Effects of mixed leaf litter from predominant afforestation tree species on decomposition rates in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Abstract To determine whether mixed plantations can improve nutrient cycling and to elucidate the mechanisms of such effects, a field litterbag experiment with seven treatments involving Pinus massoniana (P.), Cupressus funebris (C.) and Quercus variabilis (Q.) litter in equal mass proportions (pure litter; pairwise combinations; and the combination of all three species) was conducted in a Pinus massoniana plantation in the region of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. We measured mass loss and the release of C, N and P from the litter treatments and assessed the effects of mixing litter in each sampling phase and for various decomposition periods. At the end of the study, the mass loss and release of C, N and P among the treatments relative to their initial contents ranged from 47.6% to 62.8%, 59.5% to 75.2%, 63.5% to 78.2% and 58.9% to 72.6%, respectively. Primary mass loss and nutrient release occurred during a phase with high temperatures and precipitation, and decomposition was closely correlated with the initial lignin/N ratio and N concentration. Compared with the decay values of Quercus litter, mixing litter increased N release by 1.2% for the P . +  Q . and C . +  Q . combinations and increased P release by 3.0–6.3% for the three litter mixture combinations. Additionally, the P . +  Q . and C . +  Q . two-species mixtures exhibited greater decay than the three-species mixture. Mixing the two coniferous species ( P . +  C .) also increased decomposition. Furthermore, positive nonadditive mass loss occurred after incubation for 240 d, and mixing effects on the nonadditive release of C, N and P occurred immediately in 60 d incubations in all treatments. In conclusion, mixing these three species or two of species can improve material cycling in plantations, and Quercus appears to be a priority candidate for mixed planting with Pinus and/or Cupressus .