US EPA

4580701 

Journal Article 

LITTERFALL RESPONSE TO NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZATION IN SUBTROPICAL EVERGREEN BROAD-LEAVED FOREST OF 80-YEAR-OLD 

Huang, X; Cui, Jun; Yu, Xin; Tao, X; Xu, X 

2016 

Yes 

Bangladesh Journal of Botany
ISSN: 0253-5416 

45 

5 

1035-1042 

WOS:000392359900010 

Production and nitrogen: phosphorus (N : P) ratios in litterfall organs were studied following N and P additions in two blocks of subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest of 80-year-old. Three plots (30 x 40 m) at each forest block were studied as not fertilized (CK), fertilized with N and N + P for 5 consecutive years. For litterfall production, leaves and reproductive organs was better than branches to predict total litterfall biomass in linear relationships. Litterfall biomass were not significantly different at each organ (p > 0.05). For N : P ratios, each organ was significantly different in treatments (p < 0.001). N fertilization significantly increased N : P ratios in all organs, and blocks only influenced reproductive organs. Moreover, N : P ratios of leaves and reproductive organs responded more strongly to soil nutrient availability than did N : P ratios of branches, and the response patterns between are similar at 0 - 10 cm and 10 - 20 cm soil depth. This result could predict litterfall production and soil nutrient in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest using litterfall biomass and N : P ratios of leaves and reproductive organs. 

Litterfall producion; N: P ratios; Fertilization; Soil nutrient; Subtropical forest