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Decomposition drives convergence of forest litter nutrient stoichiometry following phosphorus addition

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Abstract

Background and aims

Nutrient levels in decomposing detritus and soil can influence decomposition rates and detrital nutrient dynamics in differing ways among various detrital components of forests. We assessed whether increased phosphorus (P) levels in litter and soil influenced decomposition rates and litter nutrient dynamics of foliage, fine roots, and twigs in nitrogen (N)-rich Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forests in the Oregon Coast Range.

Methods

We decomposed fresh foliage, fine root, and twig litter from Douglas-fir seedlings at three sites for two years. Half of the seedlings and half of the plots at each of the sites were fertilized with P resulting in a factorial design with the following treatments: control (no P fertilization), plant P (P-fertilized litter), soil P (P-fertilized soil), and plant P × soil P.

Results

Soil P fertilization slightly decreased foliage decomposition rates. Fertilization of seedlings increased litter P concentrations by an average of 250 % relative to controls, but did not alter litter decomposition rates. Litter fertilized with P mineralized P rapidly and early in the decomposition process compared to N. Litter P concentrations decreased over the 2 years for all treatments, whereas N concentrations increased. Decomposition rates and loss of N and P were strongly related to initial litter chemistry. Despite different initial litter C:N:P ratios in P fertilized seedlings, ratios of C:N, C:P and N:P converged to similar values across treatments within a given litter type over 2 years.

Conclusions

We conclude that litter P concentrations and to some extent soil P may influence litter nutrient dynamics during decomposition, resulting in a convergence of element ratios that reflect the balance of substrate decomposition and microbial nutrient stoichiometry.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Barbara Bond and two anonymous reviewers for comments, and Jessi Brunson, Alison Cross Buttafuoco, Chris Catricala, Becky Fasth, Jake Hoyman, Joselin Matkins, Mel McCartney, Chip Pascoe, Jay Sexton, Carlos Sierra, Emily Sinkhorn, and Aaron Thiel for help with field and/or laboratory work. This work was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (OISE-0227642). Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government. The experimental approach and methods used in this study comply with the current laws of the USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Tiff L. van Huysen & Mark E. Harmon

  2. Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, US Geological Survey, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA

    Steven S. Perakis

Authors
  1. Tiff L. van Huysen
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  2. Steven S. Perakis
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  3. Mark E. Harmon
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Correspondence to Steven S. Perakis.

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Responsible Editor: Alfonso Escudero.

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van Huysen, T.L., Perakis, S.S. & Harmon, M.E. Decomposition drives convergence of forest litter nutrient stoichiometry following phosphorus addition. Plant Soil 406, 1–14 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2857-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2857-6

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