Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests
Soil fauna play an important role in litter decomposition and affect the “home-field advantage” (HFA) of litter decomposition. However, how this effect is modulated by the microenvironment needs further investigation. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of litter decomposition using diff...
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2024-11-01
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| author | Hong Lin Qin Kong Xinyu Xu Xingbing He Yonghui Lin Zaihua He Yuehong Gao Xiangshi Kong |
| author_facet | Hong Lin Qin Kong Xinyu Xu Xingbing He Yonghui Lin Zaihua He Yuehong Gao Xiangshi Kong |
| author_sort | Hong Lin |
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| description | Soil fauna play an important role in litter decomposition and affect the “home-field advantage” (HFA) of litter decomposition. However, how this effect is modulated by the microenvironment needs further investigation. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of litter decomposition using different mesh-size litterbags across litter and soil layers in subtropical coniferous (<i>Pinus massoniana</i>) and broad-leaved (<i>Quercus variabilis</i>) forests. Our results revealed a pronounced HFA in <i>P. massoniana</i>. <i>P. massoniana</i> litter decomposed faster in its home habitat by 40.6% in the litter layer and 10.2% in the soil layer in coarse mesh bags and by 21.8% in the litter layer and 21.4% in the soil layer in fine mesh bags. However, <i>Q. variabilis</i> litter showed faster decomposition in its home soil layer by 10.8% and 4.3% for coarse and fine mesh bags, whereas in the litter layer it decomposed faster in the away habitat by 16.7% and 20.6% for coarse and fine mesh bags, respectively. Higher soil mesofauna abundance and microbial activities in the coniferous forest compared to the broad-leaved forest drive the observed HFA of litter decomposition. Especially in the litter layer, the abundance of mesofauna was 89.8% higher in the coniferous forest. Coarse mesh bags generally facilitated a higher decomposition rate across litter and soil layers, likely due to a better interaction between soil mesofauna and extracellular enzyme activity. The HFA index exhibited distinct seasonal fluctuations, peaking in October for coarse mesh bags and in April for fine mesh bags within the litter layer, while soil layer peaks occurred in August and April. Notably, an increase in Acarina abundance strongly correlated with enhanced decomposition and HFA effects in the litter layer during October. This study revealed the sensitivity of HFA to the soil layer and soil fauna and underscores the complex role of the microclimate in shaping interactions among soil microorganisms, litter quality, and mesofauna, thereby enriching our understanding of litter decomposition dynamics in forest ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-0d89355f8c794ecdb35cfc8e4e96cc682025-08-20T02:28:09ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-11-01161170010.3390/d16110700Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical ForestsHong Lin0Qin Kong1Xinyu Xu2Xingbing He3Yonghui Lin4Zaihua He5Yuehong Gao6Xiangshi Kong7College of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaInstitute of Applied Ecology, School of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, 3601 Hongjing Avenue, Nanjing 211171, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaCollege of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou 416000, ChinaSoil fauna play an important role in litter decomposition and affect the “home-field advantage” (HFA) of litter decomposition. However, how this effect is modulated by the microenvironment needs further investigation. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of litter decomposition using different mesh-size litterbags across litter and soil layers in subtropical coniferous (<i>Pinus massoniana</i>) and broad-leaved (<i>Quercus variabilis</i>) forests. Our results revealed a pronounced HFA in <i>P. massoniana</i>. <i>P. massoniana</i> litter decomposed faster in its home habitat by 40.6% in the litter layer and 10.2% in the soil layer in coarse mesh bags and by 21.8% in the litter layer and 21.4% in the soil layer in fine mesh bags. However, <i>Q. variabilis</i> litter showed faster decomposition in its home soil layer by 10.8% and 4.3% for coarse and fine mesh bags, whereas in the litter layer it decomposed faster in the away habitat by 16.7% and 20.6% for coarse and fine mesh bags, respectively. Higher soil mesofauna abundance and microbial activities in the coniferous forest compared to the broad-leaved forest drive the observed HFA of litter decomposition. Especially in the litter layer, the abundance of mesofauna was 89.8% higher in the coniferous forest. Coarse mesh bags generally facilitated a higher decomposition rate across litter and soil layers, likely due to a better interaction between soil mesofauna and extracellular enzyme activity. The HFA index exhibited distinct seasonal fluctuations, peaking in October for coarse mesh bags and in April for fine mesh bags within the litter layer, while soil layer peaks occurred in August and April. Notably, an increase in Acarina abundance strongly correlated with enhanced decomposition and HFA effects in the litter layer during October. This study revealed the sensitivity of HFA to the soil layer and soil fauna and underscores the complex role of the microclimate in shaping interactions among soil microorganisms, litter quality, and mesofauna, thereby enriching our understanding of litter decomposition dynamics in forest ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/11/700extracellular enzyme activityforest ecosystemshome-field advantagelitter decompositionsoil fauna |
| spellingShingle | Hong Lin Qin Kong Xinyu Xu Xingbing He Yonghui Lin Zaihua He Yuehong Gao Xiangshi Kong Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests Diversity extracellular enzyme activity forest ecosystems home-field advantage litter decomposition soil fauna |
| title | Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests |
| title_full | Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests |
| title_fullStr | Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests |
| title_full_unstemmed | Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests |
| title_short | Higher Soil Mesofauna Abundance and Microbial Activities Drive Litter Decomposition in Subtropical Forests |
| title_sort | higher soil mesofauna abundance and microbial activities drive litter decomposition in subtropical forests |
| topic | extracellular enzyme activity forest ecosystems home-field advantage litter decomposition soil fauna |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/11/700 |
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