Short-term responses of soil enzyme activities and stoichiometry to litter input in Castanopsis carlesii and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations.

Litter input triggers the secretion of soil extracellular enzymes and facilitates the release of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) from decomposing litter. However, how soil extracellular enzyme activities were controlled by litter input with various substrates is not fully understood. We examined the activities and stoichiometry of five enzymes including ß-1,4-glucosidase, ß-D-cellobiosidase, ß-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, leucine aminopeptidase and acidic phosphatase (AP) with and without litter input in 10-year-old Castanopsis carlesii and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations monthly during April to August, in October, and in December 2021 by using an in situ microcosm experiment. The results showed that: 1) There was no significant effect of short-term litter input on soil enzyme activity, stoichiometry, and vector properties in C. carlesii plantation. In contrast, short-term litter input significantly increased the AP activity by 1.7% in May and decreased the enzymatic C/N ratio by 3.8% in August, and decreased enzymatic C/P and N/P ratios by 11.7% and 10.3%, respectively, in October in C. lanceolata plantation. Meanwhile, litter input increased the soil enzymatic vector angle to 53.8° in October in C. lanceolata plantations, suggesting a significant P limitation for soil microorganisms. 2) Results from partial least squares regression analyses showed that soil dissolved organic matter and microbial biomass C and N were the primary factors in explaining the responses of soil enzymatic activity to short-term litter input in both plantations. Overall, input of low-quality (high C/N) litter stimulates the secretion of soil extracellular enzymes and accelerates litter decomposition. There is a P limitation for soil microorganisms in the study area.

Vegetation restoration effects on soil carbon and nutrient concentrations and enzymatic activities in post-mining lands are mediated by mine type, climate, and former soil properties.

Vegetation restoration is a widely used, effective, and sustainable method to improve soil quality in post-mining lands. Here we aimed to assess global patterns and driving factors of potential vegetation restoration effects on soil carbon, nutrients, and enzymatic activities. We synthesized 4838 paired observations extracted from 175 publications to evaluate the effects that vegetation restoration might have on the concentrations of soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as enzymatic activities. We found that (1) vegetation restoration had consistent positive effects on the concentrations of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate, total phosphorus, and available phosphorus on average by 85.4, 70.3, 75.7, 54.6, 58.6, 34.7, and 60.4 %, respectively. Restoration also increased the activities of catalase, alkaline phosphatase, sucrase, and urease by 63.3, 104.8, 125.5, and 124.6 %, respectively; (2) restoration effects did not vary among different vegetation types (i.e., grass, tree, shrub and their combinations) or leaf type (broadleaved, coniferous, and mixed), but were affected by mine type; and (3) latitude, climate, vegetation species richness, restoration year, and initial soil properties are important moderator variables, but their effects varied among different soil variables. Our global scale study shows how vegetation restoration can improve soil quality in post-mining lands by increasing soil carbon, nutrients, and enzymatic activities. This information is crucial to better understand the role of vegetation cover in promoting the ecological restoration of degraded mining lands.

[Dissolved organic matter dynamics and spectral characteristics of twig litter from different Castanopsis carlesii forests in the middle subtropical region, China]. / ä¸­äºšçƒ­å¸¦ä¸åŒç±»åž‹ç±³æ§ æž—å‡‹è½æžæº¶è§£æ€§æœ‰æœºè´¨åŠ¨æ€åŠå ‰è°±å­¦ç‰¹æ€§.

To assess the dynamics and spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter of twig litter in continuous increase stage, peak stage, and continuous decrease stage of twig litter production in different types of Castanopsis carlesii forest in middle subtropical China, a field experiment was conducted in C. carlesii natural forest, secondary forest and plantation. The results showed that litter production stage and forest type significantly affected the content and spectral characteristics of dissolved organic matter of twig litter were . Compared with the secondary forest and plantation, natural forest had higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content and lower special ultraviolet-visible absorption values at 254, 260 and 280 nm (SUVA254, SUVA260, SUVA280) at the continuous decrease stage of twig litter production, indicating high twig litter quality of natural forest and high cycling efficiency with dissolved organic matter in the natural forest at this stage. In contrast, the higher contents of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), and lower DOC:TDP and TDN:TDP ratios of twig litter in the plantation were observed at the peak stage of twig litter production, while no differences were detected in dissolved organic matter contents and spectral values in the secondary forest among the stages. In addition, the DOC, TDN, TDP of twig litter were negatively correlated with temperature and precipitation in the natural forests and secondary forests, but TDN and TDP of twig litter were positively correlated with temperature and precipitation in the plantations. These results suggested that the higher nutrient content at the peak stage of twig litter production in the C. carlesii plantation might lead to more efficient material cycling and that there would be a higher efficiency of material cycling for twig litter dissolved organic matter in C. carlesii natural forest at reduction stage of twig litter production.

