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Root mixing effects on belowground decomposition depend on mycorrhizal type

Lei Jiang,Stephan Hättenschwiler,Ning Ma,Jiajia Zheng,Wenhui Shi,Yeqing Ying,Shenggong Li,Han Yan,L. Kou

Published 2025 in Nature Communications

ABSTRACT

While there has been significant progress in understanding how species mixing affects leaf litter decomposition, the consequences for belowground root decomposition remains less known. This represents a critical knowledge gap, as roots are key contributors to soil carbon input. Here, we experimentally assess absorptive root decomposition in 138 paired-species combinations from 57 tree species, revealing significant non-additive mixing effects in 70% of all root combinations, with the majority of them decomposing faster than predicted from single species. Notably, non-additive effects occur only in mixtures containing at least one ectomycorrhizal species, with no net mixture effects in combinations of two arbuscular mycorrhizal species. We further find that these root mixing effects are associated with dissimilarities in condensed tannins across all mycorrhizal types and with nitrogen concentration when only ectomycorrhizal species are present. Overall, these root mixing effects are three times stronger than those documented for leaf litter decomposition in past studies. Collectively, our findings suggest that tree species mixing effects on decomposition are particularly robust belowground, especially in forests with ectomycorrhizal species of contrasting root chemistry. Absorptive root decomposition may have an essential role in how tree species mixing affects soil carbon and nutrient dynamics. Species mixing is known to influence leaf litter decomposition, but its effects on root decomposition remain poorly understood. This study reveals strong non-additive mixing effects in absorptive root decomposition, especially in combinations including ectomycorrhizal species, with implications for soil carbon and nutrient dynamics.

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