Leaf Litter Breakdown and Soil Microbes in Catalpa bungei Plantations in Response to Various Fertilization Regimes

Litter decomposition propels the geochemical cycle by returning nutrients to soil. Soil microbial communities play an important role during litter breakdown wherein various fertilization regimes are conducted. In this study, we carried out a five-year experiment in young Catalpa bungei plantation northern China. The strategies employed mainly included integration of water and fertilizer (WF), hole (HF), no (CK) as control. We tracked dynamics leaf identified major involved for each regime. results showed that increased biomass C content litter, storage HF forest was higher than WF forest. Fertilization significantly decreased nutrient release prolonged duration breakdown. stand slower stand, but diversities bacteria fungi were community structures soil obvious differences compared those CK soils. strengthened competitive relationships cooperative interaction among microbes. abundances saprophytic decomposing lower key flora, including Arthrobacter Neocosmospora, regulated forests. addition, Arthrobacter, Filobasidium, Coprinopsis process nonfertilized Thus, studying initial quality treated with different measures exploring characteristics both significant value regard deepening understanding effects methods on their associated response mechanisms.