Effects of understory removal on release of different nitrogen and phosphorus fractions from Moso Bamboo litter

<bold>Objective</bold> Understory vegetation removal is a common management practice in moso bamboo plantation，which exerts a significant impact on the growth and development of moso bamboo.However，its impact on the release of different nitrogen（N）and phosphorus（N）fractions during the decomposition of moso bamboo litter remains unclear. <bold>Method</bold> This study takes typical moso bamboo plantations in the subtropical region as the research object.By combining in situ decomposition experiment in the field with laboratory analysis，this study investigated the effect of understory removal on the decomposition ratio of moso bamboo litter，the release of N and P，and the structure of microbial communities，thus exploring the impact of understory removal on the releases of different N and P fractions during moso bamboo litter decomposition and its microbial driving mechanisms. <bold>Result</bold> After twelve months of litter decomposition，the understory removal significantly reduced litter decomposition rate，primarily attributed to the increased fungal biomass and the ratio of fungi to bacteria in the litter，while bacterial biomass decreased.In addition，understory vegetation removal accelerates the release of total nitrogen from litter，which is mainly attributed to the increased release of residual nitrogen.Furthermore，the removal promoted the release of nucleic acid P and the accumulation of residual P.Consequently，it exerted no significant impact on the total P release from litter. <bold>Conclusion</bold> The results demonstrate that understory vegetation removal regulates microbial community structure，thereby altering litter decomposition rate and the release patterns of N and P nutrients in subtropical bamboo plantations.This study further highlights the critical role of understory vegetation in controlling soil nutrient availability.The findings provide scientific basis for sustainable management of subtropical bamboo plantations and contribute to a better understanding of nutrient cycling in bamboo ecosystems.