Increasing rates of long-term nitrogen deposition consistently increased litter decomposition in a semi-arid grassland

• The continuing nitrogen (N) deposition observed worldwide alters ecosystem nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning. Litter decomposition is a key process contributing to these changes, but the numerous mechanisms for altered decomposition remain poorly identified. • We assessed these different...

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Published in:The New phytologist Vol. 229; no. 1; pp. 296 - 307
Main Authors: Hou, Shuang-Li, Hättenschwiler, Stephan, Yang, Jun-Jie, Sistla, Seeta, Wei, Hai-Wei, Zhang, Zhi-Wei, Hu, Yan-Yu, Wang, Ru-Zhen, Cui, Shu-Yan, Lü, Xiao-Tao, Han, Xing-Guo
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Wiley 01.01.2021
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:
Achnatherum sibiricum
Agropyron cristatum
Aridity
Availability
Biodiversity and Ecology
Carbon-nitrogen ratio
Community composition
community level
Community structure
Composition
Cycles
Decomposition
Deposition
Ecological function
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Environmental Sciences
fungi
Grassland
Grasslands
Leymus chinensis
Litter
litter quality
Manganese
microbial communities
Microorganisms
Mineral nutrients
Nitrogen
nitrogen addition
Nutrient cycles
Nutrient dynamics
Organic matter
pH effects
Plant Leaves
Plant species
Plants
Poaceae
Soil
Soil chemistry
soil C : N
Soil dynamics
soil microbial community structure
Soil organic matter
Soil pH
Soil structure
Soils
Species composition
species diversity
Stipa grandis
litter quality
soil C : N
community level
soil pH
nitrogen addition
soil microbial community structure
manganese
ISSN:0028-646X, 1469-8137, 1469-8137
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:• The continuing nitrogen (N) deposition observed worldwide alters ecosystem nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning. Litter decomposition is a key process contributing to these changes, but the numerous mechanisms for altered decomposition remain poorly identified. • We assessed these different mechanisms with a decomposition experiment using litter from four abundant species (Achnatherum sibiricum, Agropyron cristatum, Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis) and litter mixtures representing treatment-specific community composition in a semi-arid grassland under long-term simulation of six different rates of N deposition. • Decomposition increased consistently with increasing rates of N addition in all litter types. Higher soil manganese (Mn) availability, which apparently was a consequence of N addition-induced lower soil pH, was the most important factor for faster decomposition. Soil C : N ratios were lower with N addition that subsequently led to markedly higher bacterial to fungal ratios, which also stimulated litter decomposition. • Several factors contributed jointly to higher rates of litter decomposition in response to N deposition. Shifts in plant species composition and litter quality played a minor role compared to N-driven reductions in soil pH and C : N, which increased soil Mn availability and altered microbial community structure. The soil-driven effect on decomposition reported here may have long-lasting impacts on nutrient cycling, soil organic matter dynamics and ecosystem functioning.
Bibliography:These authors contributed equally to this work.
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ISSN:0028-646X
1469-8137
1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.16854