Decomposition Rate Research Articles

Enhanced Foliar Litter Decomposition Rate of Pinus massoniana When Admixed with Broadleaf Species

In the global ecosystem, the slow decomposition of coniferous forest litter has caused a number of ecological problems, among which is the decay of China’s Pinus massoniana litter. It has been pointed out that converting pure P. massoniana plantations into mixed forests with broadleaf species can improve ecosystem services. Therefore, the selection of mixed species is key for the success or failure of the conversion of near-natural forests. In this study, from the perspective of apoplastic decomposition, the leaf litter of P. massoniana was mixed with three common native broadleaf species, namely Choerospondias axillaries, Cinnamomum camphora, and Cyclobalanopsis glauca, using an indoor incubation method to systematically analyse the differences in the decomposition rates of apoplastic material in each mixture, and to provide a theoretical basis for the selection and mixing of tree species for the management of near-natural forests in P. massoniana forests. After 175 days of indoor incubation of the foliar litter under dark conditions at 25 °C, the residual dry matter of the mixed apoplastic litter of P. massoniana and the three broadleaf trees was lower than that of P. massoniana. It indicated that the incorporation of broadleaf apoplastic foliage promoted litter decomposition, with the most pronounced effect in the case of admixture with C. Camphora. Compared with the group of pure P. massoniana alone, the remaining mass and residual rate decreased by 0.56 g and 9.45%, respectively. The regression equation of Olson’s negative exponential decay model showed that the P. massoniana + C. Camphora mixture had the fastest decomposition rate (k) of 1.305, an increase of 0.237, a decrease in half-life of 0.11 years, and a decrease in turnover period of 0.49 year, compared to the P. massoniana alone group. Most of the measured values throughout the incubation period were significantly lower than the predicted values, suggesting that there was a non-additive and synergistic effect of litter mixing.

Impact of naphthalene on soil fauna diversity: Consequences for ecosystem functioning and carbon cycling in grasslands

Soil fauna, key indicators of grassland ecosystem health, face significant threats from the vast amounts of chemical pollutants released by human activities. These organisms are crucial for fundamental processes such as litter decomposition and carbon cycling. However, the response of soil animal communities and their functional dynamics to environmental chemical stress remains poorly understood. To investigate this, we conducted a naphthalene addition and litterbag experiment in the Bashang Grassland, located on the southern Inner Mongolia Plateau, to analyze its effects on soil fauna and litter decomposition. The investigated soil fauna groups included Arachnida (Arachnids), Insecta (Insects), Collembola (Springtails), Enoplea (enopleans), and Chromadorea (chromadoreans). The litter composition included Leymus chinensis, Stipa krylovii, Artemisia, Saussurea amara, and Artemisia giraldii. The findings indicated that a high diversity of soil fauna enhanced the decomposition of litter and the release of organic carbon from the litter. While the addition of naphthalene decreased both the abundance of soil fauna and the rate of litter decomposition, it specifically increased the relative proportion of Collembola (Springtails). Microfauna and mesofauna (0.1–2.0 mm) contributed more to the loss of litter mass and the release of organic carbon from the litter than macrofauna (2.0–4.0 mm). The effects of diverse soil fauna on litter decomposition and soil organic carbon accumulation were diminished by naphthalene exposure. This study further reveals the relationship between composite soil fauna diversity, litter decomposition, and soil organic carbon under chemical stress, highlighting the threat of environmental pollution to ecosystem health. It also enriches our understanding of the complexity of grassland ecosystems, especially in response mechanisms under chemical pollution stress.

Methylene Blue Degradation Using Non-Thermal Plasma

Methylene blue (C16H18ClN3) dye can be decomposed using non-thermal plasma. However, there is a problem in that the maintenance of electrodes and dielectrics is necessary due to the durability and heat generation problems due to the high temperatures. Therefore, in this study, a comparative experiment was performed between the flat DBD plasma module and the diffuser DBD module under the same conditions. For methylene blue decomposition, the characteristic changes in the air flow rate, ozone production rate, energy consumption rate, and decomposition rate were compared. In the experiment, 7 L water was placed in a 15 L reactor, and measurements were performed for approximately 1 h. We performed the same process by setting the initial methylene blue concentration to 143 mg/L. According to the results, the flat DBD module achieved a decomposition rate of 100% in 40 min, an energy yield of 46.7 g/kWh, and an ozone generation amount of 6.5 g/h. The diffuser DBD module achieved a decomposition rate of 90%, an energy production of 24.6 g/kWh, and an ozone generation of 1.97 g/h in 60 min.

