1.College of Forestry,Sichuan Agricultural University/Sichuan Mount Emei Forest Ecosystem National Observation;and Research Station,Chengdu 611130,China
2.Institute of Soil and Water Conservation/State Key Laboratory of;Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau,Northwest A&F University,Yangling,Shaanxi 712100,China
Objective This study investigates the effects of litter management on soil aggregate stability and the distribution of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in subalpine Picea asperata plantations in western Sichuan, thereby providing a reference for clarifying the mechanisms of forest soil structure and nutrient cycling in this region and for evaluating the sustainable management of such plantations. Methods A field-controlled experiment was conducted with three treatments: litter removal (-100%), litter addition (+100%), and a control group, to analyze soil aggregate composition, stability, contents of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP), stoichiometric ratios, and the contribution rates of aggregates with different particle sizes to SOC, TN, and TP. Results Under the litter removal and addition treatments, the mass fraction of aggregates with a particle size of <0.25 mm was significantly higher than that with other particle sizes, accounting for 59.72% and 47.95% of the total aggregate mass, respectively. Changes in litter input did not alter aggregate stability or SOC content. However, litter removal generally increased the TN content in aggregates with particle sizes of 0.25~0.5 mm, 0.5~1 mm, and 1~2 mm, while litter addition generally decreased TN content in the aggregates. In all treatments, the contribution rates of < 0.25 mm aggregates to SOC, TN, and TP were higher than those of aggregates with other particle sizes. Furthermore, both litter removal and addition increased the contribution rates of < 0.25 mm aggregates to SOC, TN, and TP. The contribution rates for the litter removal, addition, and control treatments ranged from 55.54% to 58.76%, 33.51% to 47.75%, and 25.64% to 34.95%, respectively. Additionally, litter removal generally increased the N∶P ratio in aggregates with particle sizes of 0.25~0.5 mm, 0.5~1 mm, and 1~2 mm. Conclusion In subalpine Picea asperata plantations in western Sichuan, small aggregates with a particle size of <0.25 mm are the dominant component. Although litter management does not affect aggregate stability or SOC content, it significantly alters the distribution patterns of C, N, and P in the aggregates, particularly by enhancing the contribution of small aggregates to soil nutrients.
WuA M, HongZ W, YouC M, et al. The stoichiometric characteristics of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in soil aggregates of Cryptomeriajaponica plantation with stand ages in the Rainy Area of Western China[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2024,35(9):2518-2526.
QuQ, XuH W, WuX, et al. Soil aggregate stability and its stoichiometric characteristics in Robinia pseudoacacia forest within different vegetation zones on the Loess Plateau, China[J]. Environmental Science, 2019,40(6):2904-2911.
WangD D, XuH C, ShanZ J, et al. Effects of Robinia pseudoacacia litter cover and roots on soil erosion in the Loess Plateau, China[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023,37(2):83-89.
[7]
ChoudharyM, SinhaN K, MohantyM, et al. Response of contrasting nutrient management regimes on soil aggregation, aggregate-associated carbon and macronutrients in a 43-year long-term experiment[J]. Sustainability, 2023,15(3): 2679.
LiY X, ZangZ F, ZhangY, et al. Changes in soil carbon pool activity and distribution of labile organic carbon composition in soil aggregates following conversion of farmland to grassland on the Loess Plateau[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023,30(5):241-249.
[10]
TianS Y, ZhuB J, YinR, et al. Organic fertilization promotes crop productivity through changes in soil aggregation[J]. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2022,165:108533.
YangC, LeiS H, GengR, et al. Seasonal variation of soil aggregate stability of typical yellow brown soil in grasslands with different root structures[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2025,32(1):66-72.
ZhouL, SunZ J, NieT T, et al. Effects of litter additions on soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents and their stoichiometric characteristics in sagebrush desert grassland[J]. Acta Agrestia Sinica, 2024,32(2):462-469.
LiY F, HuZ D, YuH, et al. Effects of litter manipulation on soil respiration in natural secondary forest in subalpine area of western Sichuan Province, China[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2021,41(7):2687-2697.
