Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zhe Wang, Defeng Feng, Xin Liu, Bin Hu, Weikai Bao
Summary: This study investigated the biogeographical patterns of nutrient content in bryophytes and their relationship with environmental factors in Sichuan province, China. The results showed that the nutrient content of bryophytes was positively correlated with soil nutrient content and negatively correlated with mean annual precipitation and shrub and herb cover. Soil nutrient content and mean annual temperature were found to be the main driving factors for the nutrient content of bryophytes. This study provides valuable insights into the ecological role of bryophytes in nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liehua Tie, Shengzhao Wei, Josep Penuelas, Jordi Sardans, Xing Liu, Shixing Zhou, Xiong Liu, Arun K. Bose, Congde Huang
Summary: Imbalanced nitrogen and phosphorus depositions significantly alter terrestrial ecosystem biogeochemical processes. The addition of nitrogen and phosphorus together can enhance the release of carbon, nitrogen, and metal nutrients in litter, while the effect of nitrogen addition on litter depends on the availability of phosphorus.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ling Zhu, Wentao Wei, Ruobing Wu, Xiaoyue Zhang, Hongrong Guo, Dingyi Wang, Fuzhong Wu
Summary: Enzyme activity plays a crucial role in leaf litter decomposition, but the variation in enzyme activity between the forest canopy and forest floor has not been well understood. This study examined the activity of eight enzymes related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus mineralization during Castanopsis carlesii leaf litter decomposition in the forest canopy and on the forest floor. The results showed that enzyme activity was generally lower in the forest canopy compared to the forest floor during litter decomposition, except for acid phosphatase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase activities. The study also revealed that carbon and phosphorus were the limiting factors for microbial activity during litter decomposition, with stronger carbon limitation on the forest floor and higher phosphorus limitation in the forest canopy.
Article
Ecology
Zhenchuan Wang, Dejun Li, Xibin Sun, Hao Chen, Kongcao Xiao, Kelin Wang
Summary: This study measured the rates of asymbiotic N-2 fixation (ANF) in forests with different lithology in southwest China. The results showed that lithology significantly influenced ANF rates in soil and litter, but had minimal impact on moss. The findings suggest that lithology should be taken into account in Earth system models to better predict global nitrogen inputs.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yu Yan, Shengqiang Wang, Yuhong Cui, Chenyang Jiang, Jiazhen Deng, Mingye Lin, Shaoming Ye
Summary: Studying the impacts of pure Eucalyptus forests and mixed artificial forests on the stability of aggregates and the stoichiometric characteristics of organic carbon, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus is important for understanding the distribution and cycling of soil C-N-P. The results showed that mixed forests had higher stability, OC, TN, and TP contents and stocks compared to pure Eucalyptus forests. Aggregates > 2 mm in size had the greatest contribution to the soil OC, TN, and TP stocks.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Aogui Li, Yuexin Fan, Silu Chen, Haowei Song, Chengfang Lin, Yusheng Yang
Summary: Climate warming is expected to increase leaf litter decomposition rates, but the effect may not be uniform. This study found that soil warming had different effects on litter decomposition in a native forest and a plantation and that the impact varied over time.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Jiajia Chen, Jing Zhu, Ziwei Wang, Cong Xing, Bo Chen, Xuelin Wang, Chensi Wei, Jinfu Liu, Zhongsheng He, Daowei Xu
Summary: The formation of canopy gaps affects microenvironment, litter decomposition, and nutrient release. This study investigated the leaf and branch litter decomposition in different-sized gaps and non-gaps using the litter bag method. The results showed that medium-sized gaps had lower remaining litter mass and faster leaf litter decomposition. Environmental factors were identified as the primary drivers of carbon and nitrogen release during decomposition.
