Abstract: The litters of seven tree species representing the dominant plant species in three main successional stages in subtropical China, i.e., Pinus massoniana in early successional forests, Schima superba and Cinnamanun camphora in transitional forests, and Castanopsis eyeri, Cyclobalanopsis gracilis, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, and Michelia chapensis in late successional forests, were collected, and their decomposition rates were measured with litterbags. The results showed that M. chapensls and C. gracilis had the highest litter decomposition rate (k=112 and 089, respectively), followed by C. camphora and S. superba (k=061 and 055, respectively), and P. massoniana (k=051), indicating that there was a trend of litter decomposition rate being increased with succession stage. Litter decomposition rate had significant correlations with the litter’s initial P, N, and lignin contents, lignin/N ratio (P<001), and C/N ratio (P<005), suggesting that the initial P, N, and lignin contents and lignin/N ratio of leaf litter could be the good indictors of litter decomposition rate.

Key words: Fe, Pb, Typha latifolia, Pb accumulation, wetland.