[Nitrogen and phosphorus resorption and stoichiometric characteristics of different tree species in a mid-subtropical common-garden, China.] / ä¸­äºšçƒ­å¸¦åŒè´¨å›­ä¸åŒæ ‘ç§æ°®ç£·é‡å¸æ”¶åŠåŒ–å­¦è®¡é‡ç‰¹å¾.

To understand the nutrient use strategies of 11 tree species in a subtropical common-garden, we measured the specific leaf area, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption and stoichiometric characteristics of leaves in August 2019. The results showed that the specific leaf area, N and P concentrations in mature and senescent leaves of evergreen broadleaved (Lindera communis, Cinnamomum camphora, Schima superba, Castanopsis carlesii, Michelia macclurei and Elaeocarpus decipiens) and coniferous species (Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana) were lower than those of deciduous broadleaved species (Liquidambar formosana, Sapindus mukorossi and Liriodendron chinense). In contrast, C:N and C:P in mature leaves of evergreen broadleaved and coniferous species were significantly higher than those of deciduous broadleaved species. Except for C. carlesii, the N:P of all the species were lower than 14. Compared with other tree species, N and P resorption efficiencies of S. mukorossi were higher than 50% based on both mass and leaf area. Although P resorption efficiency of P. massoniana, C. lanceolata and C. camphora were higher than 50%, N and P resorption efficiency of M. macclurei were the lowest with only 15%-30%. In addition, specific leaf area of mature leaves was significantly positively correlated with N and P concentrations, but negatively correlated with C:N and C:P. In the common-garden, evergreen broadleaved species such as C. carlesii and L. communis, and coniferous species such as P. massoniana might belong to the slow investment species with lower specific leaf area, N and P concentrations, displaying relatively efficient in N and P resorption and utilization in comparison with other species. In contrast, deciduous broadleaved species such as S. mukoraiensis might be the fast investment species with low N and P use efficiency. Interestingly, tree species being restricted by N availability did not exhibit higher N resorption efficiency in the common-garden. Similarly, C. carlesii, the only P-restricted species here, did not exhibit higher P resorption efficiency. Our results provided scientific support for afforestation practice in the mid-subtropics.

Litter quality drives the differentiation of microbial communities in the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Cellulose and lignin are the main polymeric components of the forest litter horizon. We monitored microbial community composition using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and investigated the ligninolytic and cellulolytic enzyme activities of the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The activities of ligninolytic and cellulolytic enzymes and the biomass of microbial PLFAs were higher in the initial stage of litter decomposition than in the latter stage in the three vegetation types (coniferous forest, alpine shrubland and alpine meadow). Soil microbial community structure varied significantly over the course of litter decomposition in the three vegetation types. Furthermore, the BIOENV procedure revealed that the carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio, carbon to phosphorus (C:P) ratio and moisture content (MC) were the most important determinants of microbial community structure in the initial stage of litter decomposition, whereas pH and the lignin concentration were the major factors influencing the microbial community structure in the later stage of litter decomposition. These findings indicate that litter quality drives the differentiation of microbial communities in the litter horizon across an alpine treeline ecotone in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Does foliar nutrient resorption regulate the coupled relationship between nitrogen and phosphorus in plant leaves in response to nitrogen deposition?

Nutrient resorption from senescing leaves is an important process of internal nutrient cycling in plants, but the patterns of nutrient resorption and the coupled relationship between nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in plant leaves as affected by N deposition remain unclear. We analysed the effects of N addition on the nutrient resorption and coupled relationship between N and P in plant leaves under different nutrient-limited conditions based on a global meta-analysis. Globally, the mean N resorption efficiency (NRE) and P resorption efficiency (PRE) under natural conditions were 47.4% and 53.6%, respectively, which were significantly regulated by geographical and climatic factors as well as plant characteristics. Furthermore, N addition significantly decreased the NRE by 13.3% but slightly affected the PRE on a global scale, and N addition rates and latitude directly and negatively affected the effects of N addition on NRE. Specifically, N addition significantly decreased the NRE under all nutrient-limited conditions, while it had negative, positive, and neutral effects on the PRE under N-limited, P-limited, and N and P-co-limited conditions, respectively. Moreover, the relationships between N and P in green and senesced leaves were tightly coupled under different nutrient-limited conditions in natural ecosystems. However, N addition significantly weakened the relationships between N and P concentrations in green leaves but slightly affected the relationship in senesced leaves, which were mainly modulated by the effects of N addition on nutrient resorption efficiency, especially NRE. These results highlight that nutrient-limited conditions determine the response of nutrient resorption to N deposition and emphasize the effect of nutrient resorption regulation on the coupling of N and P responses to N enrichment. The findings are important for understanding plant nutrient use strategies and the mechanisms underlying the stoichiometric coupling of N and P in response to climate change, and can be used in global biogeochemical models.

