Effects of leachate from understory medicinal plants on litter decomposition and soil enzyme activities of Betula albo-sinensis and Eucommia ulmoides

作者 Lu Yupeng; Xu Jiyuan; Zhang Xiaoxi; Wang Boya; Xie Bo; Liu Zengwen

期刊 Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology , 2017,6:41

摘要 Aims Forest litter decomposition is an important factor affecting nutrient cycling and ecosystem stability. In a complex system with forest and understory medicinal plants, leachate from the medicinal plants enriched in plant secondary metabolites (PSM) may inhibit litter decomposition and soil enzyme activity of forest trees. Thus, inspection on whether or not this phenomenon exits is one important basis for selecting understory medicinal plants. Methods In this paper, typical forest species Betula albo-sinensis and Eucommia ulmoides and six species of common medicinal plants (Corydalis bungeana, Mentha haplocalyx, Houttuynia cordata, Nepeta cataria, Gynostemma pentaphyllum and Prunella vulgaris) in Qinling Mountains area were taken as objects, and the litter decomposition experiment was carried out. The leachate (water-extraction solution) from the stems and leaves of the medicinal materials were sprayed onto the litter in order to study the effects of leachate from understory plants on forests litter decomposition, nutrient release (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) and soil enzyme activity. Important findings For litter of B. albo-sinensis, the decomposition half-life and the turnover period were extended by 76% and 4.3 times, respectively, under H. cordata leachate treatment and the inhibitory effects on the release of carbon and nitrogen were also significant. While under G. pentaphyllum leachate treatment, the half-life of litter decomposition and turnover period were extended by 35% and 2.7 times, respectively, and the inhibitory effects on the release of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were all significant. The leachate from these two species of medicinal plants displayed significant inhibitory effects on seven kinds of soil enzymes (invertase, carboxymethyl cellulase, beta-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, polyphenol oxidase, protease and phosphatase) activity. For litter of E. ulmoides, the decomposition half-life and the turnover period were extended by 1.7 times and 4.2 times respectively, under H. cordata leachate treatment; while they were extended by 1 times and 9 times respectively, under G. pentaphyllum leachate treatment. The leachate from these two species of medicinal plants displayed significant inhibitory effects on the release of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from litter decomposition and the activities of all seven kinds of soil enzymes. Therefore, results suggested that H. cordata and G. pentaphyllum should not be planted under B. albo-sinensis and E. ulmoides forests, or the interplanting density must be low to reduce the inhibitory effects of litter decomposition.

涉及物种 杜仲 Eucommia ulmoides 荆芥 Nepeta cataria 夏枯草(变种) Prunella vulgaris 蕺菜 Houttuynia cordata 地丁草 Corydalis bungeana 绞股蓝 Gynostemma pentaphyllum 桦木属 Betula 薄荷 Mentha haplocalyx