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Decomposition responses of pine (Pinus massoniana) needles with two different nutrient-status to N deposition in a tropical pine plantation in southern China

Décomposition des aiguilles de pin en relation avec différents apports de dépôts azotés dans une plantation de pins tropicaux (Pinus massoniana) du Sud de la Chine

Abstract

  • • The effect of nitrogen (N) deposition on the decomposition of pine (Pinus massoniana) needles in a tropical pine plantation was studied. The pine needles with two different nutrient status (nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor) were used, followed by 3-levels of N treatments (Control: no N addition, Low- N: 5 g N m−2 y−1, and Medium-N: 10 g N m−2 y−1 experimental inputs), which had been applied for 26 months continuously before this experiment and continued throughout the decomposition measurement.

  • • The main objective was to test the hypothesis that decomposition of nutrient-rich needles would be more sensitive to cumulative N deposition than the decomposition of nutrient-poor needles.

  • • Nitrogen addition had negative effect on mass loss, and the release of N and P from decomposing nutrient-rich needles but little or no effect on the decomposition of nutrient-poor needles. In addition, a negative effect in the initial decomposition phase and a positive effect in later decay stages were found on C release. The negative effect was stronger on nutrient-rich needles than on nutrient-poor needles, but the reverse was true for the positive effect.

  • • Our results suggest that response of litter decomposition to N deposition may vary depending on the nutrient status of the litter.

Résumé

  • • Les effets des dépôts azotés (N) sur la décomposition des aiguilles de pin ont été étudiés dans une plantation de pins tropicaux (Pinus massoniana) du Sud de la Chine. Les aiguilles de pin différentes par leur statut nutritionnel (station riche en nutriments et station pauvre en nutriments) ont été utilisées dans une expérimentation comportant 3 niveaux de traitement azoté (témoin sans apport d’azote, apport faible d’azote : 5 g N m−2 an−1, apport moyen d’azote :10 g Nm−2 an−1) qui ont été appliqués pendant une période de 26 mois avant et pendant cette expérimentation.

  • • L’objectif principal était de tester l’hypothèse que la décomposition des aiguilles riches en nutriments devrait être plus sensible à une déposition cumulée d’azote que la décomposition des aiguilles pauvres en nutriments.

  • • L’apport répété d’azote a eu un effet négatif sur la perte de masse et la libération d’azote et de phosphore des aiguilles de la station riche et un effet faible ou nul sur la décomposition des aiguilles de la station la plus pauvre. En outre, un effet négatif dans la phase initiale de la décomposition et un effet positif dans les phases plus tardives de la décomposition ont été mis en évidence pour la libération de carbone. L’effet négatif a été plus fort pour les aiguilles riches en nutriments que pour les aiguilles pauvres en nutriments, mais l’inverse était vrai pour ce qui concerne l’effet positif.

  • • Nos résultats, complétés par ceux obtenus au cours d’expérimentation antérieures sur le même site, suggèrent que l’accumulation de dépôts azotés peut changer les impacts sur la décomposition des litières et que cet effet peut varier en relation avec la fertilité de la station considérée.

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Mo, J., Fang, H., Zhu, W. et al. Decomposition responses of pine (Pinus massoniana) needles with two different nutrient-status to N deposition in a tropical pine plantation in southern China. Ann. For. Sci. 65, 405 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2008017

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2008017