Nutrient-limited conditions determine the responses of foliar nitrogen and phosphorus stoichiometry to nitrogen addition: A global meta-analysis.

To test the hypothesis that nutrient-limited conditions can determine the responses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry to N addition, a meta-analysis was conducted to identify the different responses of foliar N and P concentrations and N-to-P ratios to N addition under N limitation, N and P co-limitation and P limitation. N addition increased the foliar N-to-P ratios and N concentrations by 46.2% and 30.2%, respectively, under N limitation, by 18.7% and 19.7% under N and P co-limitation, and by 4.7% and 12.9% under P limitation. However, different responses of foliar P concentrations to N addition were observed under different nutrient limitations, and negative, positive, and neutral effects on P concentrations were observed under N limitation, P limitation and N and P co-limitation, respectively. Generally, the effects of N addition on N-to-P ratios and N concentrations in herbaceous plants were dramatically larger than those in woody plants (with the exception of the N-to-P ratio under N limitation), but the opposite situation was true for P concentrations. The changes in N-to-P ratios were closely correlated with the changes in N and P concentrations, indicating that the changes in both N and P concentrations due to N addition can drive N and P stoichiometry, but the relative sizes of the contributions of N and P varied greatly with different nutrient limitations. Specifically, the changes in N-to-P ratios may indicate a minimum threshold, which is consistent with the homeostatic mechanism. In brief, increasing N deposition may aggravate P limitation under N-limited conditions but improve P limitation under P-limited conditions. The findings highlight the importance of nutrient-limited conditions in the stoichiometric response to N addition, thereby advancing our ability to predict global plant growth with increasing N deposition in the future.

Individual and combined effects of multiple global change drivers on terrestrial phosphorus pools: A meta-analysis.

Human activity-induced global change drivers have dramatically changed terrestrial phosphorus (P) dynamics. However, our understanding of the interactive effects of multiple global change drivers on terrestrial P pools remains elusive, limiting their incorporation into ecological and biogeochemical models. We conducted a meta-analysis using 1751 observations extracted from 283 published articles to evaluate the individual, combined, and interactive effects of elevated CO2, warming, N addition, P addition, increased rainfall, and drought on P pools of plant (at both single-plant and plant-community levels), soil and microbial biomass. Our results suggested that (1) terrestrial P pools showed the most sensitive responses to the individual effects of warming and P addition; (2) P pools were consistently stimulated by P addition alone or in combination with simultaneous N addition; (3) environmental and experimental setting factors such as ecosystem type, climate, and latitude could significantly influence both the individual and combined effects; and (4) the interactive effects of two-driver pairs across multiple global change drivers are more likely to be additive rather than synergistic or antagonistic. Our findings highlighting the importance of additive interactive effects among multiple global change drivers on terrestrial P pools would be useful for incorporating P as controls on ecological processes such as photosynthesis and plant growth into ecosystem models used to analyze effects of multiple drivers under future global change.

Grass and forbs respond differently to nitrogen addition: a meta-analysis of global grassland ecosystems.

Nitrogen (N) deposition has increased globally and has profoundly influenced the structure and function of grasslands. Previous studies have discussed how N addition affects aboveground biomass (AGB), but the effects of N addition on the AGB of different functional groups in grasslands remain unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis to identify the responses of AGB and the AGB of grasses (AGBgrass) and forbs (AGBforb) to N addition across global grasslands. Our results showed that N addition significantly increased AGB and AGBgrass by 31 and 79%, respectively, but had no significant effect on AGBforb. The effects of N addition on AGB and AGBgrass increased with increasing N addition rates, but which on AGBforb decreased. Although study durations did not regulate the response ratio of N addition for AGB, which for AGBgrass increased and for AGBforb decreased with increasing study durations. Furthermore, the N addition response ratios for AGB and AGBgrass increased more strongly when the mean annual precipitation (MAP) was 300-600 mm but decreased with an increase in the mean annual temperature (MAT). AGBforb was only slightly affected by MAP and MAT. Our findings suggest that an acceleration of N deposition will increase grassland AGB by altering species composition.

Gap locations influence the release of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in two shrub foliar litter in an alpine fir forest.

Gap formation favors the growth of understory plants and affects the decomposition process of plant debris inside and outside of gaps. Little information is available regarding how bioelement release from shrub litter is affected by gap formation during critical periods. The release of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in the foliar litter of Fargesia nitida and Salix paraplesia in response to gap locations was determined in an alpine forest of the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau via a 2-year litter decomposition experiment. The daily release rates of C, N, and P increased from the closed canopy to the gap centers during the two winters, the two later growing seasons and the entire 2 years, whereas this trend was reversed during the two early growing seasons. The pairwise ratios among C, N, and P converged as the litter decomposition proceeded. Compared with the closed canopy, the gap centers displayed higher C:P and N:P ratio but a lower C:N ratio as the decomposition proceeded. Alpine forest gaps accelerate the release of C, N, and P in decomposing shrub litter, implying that reduced snow cover resulting from vanishing gaps may inhibit the release of these elements in alpine forests.

