Welcome to visit Scientia Silvae Sinicae,Today is

Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2015, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (9): 1-8.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.20150901

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of Root Removal on Litter Decomposition in Plantations of Mytilaria laosensis and Cunninghamia lanceolata

Liu Ruiqiang1,2,3, Huang Zhiqun1,2,3, He Zongming4, Wan Xiaohua1,2,3, Yu Zaipeng1,2,3, Zheng Lujia1,2,3, Xiao Haoyan1,2,3   

  1. 1. Cultivation Base of Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Mountain Ecology Fuzhou 350007;
    2. Institute of Geographical Science, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350007;
    3. MOE Key Laboratory of Humid Subtropical Eco-Geographical Process Fuzhou 350007;
    4. Forestry College, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University Fuzhou 350002
  • Received:2014-11-20 Revised:2015-07-28 Online:2015-09-25 Published:2015-10-16

Abstract:

[Objective] We investigated the decomposition process of leaf litter and its responses to root removal in Mytilaria laosensis and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations. The aim was to determine the effect of fine root removal on leaf litter decomposition.[Method] Our experimental site is located at Xiayang Forest Farm, in Nanping, Fujian, China, where a M. laosensis plantation and a C. lanceolata plantation were selected.Three 20 m×20 m plots were established in each plantation. A treatment with root trenched and a control were established in each plot. Decomposition of leaf litter was measured by litter-bag method.[Result] The mass loss rates of M. laosensis and C. lanceolata leaf litter of the root trenched treatment were 32.3% and 33.4% after 16-month decomposition, reduced by 15.3 % and 13.1% compared to the control (38.1% and 38.7%) respectively. There were significant effects of tree species, treatment, duration of decomposition.Species by treatment interactions on mass loss rate of leaf litters. There were significant differences in mass loss rate of leaf litter between the two tree species (P<0.05) during the first 8 months,but no differences during last 8 months. Root trenching significantly reduced the contents of C and N and C/N ratio in leaf litters of the two tree species, it also significantly reduced soil fungi biomass, actinomycetes biomass and total PLFA content, but it had no significant impacts on soil gram-positive bacteria biomass and gram-negative bacteria biomass. There were no significant species by treatment interactions in mass loss rates and C/N ratio of leaf litters, and soil microbial community. [Conclusion] These observations suggested that the effect of root trenching was significant on decomposition of leaf litter, but the species by treatment interaction was not significant.

Key words: litter decomposition, microbial community, root trenched treatment, Mytilaria laosensis, Cunninghamia lanceolata

CLC Number: