Responses of Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization and Microbial Communities to Leaf Litter Addition under Different Soil Layers

The mechanism of how soil carbon pools change when coniferous forests are converted into conifer-broadleaf mixed is poorly understood. In this study, the impact additional inputs on organic mineralization and microbial communities was evaluated. a microcosm incubation experiment, three types 13C-labeled litter (Pinustabulaeformis (PT), Robiniapseudoacacia (RP), mixture PT RP (1:1, PR)) were added in to top (0–20 cm) deep (60–80 collected from Chinese pine plantation. priming effect (PE) specific groups involved PE studied. addition topsoil induced negative PE. soil, decomposition rates matter (SOM) after adding increased by 16.6% 34.6% compared those without litter. with lower C:N ratio had stronger than or mixture. Moreover, more intense all additions. topsoil, litter-derived mainly incorporated 16:0, 18:1ω9c, 18:1ω7c fatty acids. conclusion, broadleaf plantations might be beneficial for enhancing stocks.