Variations in leaf litter decomposition across contrasting forest stands and controlling factors at local scale

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtu019

Abstract

Abstract: Aims Litter decomposition is a critical pathway linking the above- and belowground processes. However, factors underlying the local spatial variations in forest litter decomposition are still not fully addressed. We investigated leaf litter decomposition across contrasting forest stands in central China, with objective to determine the spatial variations and controlling factors in forest floor leaf litter decomposition in relation to changes in forest stands in a temperate forest ecosystem.
Methods Leaf litter decomposition was studied by using litterbag method across several typical forest stand types in Baotianman Nature Reserve, central China, including pure stands of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata, Q. glandulifera var. brevipetiolata and Q. variabilis, respectively, and mixed pine/oak stands dominated by Pinus armandii and Q. aliena var. acuteserrata, as well as stands of pure Q. aliena var. acuteserrata trees ranging in stand age from ~40 to>160 years. Measurements were made on litter mass remaining and changes in litter chemistry during decomposition over a 2-year period, along with data collections on selective biotic and environmental factors. A reciprocal transplant experiment involving Q. aliena var. acuteserrata and Q. variabilis was concurrently carried out to test the occurrence of 'home-field advantage (HFA)' in local forests when only considering contrasting oak tree species. Correlation analyses and path analyses were performed to identify the dominant drivers and their relative contributions to variations in leaf litter decomposition.
Important findings Significant variations were found in the rate of leaf litter decomposition among stands of different tree species but not among stand age classes. The values of decay constant, k, varied from 0.62 in Q. aliena var. acuteserrata stands to 0.56 in Q. variabilis stands. The reciprocal litter transplant experiment showed that the rate of leaf litter decomposition was on average 5% slower in home-fields than on reciprocal sites. Path analysis identified litter acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) to N ratio, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil pH and soil organic carbon (SOC) as most prominent factors controlling the rate of leaf litter decomposition, collectively accounting for 57.8% of the variations; AUR/N had the greatest negative effect on k value, followed by weaker positive effects of SOC and MBC. Our findings suggest that tree species plays a primary role in affecting forest floor leaf litter decomposition by determining the litter quality, with site environment being a secondary factor contributing to the local variations in leaf litter decomposition in this temperate forest ecosystem.

Key words: litter decomposition, N retention, oak forest, path analysis, reciprocal litter transplant

摘要：
Aims Litter decomposition is a critical pathway linking the above- and belowground processes. However, factors underlying the local spatial variations in forest litter decomposition are still not fully addressed. We investigated leaf litter decomposition across contrasting forest stands in central China, with objective to determine the spatial variations and controlling factors in forest floor leaf litter decomposition in relation to changes in forest stands in a temperate forest ecosystem.
Methods Leaf litter decomposition was studied by using litterbag method across several typical forest stand types in Baotianman Nature Reserve, central China, including pure stands of Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata, Q. glandulifera var. brevipetiolata and Q. variabilis, respectively, and mixed pine/oak stands dominated by Pinus armandii and Q. aliena var. acuteserrata, as well as stands of pure Q. aliena var. acuteserrata trees ranging in stand age from ~40 to>160 years. Measurements were made on litter mass remaining and changes in litter chemistry during decomposition over a 2-year period, along with data collections on selective biotic and environmental factors. A reciprocal transplant experiment involving Q. aliena var. acuteserrata and Q. variabilis was concurrently carried out to test the occurrence of 'home-field advantage (HFA)' in local forests when only considering contrasting oak tree species. Correlation analyses and path analyses were performed to identify the dominant drivers and their relative contributions to variations in leaf litter decomposition.
Important findings Significant variations were found in the rate of leaf litter decomposition among stands of different tree species but not among stand age classes. The values of decay constant, k, varied from 0.62 in Q. aliena var. acuteserrata stands to 0.56 in Q. variabilis stands. The reciprocal litter transplant experiment showed that the rate of leaf litter decomposition was on average 5% slower in home-fields than on reciprocal sites. Path analysis identified litter acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) to N ratio, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil pH and soil organic carbon (SOC) as most prominent factors controlling the rate of leaf litter decomposition, collectively accounting for 57.8% of the variations; AUR/N had the greatest negative effect on k value, followed by weaker positive effects of SOC and MBC. Our findings suggest that tree species plays a primary role in affecting forest floor leaf litter decomposition by determining the litter quality, with site environment being a secondary factor contributing to the local variations in leaf litter decomposition in this temperate forest ecosystem.

Juan Wang, Yeming You, Zuoxin Tang, Shirong Liu, Osbert Jianxin Sun. Variations in leaf litter decomposition across contrasting forest stands and controlling factors at local scale[J]. J Plant Ecol, 2015, 8(3): 261-272.

