文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Root and leaf decomposition become decoupled overtime: implications for below- and above-ground relationships

作者：Ma, Chengen[1,2,3] Xiong, Yanmei[4] Li, Le[1,2,3] Guo, Dali[1,2]

第一作者：Ma, Chengen

通信作者：Guo, DL[1];Guo, DL[2]

机构：[1]Chinese Acad Sci, Ctr Forest Ecosyst Studies, Key Lab Ecosyst Network Observat & Modeling, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China;[2]Chinese Acad Sci, Qianyanzhou Stn, Key Lab Ecosyst Network Observat & Modeling, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China;[3]Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Beijing 100049, Peoples R China;[4]Chinese Acad Forestry, Res Inst Trop Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, Guangdong, Peoples R China

年份：2016

卷号：30

期号：7

起止页码：1239-1246

外文期刊名：FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY

收录：;Scopus(收录号：2-s2.0-84955298273);WOS:【SCI-EXPANDED(收录号:WOS:000379978100023)】；

基金：We thank Drs. Shenglei Fu and Jiacun Gu for field sampling permissions. We also thank Xin Jing and M. Luke McCormack for their insightful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This study was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC grant no. 31325006), and National Basic Research Program of China (No. 2013CB956303).

语种：英文

外文关键词：absorptive fine roots; carbon cycling; fine root decomposition; litter chemistry; plant functional traits; plant-soil feedback; whole-plant economics spectrum; woody plants

摘要：Studies elucidating patterns and mechanisms of decomposition are moving from a leaf-centred view towards a whole-plant perspective, in which root and leaf decomposition differs among species, yet this prediction has so far received mixed empirical support. Here, we examined the rates and temporal dynamics of decomposition of absorptive fine roots (the distal two root-branch orders) and leaf litter by measuring mass loss across 10 subtropical and temperate tree species, and CO2 efflux across 18 tree species in a 15-month laboratory incubation experiment. Eight of 12 initial chemical traits were positively correlated between roots and leaf litter (Pearson's r range of 048-082). However, mass loss and respiration rates between roots and leaf litter were correlated only in the first 3months, but unrelated in the subsequent 12months. This was due to root decomposition rates slowing down after the first 3months. The disparity in decomposition rates between roots and leaf litter was mainly due to the higher chemical recalcitrance of roots and suggests that roots and leaf litter need to be considered separately when evaluating their role in plant-soil feedbacks. A better understanding of whole-plant ecological strategies is needed to quantify the impact roots vs. leaves on detrital processes.