[Litter decomposition of dominant plant species in successional stages in mid-subtropical zone].

The litters of seven tree species representing the dominant plant species in three main successional stages in subtropical China, i.e., Pinus massoniana in early successional forests, Schima superba and Cinnamanun camphora in transitional forests, and Castanopsis eyeri, Cyclobalanopsis gracilis, Cyclobalanopsis glauca, and Michelia chapensis in late successional forests, were collected, and their decomposition rates were measured with litterbags. The results showed that M. chapensls and C. gracilis had the highest litter decomposition rate (k = 1.12 and 0.89, respectively), followed by C. camphora and S. superba (k = 0.61 and 0.55, respectively), and P. massoniana (k = 0.51), indicating that there was a trend of litter decomposition rate being increased with succession stage. Litter decomposition rate had significant correlations with the litter' s initial P, N, and lignin contents, lignin/N ratio (P < 0.01), and C/N ratio (P < 0.05), suggesting that the initial P, N, and lignin contents and lignin/N ratio of leaf litter could be the good indictors of litter decomposition rate.