Article
Water Resources
Xiaodong Liu, Yingjie Feng, Peiling Liu, Qianmei Zhang, Brian Njoroge, Qing Zhou, Xianhua Gan, Weiqiang Zhang, Yuelin Li
Summary: This study focuses on the dynamics of litter moisture content in lower subtropical China and reveals that the litter moisture content increased after vegetation restoration and was higher during the wet season compared to the dry season. Soil water content is the main factor controlling the dynamics of litter moisture content, and the litter layer is more sensitive to changes in external environmental factors.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liehua Tie, Shengzhao Wei, Josep Penuelas, Jordi Sardans, Guille Peguero, Shixing Zhou, Xing Liu, Junxi Hu, Congde Huang
Summary: The N/P ratio in terrestrial ecosystems is changing due to increasing N deposition, affecting the biodiversity and function of ecosystems. The effects of P addition and its interaction with N on soil arthropods during litter decomposition in forests are unclear. A two-year experiment in western China showed that adding both N and P had positive effects on soil arthropods, increasing microbial biomass carbon and soil pH while decreasing cellulose and lignin concentrations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Bo Chen, Lyuyi Chen, Lan Jiang, Jing Zhu, Jiajia Chen, Qingrong Huang, Jinfu Liu, Daowei Xu, Zhongsheng He
Summary: The internal correlation and response to the environment of plant, litter and soil stoichiometric characteristics are important for understanding nutrient cycling mechanisms. However, little research has been done on nutrient relationships and stock along elevational gradients. In this study, we investigated the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents and stoichiometric ratios of plant, litter and soil layers at different elevations in Daiyun Mountain. The results showed significant correlations and coupling among plant, litter and soil nutrients, providing insights into nutrient cycling in the subtropical forest ecosystem of China.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yunxing Bai, Yunchao Zhou, Zhengfeng An, Jiaojiao Du, Xunyuan Zhang, Scott X. Chang
Summary: Mixing different types of tree litter can alter the release and enrichment of metallic elements, thus affecting the cycling of metallic elements in plantations.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Shaobo Yang, Chun Feng, Yuhua Ma, Wenjing Wang, Cheng Huang, Changjian Qi, Songling Fu, Han Y. H. Chen
Summary: Long-term restoration of degraded subtropical broadleaved mixed forests leads to increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen concentrations, while soil phosphorus concentration decreases. The C:N:P ratios in the soil show changes over time, with soil stoichiometry in the 33-35-year age class approaching that of primary forests, indicating a shift in nutrient limitations during the restoration process.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Guang Zhou, Jing Wan, Zhenjun Gu, Wei Ding, Shan Hu, Qiang Du, Shengwang Meng, Chunxia Yang
Summary: The biodiversity of litter can regulate carbon and nutrient cycling during mixed decomposition. The decomposition rates of mixed litters often deviate from those predicted for individual litter species. This study found that different carbon fractions in mixed litter responded differently to litter diversity, with soluble carbon fractions decomposing more slowly and lignin fractions decaying more quickly than expected. Furthermore, the relative mixing effects of bulk litter decomposition may be determined by the decomposition of the lignin fraction.
Article
Agronomy
Han Jiang, Yinghui Yang, Jiawen Liang, Meiqi Lv, Xingjun Tian
Summary: This study investigated the standing decomposition of dead leaves in a subtropical forest during winter, and conducted a decomposition experiment of pre-standing and post-standing litter in the soil during the following summer. The results showed that after 159 days of standing decomposition, up to 43% of leaf mass was lost, with lignin and cellulose degradation of 30% and 35%, respectively. After 163 days of decomposition in the soil, the mass losses of pre-standing and post-standing litter were 31% and 52%, respectively, with the decomposition rate of post-standing litter being twice that of pre-standing litter. The standing decomposition process is mainly influenced by photodegradation, resulting in carbon loss and accelerated litter decomposition in the soil, profoundly impacting the carbon process of subtropical forest ecosystems.
Article
Microbiology
Chaoqun Wang, Ruzhen Jiao
Summary: This study revealed the response mechanism of soil microorganisms to stoichiometric imbalances, including adjusting the stoichiometry of microorganisms and enzymes, changing the relative abundance of microbial phyla, and increasing the ratio of fungal to bacterial diversity. The results emphasize the importance of the ecological stoichiometry method in identifying soil microbial nutrient limitations.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Forestry
Ariel E. Lugo, Heather E. Erickson
Article
Ecology
Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez, Dylan Craven, Peter B. Reich, John J. Ewel, Forest Isbell, Julia Koricheva, John A. Parrotta, Harald Auge, Heather E. Erickson, David I. Forrester, Andy Hector, Jasmin Joshi, Florencia Montagnini, Cecilia Palmborg, Daniel Piotto, Catherine Potvin, Christiane Roscher, Jasper van Ruijven, David Tilman, Brian Wilsey, Nico Eisenhauer
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2017)
Article
Forestry
Heather E. Erickson, Constance A. Harrington, David D. Marshall
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2009)
Article
Soil Science
Heather E. Erickson, Steven S. Perakis
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2014)
Correction
Ecology
Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramirez, Dylan Craven, Peter B. Reich, John J. Ewel, Forest Isbell, Julia Koricheva, John A. Parrotta, Harald Auge, Heather E. Erickson, David I. Forrester, Andy Hector, Jasmin Joshi, Florencia Montagnini, Cecilia Palmborg, Daniel Piotto, Catherine Potvin, Christiane Roscher, Jasper van Ruijven, David Tilman, Brian Wilsey, Nico Eisenhauer
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
Forestry
HE Erickson, CA Harrington
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2006)
Article
Forestry
HE Erickson, P Soto, DW Johnson, B Roath, C Hunsaker
Article
Environmental Sciences
Siyan Ma, Jiquan Chen, Malcolm North, Heather E. Erickson, Mary Bresee, James Le Moine
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2004)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
HE Erickson, G Ayala
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2004)
Article
Biology
EA Davidson, M Keller, HE Erickson, LV Verchot, E Veldkamp