[1]	Peng Wang , Lei Li , Qiuyan Wang , Yanju Gao , Bo Zhang , Xiangyi Li , Qiang Zeng. Spectral components and plant traits co-regulate litter photodegradation in hyper-arid regions [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2026, 19(2): 1-.
[2]	Yurui Jiang, Lifeng Wang, Huaibin Wang, Rui Cao, Zhuang Wang, Qin Wang, Weizhong Li, Wanqin Yang. Typhoon-induced litter on lawns and soil surfaces exhibit divergent decomposition patterns [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2026, 19(1): 1-.
[3]	Dehuang Zhu, Dafeng Hui. Effect of litter quality on soil microbial mechanisms in home-field advantage of litter decomposition in two subtropical forests [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2026, 19(1): 1-.
[4]	Chunhui Li, Jiguang Feng, Liu Liu, Xu Sun, Jinsheng Li, Zhuangzhuang Qian, Ranran Fu, Qingshui Yu, Biao Zhu, Xiao Tao. Nitrogen addition weakens home-field advantage of litter decomposition by altering soil pH and bacterial communities in a subtropical forest [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2025, 18(5): 1-29.
[5]	Shuotian Lai, Björn Berg, Yongxin Lin, Haroon Rashid, Fuzhong Wu, Qiuxia Wu, Qiufang Zhang, Xinying Zhang, Jingjing Zhu, Xiangyin Ni. Chinese fir litter decomposition and its response to global change: a meta-analysis across China’s forests [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2025, 18(2): 1-15.
[6]	Siqi Wu, Yanyu Jiang, Ling Ai, Fuzhong Wu, Qiuxia Wu, Xinying Zhang, Jingjing Zhu, Xiangyin Ni. Declines in carbon and nitrogen release from decomposing litter under elevated CO₂ in terrestrial ecosystems [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2025, 18(1): 1-12.
[7]	Huayue Nie, Chenrui Wang, Meirong Tian, Jixi Gao. Exogenous enzyme addition affects litter decomposition by altering the microbial community and litter nutrient content in planted forest [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2023, 16(6): 0-rtad031.
[8]	Youli Yu, Huiyuan Cheng, Congyan Wang, and Daolin Du. Heavy drought reduces the decomposition rate of the mixed litters of two composite invasive alien plants [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2023, 16(1): 0-.
[9]	Yuan-Yuan Zhao, Zhuo-Ting Li, Ting Xu and An-ru Lou. Leaf litter decomposition characteristics and controlling factors across two contrasting forest types [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2022, 15(6): 1285-1301.
[10]	Shuli Wang, Xi Yuan, Ling Zhang, Fusheng Chen, Xiangmin Fang, Xiaojun Liu, Bangliang Deng, Nasir Shad, Wenyuan Zhang, Xiaofei Hu, Xiaomin Guo and Evan Siemann. Litter age interacted with N and P addition to impact soil N₂O emissions in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2022, 15(4): 771-782.
[11]	Guoping Chen, Qiong Cai, Wenjing Fang, Yuhao Feng , Jiangling Zhu, Chengjun Ji, Zhiyao Tang and Jingyun Fang. The structural characteristics and climatic and human impacts of deciduous oak forests in China [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2022, 15(2): 266-277.
[12]	Yuan Su, Jiajia Le, Xiaofei Ma, Xiaolong Zhou, Yunxin Zhang, Yanming Gong, Wenxuan Han, Kaihui Li and Xuejun Liu. Soil burial has a greater effect on litter decomposition rate than nitrogen enrichment in alpine grasslands [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2021, 14(6): 1047-1059.
[13]	Tingting An, Mingjie Xu, Tao Zhang, Chengqun Yu, Yingge Li, Ning Chen, Jiaxing Zu, Junxiang Li, Juntao Zhu, Yi Sun, Tingting Zhao and Guirui Yu. Grazing alters environmental control mechanisms of evapotranspiration in an alpine meadow of the Tibetan Plateau [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2019, 12(5): 834-845.
[14]	Congyan Wang , Guomin Han , Yong Jia, Xiaoguang Feng, Xingjun Tian. Insight into the temperature sensitivity of forest litter decomposition and soil enzymes in subtropical forest in China [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2012, 5(3): 279-286.
[15]	Jianfeng Liu, Osbert Jianxin Sun, Hongmei Jin, Zhiyong Zhou, Xingguo Han. Application of two remote sensing GPP algorithms at a semiarid grassland site of North China [J]. J Plant Ecol, 2011, 4(4): 302-312.