[Soluble nitrogen and soluble phosphorus dynamics during foliar litter decomposition in winter in alinine forest streams].

In order to understand the dynamic pattern of soluble nitrogen and soluble phosphorus in the headwater streams during the process of litter decomposition in winter, a field experiment using litterbag method was conducted in an alpine forest in Western Sichuan, China. The foliar litter of two dominant canopy trees (Sabina saltuaria, and Larix mastersiana) and two shrubs (Salix paraplesia and Rhododendron lapponicum) were selected. The litterbags were placed in a headwater stream, river, riparian zone and closed canopy, and sampled in different freezing-thawing periods of winter (pre-freezing period, freezing period and thawing period). The results indicated that the soluble nitrogen content of foliar litter showed little changes over a whole winter decomposition regardless of species. In contrast, the soluble phosphorus content displayed the order as river < stream < riparian zone < closed canopy, and showed a decrease tendency in stream, river and riparian, although little changes under closed canopy over a whole winter decomposition. Correlation analysis suggested that the dynamics of soluble phosphorus content significantly correlated to the average temperature, positive accumulated temperature, negative accumulated temperature and flow velocity during the decomposition in winter. The dynamics of soluble nitrogen content only exhibited significant correlations with positive accumulated temperature. Additionally, litter quality (species) also controlled the dynamics of soluble nitrogen and soluble phosphorus content as litter decomposition proceeded. The results implied that soluble phosphorus could be more liable to loss in streams and rivers during litter decomposition compared with soluble nitrogen, which could further provide some new ideas in understanding nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in this alpine forest.

[Effects of snow patches on the release of N and P during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest of western Sichuan China].

A field experiment using litterbags was conducted in an alpine forest of western Sichuan in order to understand the effects of snow patches on the dynamics of N and P during decomposition of six representative species foliar litter in different periods of winter. Net N immobilization during foliar litter decomposition was observed in the whole snow cover season regardless of species. In contrast, P mainly released from foliar litter in the snow cover season, with a rapid rate of P release in the snow melt stage. Thick and moderate snow patches showed higher P release rates, but lower N release rates of foliar litter. The rate of N release was negatively related to daily mean temperature regardless of species, but the rate of P release was positively related to daily mean temperature with the exception of fir needle-litter. The decrease of snow cover in the scenario of global warming could inhibit P release but promote N release from foliar litter decomposition in winter in the alpine forest.

[Effects of shading on the aboveground biomass and stiochiometry characteristics of Medicago sativa].

In order to provide scientific basis for inter-planting alfalfa in abandoned farmland, a shading experiment was conducted to simulate the effects of different light intensities on the aboveground biomass, the contents of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and the stoichiometric characteristics of alfalfa under the plantation. The results showed that the aboveground biomass of alfalfa correlated significantly with the light intensity, and shading treatment reduced the aboveground biomass of alfalfa significantly. The aboveground alfalfa tissues under the 62% shading treatment had the highest contents of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which was 373.73, 34.38 and 5.47 g · kg(-1), respectively, and significantly higher than those of the control. However, shading treatments had no significant effect on the potassium content of aboveground part. The C/N ratio in aboveground tissues under the 72% shading treatment was significantly higher than that of the control, but no significant differences among other treatments were found. The ratios of N/P and C/P in aboveground tissues showed a tendency that decreased firstly and then increased with the increase of light intensity.

[Effects of snow pack removal on the dynamics of winter-time soil temperature, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in alpine forests of west Sichuan].

The dynamic changes of snow pack as affected by global warming might have strong effects on the ecological processes in alpine forests. To understand the responses of soil ecological processes in the alpine forests of west Sichuan to the decreasing snow pack under global warming, a snow-shading experiment was conducted in a primary fir forest from October 19, 2009 to May 18, 2010, with the effects of snow pack removal on the dynamics of soil temperature, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus investigated. The results showed that snow pack removal increased the diurnal variation amplitude of soil temperature and the frequency of freeze-thaw cycle, and advanced the time of soil frozen and melt as well as the peak time of soil dissolved carbon and nitrogen, available P, NH4(+)-N, and NO3(-)-N. Snow pack removal increased the concentrations of soil dissolved carbon and nitrogen and NO3(-)-N but decreased the concentrations of soil available P and NH4(+)-N, and changed the ratios of soil dissolved carbon and nitrogen, available P, NH4(+)-N, and NO3(-)-N in the period of snow cover and snow melt. The decreased snow pack in winter time in the alpine forests of west Sichuan as affected by global warming could alter the soil exterior environment, and further, affect the processes of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus.