N and P combined addition accelerates the release of litter C, N, and most metal nutrients in a N-rich subtropical forest

Imbalanced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) depositions are profoundly shifting terrestrial ecosystem biogeochemical processes. However, how P addition and its interaction with N addition influence the release of litter carbon (C), N, P, and especially metal nutrients in subtropical forests remains unclear. Herein, a two-year field litterbag experiment was conducted in a natural subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest of southwestern China using a factorial design with three levels of N addition (0, 10, and 20 g N m-2 y-1) and P addition (0, 5, 15 g P m-2 y-1). During two years of decomposition, N- and P-only addition treatments decreased the accumulated mass loss and release rates of litter C, N, P, K, Na, and Mn (p < 0.05); N and P coaddition treatments increased the accumulated mass loss and release rates of litter C, N, K, Na, Mn, and Cu (p < 0.05) and decreased the accumulated release rates of litter P and Mg (p < 0.05); the C/P and N/P ratios of the residual litter increased under the N-only addition treatments (p < 0.05) and decreased under the P-only addition and N and P coaddition treatments (p < 0.05). Overall, the results suggest that combined N and P supply can increase biological activities and thus accelerate the release of litter C, N, and most metal nutrients, as expected within the framework of ecological stoichiometry and growth rate hypothesis. Our study also highlights that the effect of N addition on litter C and nutrients release depends on P availability.