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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Impact of litter quality on the stability and storage of soil carbon in flooded wetlands

Xin Liu A , Yajun Liu A , Yantian Ma A , Xiaozhen Mou B * and Lan Wu https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6954-459X A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330022, People’s Republic of China.

B Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.

* Correspondence to: xmou@kent.edu, ncusk724@hotmail.com

Handling Editor: Chengrong Chen

Soil Research 60(8) 804-815 https://doi.org/10.1071/SR21136
Submitted: 19 May 2021  Accepted: 10 March 2022   Published: 19 May 2022

© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context: High inputs of plant litters and slow decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC) influence the biogeochemical cycling of soil carbon in flooded wetlands.

Aims: To investigate the effects of different quality litter inputs on SOC stability and storage in flooded wetlands.

Methods: A 180-day microcosmic experiment to investigated the decomposition of litters of two dominant plants (Carex cinerascens Kukenth., CC; Cyperaceae family) and Triarrhena lutarioriparia L. Liu, TL; Poaceae family), in Poyang Lake Wetlands.

Key results: CC litters (high-quality, low lignin/N mass ratio) reduced gross content of SOC, but increased labile carbon and labile index (LI) of soils. In contrast, inputs of TL litters (low-quality, high lignin/N mass ratio) increased SOC gross content and recalcitrant carbon fractions of soils, but reduced soil labile carbons and LI. Significant effects of litters on SOC were not observed until ∼30 days indicating that the effects of litter inputs on soil carbon pools in flooded wetlands need time to be activated. CC and TL litters both increased the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) content. Soil MBC in CC treatments was significantly affected by the litter ash-free dry mass, while that in TL treatments was significantly affected by mass loss.

Conclusions: Litter quality may regulate the growth of soil MBC via different microbial growth strategies.

Implications: Our results suggest that inputs of high-quality litters can yield a high amount of labile carbon through stimulated microbial decomposition, leading to an overall loss of carbon. In contrast, inputs of low-quality litters can promote the microbial production of more recalcitrant carbons and increase soil carbon stability and carbon sequestration.

Keywords: Carex cinerascens Kukenth, flooded wetlands, litter quality, microbial biomass carbon, soil carbon stability, soil labile carbon, soil organic carbon, Triarrhena lutarioriparia L. Liu.


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