Decomposition Characteristics of Lignocellulosic Biomass in Subtropical Rhododendron Litters under Artificial Regulation

Abstract

The nutrient turnover of subtropical rhododendron forests is slow, natural regeneration is difficult, and the decomposition of litter is slow. Lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose are the key factors affecting the decomposition rate of litters. In this study, the litters of three forest stands, namely evergreen broadleaf Rhododendron delavayi, evergreen broadleaf Rhododendron agastum, and deciduous broadleaf mixed forest, were taken as the research objects to explore the dynamic changes and effects of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose contents in litters of different stands under indoor artificial control measures. Exogenous nitrogen, phosphorus, alkaline substances, and microbial agents were added to decompose litters in the laboratory for 140 days. Our results showed that (1) the contents of lignin and cellulose in the litters of the three stands decreased significantly in the early stage of decomposition and the content of hemicellulose was stable, and (2) low concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus can accelerate the degradation of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in litters of the three stands and thus promote the decomposition of litters. This study provides basic data for the nutrient return of artificial intervention in subtropical rhododendron forests in China.