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Fine root decomposition of evergreen broadleaved and coniferous tree species in mid-subtropical China: dynamics of dry mass, nutrient and organic fractions

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Abstract

To gain insight into fine roots decomposition in subtropical China, the litter bag method was used to examine the decomposition dynamics of dry mass, N, P, K, and organic fractions in six natural forests and a Chinese fir plantation over a 2-year period in the Wanmulin Nature Reserve, Fujian. The seven tree species examined, representative of this area, differed significantly in their initial chemical quality and were used to determine the best substrate quality parameters to predict decomposition dynamics. Dry mass loss varied significantly among the different roots, which showed fast decomposition in the first year, with mass loss regulated by extractive and acid-soluble fraction, followed by a low rate in the second year, with mass loss dominated by acid-insoluble fraction. Net N release was constantly slower than the mass loss of acid-insoluble fractions, while K release was the other way around. Release of P seemed to be independent of disappearance of acid-insoluble fraction. Not all the very fine roots (0–1 mm) decomposed faster than the fine ones (1–2 mm), and decomposition rates of coniferous roots were not always lower than broadleaved species. Correlation analysis demonstrated that dry mass loss and net N and P release rates were not correlated with initial N concentration, but with acid-insoluble organic fraction and P related parameters at the end of a 2-year decomposition period. Our results suggest that N is a limiting factor of fine root decomposition. Additionally, P could also be an important driver of fine root decomposition and N and P dynamics in this low soil P availability area.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions. Thanks also goes to Dr. Mark Dailey from Green Mountain College, USA, who helped with proofreading this paper. This research was funded by Special Program of National Key Basic Research of the Ministry of Science and Technology, China (2010CB434804) and National Natural Science Foundation (30972347).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Chengfang Lin

  2. Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-geographical Process of the Ministry of Education, College of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China

    Chengfang Lin, Yusheng Yang, Jianfen Guo, Guangshui Chen & Jinsheng Xie

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  1. Chengfang Lin
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  2. Yusheng Yang
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  3. Jianfen Guo
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  4. Guangshui Chen
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Correspondence to Yusheng Yang.

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Lin, C., Yang, Y., Guo, J. et al. Fine root decomposition of evergreen broadleaved and coniferous tree species in mid-subtropical China: dynamics of dry mass, nutrient and organic fractions. Plant Soil 338, 311–327 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0547-3

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