Woody debris dominates the exports of carbon and nitrogen from headwater streams in an alpine forest

The exports of carbon and nitrogen with water flowing in the headwater streams could be important components material mitigation forest ecosystems. Plant debris is a major source dissolved organic matter for streams, but few studies have investigated differences between impacts woody non-woody inputs on terms exports. Here, we assessed effects plant (i.e., debris, mixed debris) concentrations (DOC) total (TDN) an alpine eastern Tibetan Plateau. Woody only weakly affected DOC TDN streams. Compared those reference stream excluding increased by 19% 13%, whereas decreased 22% 25%, respectively. However, when fall approached, role reversed to enhance stream-water TDN. effect during season differed from that overall growing season, indicating restricting might improve ability retain nitrogen. Notwithstanding relatively limited experimental period, this work revealed critical importance nutrients within conservation regions like forests.