Impact of ante-mortem fluoxetine administration on estimation of post-mortem interval and insect activity in rabbit carcasses

BackgroundIncreasing the number of drug-related deaths has affected medico-legal death investigations. Drugs within a corpse have a great impact on the insects’ development rate which in turn will affect the rate of post-mortem decomposition and the estimation of the post-mortem interval. This explains the importance of the application of forensic entomotoxicology, which studies the impact of drugs and toxins on the development and succession patterns of insects. The current study aimed to determine the impact of fluoxetine, one of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), on post-mortem decomposition, insects’ attraction, and its pattern of succession on carcasses. Sixteen healthy male and female Oryctolagus cuniculus rabbits were chosen to be included in this study. They were divided into a treated group of eight rabbits received oral fluoxetine for 28 days and a control group of eight rabbits received oral distilled water for 28 days. After oral administration of 10 mg/kg/day of fluoxetine and distilled water for 28 days, rabbits were sacrificed, and carcasses were transmitted to the roof of Research and Training Centre on Vectors of Diseases at faculty of Sciences, Ain Shams University, for following up the post-mortem decomposition process and insect’s attraction to carcasses for 60 days. Carcasses were put in two outdoor sites that differ in temperature to assess the effect of temperature on decomposition process.ResultsFluoxetine administration has accelerated the rate of post-mortem decomposition in the treated carcasses by 3–9 days compared to the control ones and affected the numbers and species of attracted insects, while it had no effect on the insects’ succession patterns. Exposure of carcasses to direct sunlight has accelerated the rate of decomposition in comparison to that of carcasses put in shade in the overall period of decomposition by about 14 to 16 days.ConclusionsFluoxetine has an important and effective role in post-mortem decomposition and estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI) and has a great impact on attracted insects to the treated carcasses. Temperature has a great effect on the rate of decomposition of carcasses. Higher temperature accelerates the rate of post-mortem decomposition.

Number and dissimilarity of global change factors influences soil properties and functions

Soil biota and functions are impacted by various anthropogenic stressors, including climate change, chemical pollution or microplastics. These stressors do not occur in isolation, and soil properties and functions appear to be directionally driven by the number of global change factors acting simultaneously. Building on this insight, we here hypothesize that co-acting factors with more diverse effect mechanisms, or higher dissimilarity, have greater impacts on soil properties and functions. We created a factor pool of 12 factors and calculated dissimilarity indices of randomly-chosen co-acting factors based on the measured responses of soil properties and functions to the single factors. Results show that not only was the number of factors important, but factor dissimilarity was also key for predicting factor joint effects. By analyzing deviations of soil properties and functions from three null model predictions, we demonstrate that higher factor dissimilarity and a larger number of factors could drive larger deviations from null models and trigger more frequent occurrence of synergistic factor net interactions on soil functions (decomposition rate, cellulase, and β-glucosidase activity), which provides mechanistic insights for understanding high-dimensional effects of factors. Our work highlights the importance of considering factor similarity in future research on interacting factors.

Warming decreased plant litter decomposition by modulating soil fauna interactions in a Tibetan alpine meadow

Litter decomposition is a vital process for maintaining ecosystem carbon cycling. It is affected by soil fauna which are predators and decomposers of litter. However, how the interactions of soil fauna communities affect litter decomposition remains unclear under warming. Here, we conducted a five-year in-situ manipulative warming experiment by Open-Top Chamber (OTC) in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau to reveal how warming affects litter decomposition. The results demonstrated that warming decreased the litter decomposition rate by 29 %, the soil collembola abundance by 25 %, and the nematode abundance by 27 %. Nematode ecological indices remain stable but a shift in the decomposition of litter to the fungivores pathway under warming. The piecewise structural equation modelling result revealed that the combined reduction in soil collembola and nematodes synergistically leads to a massive decline in litter decomposition rate under warming. Our results highlight that the interactions of soil fauna can regulate litter decomposition under warming, and collembola abundance as the “speed-limiter” of litter decomposition. Therefore, the response of changes in soil fauna relationships to warming should be completely considered in future climate change modelling of the grassland carbon cycle.

