Bulletin of Botanical Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (5): 755-768.doi: 10.7525/j.issn.1673-5102.2025.05.010

• Original Paper • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The Effects of Soil Nitrogen and Microbial Community on Growth of Moso Bamboo and Japanese Cedar Seedlings: Potential Mechanisms of Bamboo Expansion

Xi ZHANG1, Haifu FANG1, Hong ZHAO2, Jiacheng SHEN2, Liangying LIU1, Xintong XU1, Ling ZHANG1()   

  1. 1.Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Subtropical Forest Resources Cultivation,College of Forestry,Jiangxi Agricultural University,Nanchang 330045
    2.Jiangxi Communications Investment Maintenance Technology Group Co. ,Ltd. ,Nanchang 330200
  • Received:2024-11-21 Online:2025-09-20 Published:2025-09-28
  • Contact: Ling ZHANG E-mail:lingzhang09@126.com

Abstract:

The expansion of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) into adjacent forest stands affects plant and soil stability, but the mechanism underlying its successful expansion remains unclear. By investigating the effects of different nitrogen forms and microbes on growth of moso bamboo and Japanese cedar(Cryptomeria japonica), the nutrient and microbial mechanisms of moso bamboo expansion under the background of global change were revealed. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted. Nitrogen addition treatments of 8 g·m-2 were set up (control, Con; ammonium nitrogen, N1, with ammonium sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) solution applied; nitrate nitrogen, N2, with potassium nitrate (KNO₃) solution applied), and the soil microbial community was regulated (control, Con; bacterial inhibition, B, with 3 g·L-1 streptomycin solution applied; fungal inhibition, F, with 1 g·L-1 iprodione solution applied). The responses of moso bamboo and Japanese cedar seedlings to nitrogen addition and microorganisms under single and mixed plantings were explored. The results showed that compared to the control, biomass and seedling height of moso bamboo and Japanese cedar significantly increased by nitrogen addition under monoculture and mixed planting, while the root-to-shoot ratio significantly decreased. In microbial treatments, both bacterial and fungal inhibition significantly reduced the biomass and height of both species(P<0.01), indicating growth limitations. Compared to the control, bacterial inhibition reduced biomass by 13.93% and 11.57%, and height by 9.41% and 4.56% for moso bamboo and Japanese cedar, respectively. Fungal inhibition resulted in reductions of 15.84% and 10.46% in biomass and 6.90% and 3.20% in height for moso bamboo and Japanese cedar, respectively. Compared to monoculture, mixed planting significantly increased the biomass and height of moso bamboo while reducing the root-to-shoot ratio of both species by 6.01% and 5.77%(P<0.05), respectively. Moso bamboo demonstrated stronger growth dominance under mixed planting. In nitrogen addition treatments, significant reductions in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen were observed under monoculture of Japanese cedar compared to monoculture of moso bamboo and mixed planting. Both N1 and N2 nitrogen forms significantly decreased soil pH across planting systems, with soil pH in mixed planting being higher than in monoculture. Under the context of global change, nitrogen deposition resulting from ecosystem nitrogen additions may interact with moso bamboo expansion to form a positive feedback loop, further promoting its successful expansion. With intensified nitrogen deposition, soil nutrient availability and soil microbial communities will enhance plant competitive ability by promoting nutrient absorption and resource allocation, leading to the successful expansion of moso bamboo into adjacent forest stands.

Key words: Japanese cedar, nitrogen addition, microbial regulation, moso bamboo expansion

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