PhD student East China Normal University Shanghia, China (People's Republic)
Global change induced the increase in intensity and frequency stimulate deadwood production as well as decomposition, with potential effects on global forest carbon cycling. Despite the fact that the effects of microclimate and wood traits on deadwood decomposition have been well explored, how microbial life history strategy regulate the effects of drought intensities on deadwood decomposition remain largely elusive. Here, we conducted a field experiment with three drought gradients (i.e., control, -35% and -70% rainfall treatments) in a subtropical forest to examine the effects of drought intensity on dead wood decomposition and explore the mechanisms underlying these effects. Our results showed that the deadwood CO2 efflux was significantly decreased under -70% rainfall but had no effect under -35% rainfall treatments. Drought significantly decreased wood nitrogen and phosphorus loss rates. More importantly, both microbial and fungi K-/r-strategy were positively correlated with wood decomposition under control and rainfall reduction treatments. Our study highlighted the importance of fungi life style strategy in controlling wood decomposition under different drought intensities. Incorporating the microbial strategies under drought intensity into Earth system models may improve the predictions of future C-climate feedback in forests.
