Effects of drying-rewetting on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient releases in forest plantations in Horqin Sandy Land, China

Abstract

Soil drying-rewetting is a common phenomenon in arid and semi-arid regions. Under the background of global climate change, it is predicted that the intensity of soil drying-rewetting cycle in Horqin Sandy Land will be further strengthened in the future. In this study, we conducted an in-situ soil column incubation experiment for 180 days to investigate the effects of soil drying-rewetting on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient releases of Populus simonii and Pinus sylvestris var. mongo-lica in Horqin Sandy Land. There were three treatments: Constantly moist treatment (CM, 60% water holding capacity during whole incubation period), mild drying-rewetting treatment (DW1, gra-dual drought for 10 days plus 60% WHC for 20 days) and heavy drying-rewetting treatment (DW2, gradual drought for 20 days plus 60% WHC for 10 days). To evaluate their delayed effects, leaf litter in all three treatments were incubated for 60 days under same and constant humid condition (60% WHC) after four cycles of soil drying-rewetting. The responses of litter decomposition to soil drying-rewetting cycles and nutrient releases of P. simonii and P. sylvestris var. mongolica were similar during the drying and rewetting period. Litter mass loss and the release of C, lignin and total phenol were decreased by 17.4%, 23.8%, 35.2% and 32.7% in DW2 treatment compared with CM treatment. There was no significant difference in release of leaf litter N or P among the drying-rewetting treatments. There were consistent changes of litter mass loss and nutrient releases among the treatments at the end of drying-rewetting and delayed incubation period. However, litter decomposition rate and litter C and lignin release rates were increased in DW2 treatment compared with CM treatment during the delayed incubation period, indicating a short-term delayed effect.