How is wood decomposition affected by nutrients in a tropical forest?

Background/Question/Methods

 Tropical forests represent a major terrestrial store of carbon (C), a large proportion of which is contained in the soil and decaying organic matter. Coarse woody debris (CWD) plays a key role in forest C dynamics because it contains a sizeable proportion of total forest C. Understanding the factors controlling the decomposition of organic matter in general, and CWD in particular, is hence critical to assessing changes in tropical C storage. We conducted a factorial fertilization experiment in a tropical forest in South China to investigate the influence of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability on CWD decomposition using branch segments (5-cm diameter) of four species (Acacia auriculaeformis, Aphanamixis polystachya, Schefflera octophylla, Carallia brachiata) in plots fertilized with +N, +P, or +NP, and controls. 

Results/Conclusions

 Fertilization with +P and +NP increased decomposition rates by 5-53% and the magnitude was species-specific. Contrary to expectations, we observed no negative effect of +N addition on decay rates or mass loss of CWD in any of the four study species. Decomposition rates of CWD were higher in species with lower C:P ratios regardless of treatment. We observed significant accumulation of P in the CWD of all species in plots fertilized with +P and +NP during the early stages of decomposition. N-release from CWD of Acacia (N-fixing) was greater in the +P plots towards the end of the study, whereas fertilization with +N had no impact on the patterns of nutrient release during decomposition. Our results indicate that decomposition of CWD is primarily constrained by P availability in this tropical forest. However, contrary to expectations, +N addition did not exacerbate P-limitation. It is conceivable that decay rates of CWD in tropical forests can be predicted by C:P or lignin:P ratios but additional work with more tree species is needed to determine whether the patterns we observed are more generally applicable.