Effects of Transient Flooding on Leaf Litter Decomposition: A Case Study of Populus euphratica Leaf in an Arid Area

<ns2:p>Litter fall decay constitutes a momentous source of nutrients for plant uptake. The change of mass, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium of fresh leaf litter of Populus euphratica in transient flooding, control and soil covering treatments was measured using litterbags in a desert riparian forest in a field decomposition experiment for a period of 640 d. The leaf litter mass, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium concentration exhibited different fluctuations with time in different treatments. Varied responses to transient flooding were also found. The transient flooding is shown to promote P. euphratica leaf litter decomposition compared to that in no-disturbance conditions. It is also demonstrated that transient flooding can alter the process of nutrient release in leaf litter.</ns2:p>