Litter Decomposition and Soil Nutrient Cycling in Forests
A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Soil".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 91
Special Issue Editors
Interests: soil microbial diversity; soil nutrient cycling; soil aggregate turnover
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: ecosystem
Interests: biodiversity; ecosystem structure and function; restoration ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Forest litter decomposition is a key link between plants and soil and plays a vital role in nutrient cycling. The organic matter in litter is decomposed by microorganisms and releases nutrient elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which re-enter the soil for plant absorption and utilization and maintain the material circulation and energy flow of the forest ecosystem. The decomposition rate of litter is affected by litter quality, microbial activity, environmental conditions, and other factors, which, in turn, affect the efficiency and quantity of nutrient release. Litter decomposition and nutrient cycling are interdependent to maintain the balance and productivity of forest ecosystems. Research on the relationship between the two is helpful to understand the function of forest ecosystems, predict the impact of global change, and provide scientific basis for sustainable forest management.
Therefore, this Special Issue will bring together important research on litter decomposition and soil nutrient cycling in forests, including the following: (1) the mechanisms by which climate change affects litter decomposition processes; (2) the comparative study of litter decomposition characteristics of different forest types; (3) the relationship between soil biocommunity structure and litter decomposition function; and (4) the response and adaptation mechanisms to litter decomposition under human disturbance.
Dr. Shengqiang Wang
Dr. Ziliang Zhang
Prof. Dr. Yili Guo
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- soil organic carbon
- soil nutrients
- litter decomposition
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