Effect of refrigeration and reheating on the lipid oxidation and volatile compounds in silver carp surimi gels.

As unsaturated and saturated aldehydes, ketones are known to be responsible for off-odors in surimi products, and they are mainly derived from lipid oxidation. Because surimi-based products are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, they are prone to producing off-odors during the refrigeration and reheating processes, which are common treatments for leftovers. The present study investigated the color, lipid oxidation productions, fatty acid profiles and volatile components in surimi gels during refrigeration at 4 °C for 3 days with multiple reheating. The results revealed that the accumulation rate of hydroperoxides was higher in the refrigeration stage, whereas the decomposition rate was higher during reheating in surimi gels. Both refrigeration and reheating treatments promoted conjugated diene values, acid values and carbonyl values. Nevertheless, reheating treatment decreased tohiobarbituric acid reactive substances and whiteness. The contents of unsaturated fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, were reduced, whereas the contents of saturated fatty acids increased during refrigeration and multiple reheating. The unsaturated fatty acids were lost as a result of their oxidative deterioration. The volatile components profile showed that the accumulation of volatile components mainly occurred in the refrigeration stage. Multivariate data analysis was utilized to further clarify whether the off-odors in surimi gels were mainly generated in refrigeration. Refrigeration and reheating both contributed to lipid oxidation and the generation of volatile compounds in surimi gels, but the off-odors were mainly generated during refrigeration. This research provides a novel understanding of the formation of food odors in processing. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification of Plant Peroxidases Catalyzing the Degradation of Fluorinated Aromatics Using a Peroxidase Library Approach

ABSTRACTIn this work, the degradation of mono‐ and polyfluorinated phenolic compounds was demonstrated by a series of crude plant peroxidases, including horseradish root (HRP) and six members of the Cucurbita genus. Highly active samples were identified using a library screening approach in which more than 50 crude plant samples were initially evaluated for defluorination activity toward 4‐fluorophenol. The highest concentrations were observed in the HRP, pumpkin skin (PKS), and butternut squash skin (BNS), which consistently gave the highest intrinsic rates of decomposition for all the substrates tested. Although HRP exhibited a significant decrease in activity with increased fluorination of the phenolic substrate, PKS showed only minor reductions. Furthermore, in silico studies indicated that the active site of HRP poorly accommodates the steric bulk of additional fluorines, causing the substrate to dock farther from the catalytic heme and thus slowing the catalysis rate. We propose that the PKS active site might be larger, allowing closer access to the perfluorinated substrate, and therefore maintaining higher activity compared to the HRP enzyme. However, detailed kinetic characterization studies of the peroxidases are recommended. Conclusively, the high catalytic activity of PKS and its high yield per gram of tissue make it an excellent candidate for developing environmentally friendly biocatalytic methods for degrading fluorinated aromatics. Finally, the success of the library approach in identifying highly active samples for polyfluorinated aromatic compound (PFAC) degradation suggests the method may find utility in the quest for other advanced catalysts for PFAS degradation.

Fluorobenzene as new working fluid for high-temperature heat pumps and organic Rankine cycles: Energy analysis and thermal stability test

Industrial high-temperature heat pumps and Organic Rankine Cycles play a pivotal role in reducing CO2 emissions of the industrial sector. While several eco-friendly refrigerants have been explored for subcritical heat pumps below 150 °C, above this threshold only a few fluids can be adopted.In this article, fluorobenzene (C6H5F) is proposed for the first time as a versatile working fluid suitable for both HTHP and ORC systems. Notably, it possesses a near-zero Global Warming Potential, null Ozone Depletion Potential, low cost, and low toxicity. The thermo-chemical stability of fluorobenzene is experimentally investigated with an advanced procedure, simulating the presence of the non-condensable-gases removal system in real plant operating conditions. The yearly rate of unimolecular decomposition is estimated less than 4 % at 350 °C, and even after 400 h of thermal stress no decomposition products have been detected in the liquid phase through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.In a direct heat exchange case study, coupled with exhaust gases at 390 °C, fluorobenzene achieves a net power production higher than other commercial fluids adopted in high-temperature units. In subcritical two-stage throttling heat pump condensing at 180 °C fluorobenzene shows a good Coefficient of Performance of 3.25 at 100 °C temperature lift.

