Effects of nitrogen deposition and management intensity on stoichiometry of leaf litter in Moso bamboo forest.

Abstract

In this study, a field experiment was conducted to estimate the effects of simulated nitrogen (N) deposition (low-N: 30 kg N·hm-2·a-1, moderate-N: 60 kg N·hm-2·a-1, high-N: 90 kg N·hm-2·a-1) on ecological stoichiometry of leaf litter in Moso bamboo forest under conventional management (CM) and intensive management (IM) practices. The results showed that compared with CM, IM significantly increased C, N and P concentrations of leaf litter by 9.3%, 32.4% and 22.7%, respectively, but significantly decreased C:N, C:P and N:P ratios by 17.4%, 54.3% and 44.6%, respectively. In CM Moso bamboo plots, low- and moderate-N deposition significantly increased C, N and P concentrations of leaf litter but decreased C:N, C:P and N:P, high-N deposition significantly increased C, N concentrations, C:P and N:P, but decreased P concentration. In IM Moso bamboo plots, low-N deposition significantly increased P concentration but decreased C concentrations, C:P and N:P, moderate-N deposition significantly increased N and P concentrations but decreased C concentration, C:N, C:P and N:P, high-N deposition significantly increased C:N, C:P and N:P but decreased P concentration. The interaction of management intensity and N deposition significantly influenced stoichiometry of leaf litter, except for C:N. The P concentration of leaf litter was significantly correlated with P concentration in soils.