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. 2016 Oct 3:6:34290.
doi: 10.1038/srep34290.

Changes in litter quality induced by nutrient addition alter litter decomposition in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Wenyan Zhu  1   2 , Jinzhou Wang  3 , Zhenhua Zhang  1 , Fei Ren  1   2 , Litong Chen  1 , Jin-Sheng He  1
Affiliations

Changes in litter quality induced by nutrient addition alter litter decomposition in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Wenyan Zhu et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The effects of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition on litter decomposition are poorly understood in Tibetan alpine meadows. Leaf litter was collected from plots within a factorial N × P addition experiment and allowed to decompose over 708 days in an unfertilized plot to determine the effects of N and/or P addition on litter decomposition. Results showed that nutrient addition significantly affected initial P and P-related biochemical properties of litter from all four species. However, the responses of litter N and N-related biochemical properties to nutrient addition were quite species-specific. Litter C decomposition and N release were species-specific. However, N and P addition significantly affected litter P release. Ratios of Hemicellulose + Cellulose to N and P were significantly related to litter C decomposition; C:N ratio was a determinant of litter N release; and C:P and (Hemicellulose + Cellulose):P controlled litter P release. Overall, litter C decomposition was controlled by litter quality of different plant species, and strongly affected by P addition. Increasing N availability is likely to affect litter C decomposition more indirectly by shifting plant species composition than directly by improving litter quality, and may accelerate N and P cycles, but shift the ecosystem to P limitation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Percentage of C remaining in leaf litter under different nutrient addition treatments in four species:
(a) Kobresia humilis, (b) Stipa aliena, (c) Tibetia himalaica, and (d) Gentiana straminea. CK: control, N: nitrogen addition, P: phosphorus addition, NP: combined N and P addition. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analysis the effect of N and P addition, and their interaction on litter C decomposition.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Residual percentages of initial N (a–d) and P (e–h) in leaf litter under different nutrient addition treatments in the four plant species. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to analysis the effect of N and P addition, and their interaction on residual nutrient. CK: control, N: nitrogen addition, P: phosphorus addition, NP: combined N and P addition.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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