Microbial diversity and cellulase activity of forest soils and litters

The quantity, composition and cellulase activity of forest soils and litters with deciduous and coniferous tree vegetation on the territory of Natural Park "Vitosha" were investigated. Biogenicity, the rate of decomposition of organic matter and specifically of cellulose decomposition were higher in Fagus sylvatica litters than in Pinus sylvestris. In most soil profiles, the total microflora has higher values in the mixed fermentative and humic layer of the litter compared to the fresh litter. The quantity of microorganisms and cellulase activity decrease in the depth of the soil profiles. In general, non-spore-forming bacteria, followed by mold fungi and bacilli, occupy a major share in the composition of the total microflora in litters and soils, and actinomycetes are less represented. The cellulase activity depends to the highest degree on the non-sporulating bacteria, and the values of the mineralization coefficient on the bacteria assimilating mineral nitrogen. The humidity of the litters and soils has a stronger influence on the development, composition, mineralization and cellulase activity of microorganisms, compared to the altitude.

The effects of invertebrates on wood decomposition across the world.

Invertebrates and microorganisms are important but climate-dependent agents of wood decomposition globally. In this meta-analysis, we investigated what drives the invertebrate effect on wood decomposition worldwide. Globally, we found wood decomposition rates were on average approximately 40% higher when invertebrates were present compared to when they were excluded. This effect was most pronounced in the tropics, owing mainly to the activities of termites. The invertebrate effect was stronger for woody debris without bark as well as for that of larger diameter, possibly reflecting bark- and diameter-mediated differences in fungal colonisation or activity rates relative to those of invertebrates. Our meta-analysis shows similar overall invertebrate effect sizes on decomposition of woody debris derived from angiosperms and gymnosperms globally. Our results suggest the existence of critical interactions between microorganism colonisation and the invertebrate contribution to wood decomposition. To improve biogeochemical models, a better quantification of invertebrate contributions to wood decomposition is needed.

Litter Decomposition Rates of Four Species of Agroecological Importance in the Peruvian Coast and Andean Highland

Litter Decomposition Rates of Four Species of Agroecological Importance in the Peruvian Coast and Andean Highland

Transcriptomic analyses of bacterial growth on fungal necromass reveal different microbial community niches during degradation.

Bacteria are major drivers of organic matter decomposition and play crucial roles in global nutrient cycling. Although the degradation of dead fungal biomass (necromass) is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, the genes and metabolic pathways involved in necromass degradation are less characterized. In particular, how bacteria degrade necromass containing different quantities of melanin, which largely control rates of necromass decomposition in situ, is largely unknown. To address this gap, we conducted a multi-timepoint transcriptomic analysis using three Gram-negative, bacterial species grown on low or high melanin necromass of Hyaloscypha bicolor. The bacterial species, Cellvibrio japonicus, Chitinophaga pinensis, and Serratia marcescens, belong to genera known to degrade necromass in situ. We found that while bacterial growth was consistently higher on low than high melanin necromass, the CAZyme-encoding gene expression response of the three species was similar between the two necromass types. Interestingly, this trend was not shared for genes encoding nitrogen utilization, which varied in C. pinensis and S. marcescens during growth on high vs low melanin necromass. Additionally, this study tested the metabolic capabilities of these bacterial species to grow on a diversity of C and N sources and found that the three bacteria have substantially different utilization patterns. Collectively, our data suggest that as necromass changes chemically over the course of degradation, certain bacterial species are favored based on their differential metabolic capacities.IMPORTANCEFungal necromass is a major component of the carbon (C) in soils as well as an important source of nitrogen (N) for plant and microbial growth. Bacteria associated with necromass represent a distinct subset of the soil microbiome and characterizing their functional capacities is the critical next step toward understanding how they influence necromass turnover. This is particularly important for necromass varying in melanin content, which has been observed to control the rate of necromass decomposition across a variety of ecosystems. Here we assessed the gene expression of three necromass-degrading bacteria grown on low or high melanin necromass and characterized their metabolic capacities to grow on different C and N substrates. These transcriptomic and metabolic studies provide the first steps toward assessing the physiological relevance of up-regulated CAZyme-encoding genes in necromass decomposition and provide foundational data for generating a predictive model of the molecular mechanisms underpinning necromass decomposition by soil bacteria.

