Functionally diverse stands promote leaf litter decomposition irrespective of litter species' resource acquisition strategy

作者：Bai‐Yu Yang, Xiao‐Chen Fang, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen, Li‐Ting Zheng, Di‐Feng Bao, Li Zhang, Zhao Zhao, Ci‐Liang Zhao, Hai‐Jun Mao, Zai‐Ping Yu, Dan‐Yan Ou, Marc W. Cadotte, En‐Rong Yan · 发表于：Functional Ecology · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.1111/1365-2435.70273 · 被引用次数：1 · 研究领域：Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology、Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Abstract Stand functional diversity (Rao Q ) and stand functional composition in terms of the functional traits of the component species (CWM trait) are critical for ecosystem processes and functioning, such as litter decomposition and associated nutrient cycling. Litter decomposition rates could differ among stands varying in functional diversity and composition because of interspecific variation of resource economic traits in litter quality as well as differences in microenvironmental conditions. However, whether and how functionally diverse stands with different microenvironmental conditions change the litter decomposition rates among functionally contrasting species is poorly understood. Here, we hypothesized that stand functional diversity would promote litter decomposition of resource acquisitive, intermediate and conservative species but with inconsistent strengths, because of the potential positive effects of higher probability for litter nutrient exchange or facilitative microclimate in diverse stands. Conservative species' litter might benefit less from the positive stand diversity effect than intermediate species' litter, and then acquisitive species' litter (Hypothesis 1). Meanwhile, we hypothesized two alternative scenarios for the effect of stand functional composition: First, acquisitive species' litter would decompose faster in stands dominated by acquisitive species, while conservative species' litter would decompose relatively faster in stands dominated by c...