Understory Species Identity Rather than Species Richness Influences Fine Root Decomposition in a Temperate Plantation

Abstract

Different silvicultural treatments that are applied at plantation establishment may drive different vegetation succession pathways. These divergent vegetation types subsequently feed back to influence soil carbon and nitrogen cycles. One potential mechanism of feedback is through litter decomposition, and in particular fine root decomposition (FRD; per se.

Keywords

• fine root decomposition
• silvicultural treatments
• species richness
• understory vegetation
• soil organic carbon