Changes of microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen contents of root tissue and shoot litter for Stipa baicalensis at different positions (mean ± SE). SBL, shoot litter; SBR, root litter. N, laid on the soil surface; Y, laid in the 15 cm soil layer. Different lowercase letters denote significant difference between treatments at 0.05 level.

Table 2 Correlation (r) between litter carbon and nitrogen content and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen content

	M_C	M_N	M_C:N	L_N	L_C	L_C:N	S_n	S_a
M_C	1
M_N	0.713**	1
M_C:N	0.662**	-0.036	1
L_N	0.133	0.118	0.061	1
L_C	0.250	0.215	0.166	0.574**	1
L_C:N	-0.023	-0.032	0.016	-0.787**	0.022	1
S_n	-0.275	-0.114	-0.276	0.168	-0.021	-0.204	1
S_a	0.528**	0.317	0.491*	0.346	0.517**	-0.079	-0.389	1

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