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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (2): 44-53.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022038

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Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on litter decomposition in Hulunber steppe

Peng-chong DU1(), Yu-zhen PAN1, Shuang-li HOU2, Zhi-hui WANG1, Hong-yi WANG1()   

  1. 1.College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture,Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University,Daqing 163319,China
    2.Erguna Forest-Steppe Ecotone Research Station,Institute of Applied Ecology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shenyang 110016,China
  • Received:2022-01-18 Revised:2022-03-03 Online:2023-02-20 Published:2022-12-01
  • Contact: Hong-yi WANG

Abstract:

Litter decomposition is an important component process in grassland ecosystem energy flows and cycling of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and other elements. Litter decomposition rate depends on its initial chemical composition (internal factors) and soil environment (external factors). N and P as essential macronutrients for plants, are important to regulation of internal and external factors in litter decomposition. Here we report a two-year N and P controlled addition experiment with two N levels (0, 10 g N·m-2·yr-1) and 2 P levels (0, 10 g N·m-2·yr-1) in their four combinations to define the N×P interaction. There are five replicates. The experiment studied Leymus chinensisCleistogenes squarrosa and Thermopsis lanceolata, which have different nutrient utilization patterns and used the net-bag decomposition method to study the effects of N and P addition on litter decomposition. It was found that the litter decomposition process was affected by both internal factors and external factors, with the external factors having a greater effect than the internal factors. In the external factors, nutrient addition promoted the decomposition of all three litter types. With respect to the internal factors, nutrient addition promoted the degradation of C. Squarrosa and T. lanceolata, but inhibited the degradation of L. chinensis. The rate of release of N and P was positively correlated with the contents of N and P in the initial litter and soil environment. This study revealed that the differences of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient in soil were the main factors affecting litter decomposition and nutrient release. In future studies, more attention should be paid to the influence of external factors on the litter decomposition process.

Key words: meadow steppe, nitrogen and phosphorus addition, litter decomposition, nutrient release, decomposition rate