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Decomposition and nutrient release of root with different diameters of three subalpine dominant trees in western area of Sichuan Province, China.

TANG Shi-shan1, YANG Wan-qin1, WANG Hai-peng2, XIONG Li1, NIE Fu-yu1, XU Zhen-feng1   

  1. (1Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Forestry Engineering, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China; 2Institute of Rice Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China)
  • Online:2015-10-18 Published:2015-10-18

Abstract: In this study, a buried bag experiment was used to investigate mass loss and C, N and P release patterns of fine (≤2 mm), medium (2-5 mm) and coarse (≥5 mm) roots of 3 subalpine dominant trees, i.e., Betula albosinensis, Abies faxoniana and Picea asperata in the growing and nongrowing seasons. In general, the remaining mass of B. albosinensis was lower than that of A. faxoniana and P. asperata. In addition, root remaining mass increased with the increase of root dia
meter for the same species. The mass losing rate in the nongrowing season was 52.1%-64.4% of a year. The C release of B. albosinensis was the highest, but that of A. faxoniana was the lowest. Also, C release decreased with the increase of root diameter. N of A. faxoniana and P. asperata were enriched in the nongrowing season but released in the growing season. However, the opposite pattern was found for B. albosinensis. During the nongrowing season, the amount of N enrichment increased with the increase of root diameter. The P release of 3 species was characterized as the enrichmentrelease pattern. P enrichment of A. faxoniana was significantly greater than that of P. asperata and B. albosinensis. Nevertheless, no significant difference was observed between diameter sizes. In conclusion, diameter size had significant effect on root decomposition in the subalpine forests of western Sichuan, and the diameter effect was dependent on tree species and season.