ZhuL Q, HuangR Z, WangJ P, et al. Effects of litter input on organic carbon and its chemical-bound forms of soil microaggregate in Schima superba forest[J]. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation, 2023,43(1):307-313.
JiaoZ B, ChenZ H, LiuY, et al. Responses of soil enzyme activities to litter removal in Alpine coniferous forest of western Sichuan[J]. Journal of Sichuan Agricultural University, 2021,39(4):504-511.
[21]
WitzgallK, SteinerF A, HesseB D, et al. Living and decaying roots as regulators of soil aggregation and organic matter formation: From the rhizosphere to the detritusphere[J]. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2024,197:109503.
[22]
FangX M, WangG G, XuZ J, et al. Litter addition and understory removal influenced soil organic carbon quality and mineral nitrogen supply in a subtropical plantation forest[J]. Plant and Soil, 2021,460(1):527-540.
GuoX W, ZhangY X, ZhangX, et al. Effects of long⁃term aboveground litter treatment and nitrogen addition on top soil carbon and nitrogen fractions in a mixed Pinus tubuliformis⁃Quercus wutaishansea forest[J]. Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae, 2020,40(7):2589-2598.
[25]
MustafaA, XuM G, Ali ShahS A, et al. Soil aggregation and soil aggregate stability regulate organic carbon and nitrogen storage in a red soil of Southern China[J]. Journal of Environmental Management, 2020,270:110894.
[26]
LiJ H, LiuS J, YangD, et al. The impact of land use types on the soil erosion resistance in the arid valley region of southwest China[J]. Agriculture, 2025,15(4): 386.
ZhangZ, HuangY Z, ZhangC, et al. Distribution of phosphorus fractions in soil aggregates in Chinese fir plantations with different stand ages[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2022,33(4):939-948.
WangZ K, ZhuL, XuC Y, et al. Effects of litter removal on soil aggregate stability and distribution of fine roots in natural forests of Qinling Mountains[J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 2022,42(13):5493-5503.
[31]
ZhangH, ZhouG M, WangY X, et al. Clear-cut and forest regeneration increase soil N2O emission in Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations[J]. Geoderma, 2021,401:115238.
[32]
ChenY Q, ZhangY, YuS Q, et al. Responses of soil labile organic carbon and water-stable aggregates to reforestation in southern subtropical China[J]. Journal of Plant Ecology, 2021,14(2):191-201.
[33]
WangF M, ZhuW X, ChenH. Changes of soil C stocks and stability after 70-year afforestation in the Northeast USA[J]. Plant and Soil, 2016,401(1):319-329.
[34]
WuJ P, XiongX, HuiD F, et al. Soil aggregate size distribution mediates microbial responses to prolonged acid deposition in a subtropical forest in South China[J]. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2024,198:109544.
LyuS Y, SongS Y, LiY J, et al. Effects of nitrogen addition and litter increase or decrease on soil aggregates and their C and N in evergreen broad-leaved forest in rain screen area of West China[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2022,36(1):277-287.
SuZ X, SuB Q, ShangguanZ P. Advances in effects of plant litter decomposition on the stability of soil organic carbon[J]. Research of Soil and Water Conservation, 2022,29(2):406-413.
[39]
ZhangC F, ZhaoQ X, CaiY M, et al. Effect of litter removal and addition on root exudation and associated microbial N transformation in a Pinus massoniana plantation[J]. Forests, 2023,14(7): 1305.
[40]
ZhangL H, ShenY, HuY F, et al. Response of soil phosphorus fractions to litter removal in subalpine coniferous forest[J]. Science of the Total Environment, 2023,898:166383.
[41]
KpemouaT P I, BarréP, ChevallierT, et al. Drivers of the amount of organic carbon protected inside soil aggregates estimated by crushing: a meta-analysis[J]. Geoderma, 2022,427:116089.
[42]
YiC X, ZhuJ, ChenL H, et al. Speciation of iron and aluminum in relation to phosphorus sorption and supply characteristics of soil aggregates in subtropical forests[J]. Forests, 2023,14(9): 1804.
OuX L, ChenZ B, JiangC, et al. Effect of vegetation restoration on nutrient distribution within aggregate of subtropical eroded red soils[J]. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2016,30(6):230-238.