Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology >
Effects of warming and nitrogen and phosphorus addition on dissolved organic carbon biodegradability of litter in a subtropical forest
- 1School of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, China
2Sanming Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Sanming, Fujian 365002, China
Received date: 2023-09-22
Accepted date: 2024-02-07
Online published: 2024-02-18
Supported by
National Natural Science Foundation of China(31930071);National Natural Science Foundation of China(32201354)
Abstract
Aims The biodegradability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is crucial to affect the amount of soil organic carbon in forest ecosystems as litter-derived DOC is one of the important sources of soil DOC. To further understand the formation and stability of forest soil organic carbon under climate change scenarios, it is essential to focus on the effects of climate warming and nutrient addition on the biodegradability of DOC (BDOC).
Methods Based on a manipulative soil warming experiment in a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest, we took leaf litter of Castanopsis kawakamii with 0-day decomposition (undecomposed stage) and 180-day decomposition (middle-late stage of decomposition) as research materials. We experimentally quantified the effects of warming and nitrogen and phosphorus addition and their interactions on the BDOC of litter and the corresponding variation in ultraviolet-visible spectral index (ΔDOC spectral index) at different decomposition stages.
Important findings The results showed that: (1) the BDOC decreased gradually with litter decomposition, with a 22.6% reduction at the middle-late stage of decomposition compared to the undecomposed stage. (2) Warming significantly enhanced the BDOC at undecomposed stage while had no significant effects at the middle-late stage. Similarly, warming significantly increased the ΔDOC spectral index of undecomposed litter, but not at the milled-late stage. (3) Nitrogen addition significantly decreased BDOC at undecomposed stage but increased it at the middle-late stage. However, nitrogen addition did not change ΔDOC spectrum index at both decomposition stages. (4) Phosphorus addition significantly enhanced BDOC and ΔDOC spectrum index at both decomposition stages. (5) The interaction between warming and nutrient addition also had significant effects on increasing BDOC and ΔDOC spectrum index. Overall, both warming and phosphorus addition accelerated the degradation of DOC derived from undecomposed litter, while the degradation of DOC derived from middle-late decomposed litter was mainly regulated by nutrient contents.
Cite this article
RAN Jia-Xin , ZHANG Yu-Hui , WANG Yun , YANG Zhi-Jie , MAO Chao . Effects of warming and nitrogen and phosphorus addition on dissolved organic carbon biodegradability of litter in a subtropical forest[J]. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 2024 , 48(9) : 1232 -1242 . DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2023.0272
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