Effect of biochar-based nano‑nickel catalyst on heavy crude oil upgrading and oil shale pyrolysis

This study involved the preparation of a biochar-based nano‑nickel (Ni/C) catalyst, achieving high dispersion of the nano‑nickel catalyst by utilizing waste coffee grounds as a biochar carrier. The Ni/C catalyst demonstrated commendable catalytic performance in heavy crude oil upgrading. Compared with the control group, the viscosity reduction rate of heavy crude oil was increased by 21.53 %, and the contents of heteroatoms, resins and asphaltenes were effectively reduced, while increasing the ratio of C2-C4 and saturated components. Additionally, the catalyst reduced the initial decomposition temperature and the maximum thermal decomposition rate temperature of oil shale by 10 °C and 8 °C, respectively. The results of DFT calculations also indicated that the catalyst effectively improved the pyrolysis activity of kerogen molecules. Noteworthy characteristics of the catalyst include its low cost, simple operation, and high catalytic activity, making it highly promising for broad applications in unconventional petroleum energy exploitation.

Nutrient-loaded seagrass litter experiences accelerated recalcitrant organic matter decay

High coastal nutrient loading can cause changes in seagrass chemistry traits that may lead to variability in seagrass litter decomposition processes. Such changes in decomposition have the potential to alter the carbon (C) sequestration capacity within seagrass meadows (‘blue carbon’). However, the external and internal factors that drive the variability in decomposition rates of the different organic matter (OM) types of seagrass are poorly understood, especially recalcitrant OM (i.e. cellulose-associated OM and lignin-associated OM), thereby limiting our ability to evaluate the C sequestration potential. It was conducted a laboratory incubation to compare differences in the decomposition of Halophila beccarii litter collected from seagrass meadows with contrasting nutrient loading histories. The exponential decay constants of seagrass litter mass, cellulose-associated OM and lignin-associated OM were 0.009–0.032, 0.014–0.054 and 0.009–0.033 d−1, respectively. The seagrass litter collected from meadows with high nutrient loading exhibited greater losses of mass (25.0–41.2 %), cellulose-associated OM (2.8–18.5 %) and lignin-associated OM (9.6–31.2 %) than litter from relatively low nutrient loading meadows. The initial and temporal changes of the litter nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, stoichiometric ratios of lignin/N, C/N, and C/P, and cellulose-associated OM content, were strongly correlated with the losses of litter mass and different types of OM. Further, temporal changes of litter C and OM types, particularly the OM and labile OM concentrations, were identified as the main driving factors for the loss of litter mass and loss of different OM types. These results indicated that nutrient-loaded seagrass litter, characterized by elevated nutrient levels and diminished amounts of recalcitrant OM, exhibits an accelerated decay rate for the recalcitrant OM. These differences in litter quality would lead to a reduced contribution of seagrass litter to long-term C stocks in eutrophic meadows, thereby weakening the stability of C sequestration. Considering the expected changes in seagrass litter chemistry traits and decay rates due to long-term nutrient loading, this study provides useful information for improving C sequestration capabilities through effective pollution management.

Photodegradation in terrestrial ecosystems.

The first step in carbon (C) turnover, where senesced plant biomass is converted through various pathways into compounds that are released to the atmosphere or incorporated into the soil, is termed litter decomposition. This review is focused on recent advances of how solar radiation can affect this important process in terrestrial ecosystems. We explore the photochemical degradation of plant litter and its consequences for biotic decomposition and C cycling. The ubiquitous presence of lignin in plant tissues poses an important challenge for enzymatic litter decomposition due to its biological recalcitrance, creating a substantial bottleneck for decomposer organisms. The recognition that lignin is also photolabile and can be rapidly altered by natural doses of sunlight to increase access to cell wall carbohydrates and even bolster the activity of cell wall degrading enzymes highlights a novel role for lignin in modulating rates of litter decomposition. Lignin represents a key functional connector between photochemistry and biochemistry with important consequences for our understanding of how sunlight exposure may affect litter decomposition in a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems. A mechanistic understanding of how sunlight controls litter decomposition and C turnover can help inform management and other decisions related to mitigating human impact on the planet.

