Effects of nitrogen,phosphorus and water supply on litter decomposition quality of senescing leaves of Leymus chinensis
氮、磷和水分供给对羊草枯叶分解质量的影响

Aims Changes in atmospheric nitrogen (N) and precipitation are two important aspects of global climate change. They have altered biogeochemical cycling in ecosystems and are expected to affect plant nutrient use strategy and litter decomposition. Methods We used three pot experiments, i.e., N addition (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 16.0, 32.0, 64.0 and 128.0 g N·m–2), phosphorus (P) addition (same levels) and water addition (3 600, 3 900, 4 500, 5 100, 6 000, 7 200, 9 000, 12 000, 18 000 and 36 000 mL·pot–1), to study N and P concentrations and C : N and C : P in senescing leaves of Leymus chinensis. Important findings N addition increased N concentration and decreased C : N, but did not significantly affect P concentration and C : P. P addition increased N and P concentrations and decreased C : N and C : P. Water addition decreased N and P concentrations and increased C : N and C : P. Therefore, changes in N, P and water availabilities affect litter decomposition quality and have effects on nutrient cycling in the plant-soil ecosystem.