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The interactions between soil invertebrates and microbes mediate litter decomposition in the rainy zone of western China

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Abstract

Background and aims

Knowledge regarding the interactive effects of soil invertebrates and microbes on litter decomposition is limited. We aimed to reveal the interaction between soil invertebrates and microbes, and the mechanism underlying the effects of them on litter decomposition.

Methods

Foliar litter of German oak (Quercus acutissima Carruth.) and China cedar (Cryptomeria sinensis Miquel.) were enclosed in the nylon bags with two different mesh sizes and incubated on the floor in a rainy zone of western China, respectively. Then retrieved at four critical periods each year in two years. The mass loss, invertebrates, and microbial community in the litterbags were measured.

Results

The invertebrate abundances in both litter species were higher in the first year than in the second year, and that in German oak litter was higher than that in China cedar litter at most periods. Meanwhile, German oak litter decomposed faster than China cedar litter, and significantly higher decomposition rates occurred in the micro and early rainy seasons. Furthermore, soil invertebrate exclusion made the decomposition rates of German oak and China cedar litter decrease by 14.45% and 26.45%, respectively. Additionally, the interactive effects between invertebrates and microbes on litter decomposition varied greatly with litter quality and critical periods. The interactive effects between soil invertebrates and microbial communities dominated litter mass loss in the first decomposition year, but the gram-positive bacteria became the dominant decomposers in the second decomposition year.

Conclusion

These results provided a holistic decomposition view, highlighting how invertebrates and microbes act in synergy to degrade litter.

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Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article. No new data were created or analysed in this study. Data sharing does not apply to this article.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of this study would like to thank all the people who were involved in the initial sampling assignments.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32071554) and the Taizhou Bureau of Science and Technology (22nya11).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, School of Life Sciences, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Jianfeng Hou, Rui Cao, Fei Li, Zhihui Wang, Qifa Wang & Wanqin Yang

  2. Linhai Station of Zhejiang Provincial Forest Ecological Research, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Jianfeng Hou, Rui Cao, Fei Li, Zhihui Wang & Wanqin Yang

  3. Taizhou Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Special Industry Cultivation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China

    Jianfeng Hou, Rui Cao, Fei Li, Zhihui Wang & Wanqin Yang

  4. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia

    Xuqing Li

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  1. Jianfeng Hou
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Contributions

Conceptualization, W.Y., and J.H.; methodology, J.H., and W.Y.; software, J.H., and F.L.; validation, J.H., and W.Y.; formal analysis, J.H.; investigation, J.H., F.L., Z.W., X.L., M.X.; Q.W.; R.C.; resources, W.Y.; data curation, W.Y., and J.H.; writing original draft preparation, J.H.; writing review and editing, W.Y., R.C and J.H.; visualization, J.H.; supervision, W.Y.; project administration, W.Y.; funding acquisition, W.Y. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wanqin Yang.

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Hou, J., Cao, R., Li, F. et al. The interactions between soil invertebrates and microbes mediate litter decomposition in the rainy zone of western China. Plant Soil (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-024-06531-y

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