Defect Engineering of Ultrasmall TiO2 Nanoparticles Enables Highly Efficient Photocatalysts for Solar H2 Production from Woody Biomass.

The conversion of woody biomass to H2 through photocatalysis provides a sustainable strategy to generate renewable hydrogen fuel but was limited by the slow decomposition rate of woody biomass. Here, we fabricate ultrasmall TiO2 nanoparticles with tunable concentration of oxygen vacancy defects (VO-TiO2) as highly efficient photocatalysts for photocatalytic conversion of woody biomass to H2. Owing to the positive role of oxygen vacancy in reducing energy barrier for the generation of •OH which was the critical species to oxidize woody biomass, the obtained VO-TiO2 achieves rapid photocatalytic conversion of α-cellulose and poplar wood chip to H2 in the presence of Pt nanoclusters as the cocatalyst. As expected, the highest H2 generation rate in α-cellulose and poplar wood chip system respectively achieve 1146 and 59 μmol h-1 g-1, and an apparent quantum yield of 4.89% at 380 nm was obtained in α-cellulose aqueous solution.

Data transformations cause altered edaphic‐climatic controls and reduced predictability on soil carbon decomposition rates

Data transformations cause altered edaphic‐climatic controls and reduced predictability on soil carbon decomposition rates

Multifaceted biomedical applications of bismuth oxide-doped bioactive glass: Synthesis challenges, characterization and potential clinical implications

Herewith, the present work reports a facile synthesis method of Bi2O3 doped 70 SiO2.30CaO binary bioactive glass system termed as modified Bi-BG (acronymed as mBi-BG) that indicates successful incorporation of Bi3+ into the silicate glassy network, on prior complex formation of the precursor bismuth nitrate salt with acetyl acetone to address the rapid decomposition rate of precursor bismuth nitrate. The binary bioactive glass composition as above mentioned (70 SiO2.30CaO) is named as BG/Control. The synthesis methodology addresses inherent challenges encountered in traditional sol-gel derived bismuth oxide incorporated bioactive glass (Bi-BG) synthesis wherein yellow coloured bismuth oxide gets separated from the glassy network as confirmed by XRD phase analysis. Next, mBi-BG (modified Bi-BG) was synthesized via modifying the sol gel method by introducing a chelating agent acetyl acetone to stabilize the precursor Bi (NO3)3 salt, and was characterized using XRD, FTIR, FESEM-EDX. TG-DSC and BET isotherm. In vitro bioactivity studies illustrate the formation of hydroxyapatite crystals on mBi-BG surface indicating its potential for bone repair and regeneration. Additionally, mBi-BG exhibits significant effect against Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive) bacterial strain, highlighting its utility in preventing bacterial infections at surgical sites. Radiographic imaging of mBi-BG reveals excellent radiopacity comparable to human bone, rendering it suitable for image-guided surgeries and fluoroscopic procedures. In summary, mBi-BG emerges as a versatile biomaterial with enhanced bioactivity, antibacterial efficacy and radiopacity, thereby offering novel avenues in medical treatment modalities and patient care.

Nutrient Dynamics in Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems: Effects of Stocking Rates and Nitrogen System Fertilization on Litter Decomposition and Release

Current fertilizer recommendations often neglect nutrient cycling across crop rotations. This study aimed to assess the decay rate and nutrient (N, P, K) release patterns of sorghum, black oat, and corn residues (omitido) in an integrated crop–livestock system. The experiment used factorial treatments based on two sward heights (high and low) and two nitrogen fertilization levels (N-pasture at 200 kg N ha−1 and N-corn at 0 kg N ha−1). Litter bags were collected at various intervals from each crop to measure nutrient release patterns and decomposition rates. The results showed that pasture height and nitrogen fertilization significantly influenced decomposition and nutrient release, affecting the subsequent grain crop phase. Potassium was released rapidly and in high amounts. Nitrogen fertilization during the pasture phase prevented nitrogen and phosphorus immobilization in black oat residue and reduced immobilization in corn residue. These findings highlight the importance of accounting for nutrient cycling and decomposition rates in fertilization strategies to enhance the sustainability of integrated crop–livestock systems.