Effect of precipitation patterns on litter decomposition in three annual herb species in the Horqin Sandy Land

doi:10.11686/cyxb2017141

Abstract

Abstract: The effect of precipitation patterns on both aboveground and belowground litter decomposition in three annual herb species in the Horqin Sandy Land was investigated by the litter-bag method. Precipitation patterns, which were designed according to historical precipitation characteristics, included high-, medium-, and low-frequency precipitation, but the total amount was the same in each treatment. The results showed that precipitation patterns and depth of litter burial were the two main factors affecting the litter decomposition rate. The aboveground litter decomposition rate was significantly slower than the belowground litter decomposition rate. The belowground litter decomposition rate was faster at deeper depths than at shallower depths, especially for Setaria viridis. The decomposition rate of S. viridis litter belowground was significantly (P<0.01) faster at the 10-20 cm depth than at the 0-10 cm depth. The aboveground litter decomposition rate was significantly (P<0.01) slower under the low-frequency precipitation pattern than under the other precipitation patterns. There was a significant interaction between precipitation pattern and litter burial depth for litter decomposition. The influence of precipitation pattern on litter decomposition decreased with increasing depth. The litter decomposition rate differed among the three plant species. The belowground litter decomposition rate for both S. viridis and Artemisia sacrorum significantly differed among precipitation patterns at the 0-10 cm burial depth, while the aboveground litter decomposition rate differed significantly (F=48.42, P<0.001) among precipitation patterns only for Chenopodium acuminatum.

CLC Number:

LUO Yong-qing, YUE Xiang-fei, LI Yu-qiang, ZHAO Xue-yong, DING Jie-ping, YAN Zhi-qiang. Effect of precipitation patterns on litter decomposition in three annual herb species in the Horqin Sandy Land[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2018, 27(2): 206-212.

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