Characteristics of litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics on slopes resotred with different ecological restoration techniques

By studying the dynamic characteristics of nutrient return during the decomposition of litter on slopes restored with different ecological restoration techniques, we can explore the soil nutrient balance of these slopes, providing foundational data and theoretical support for research on nutrient return in slope ecological restoration.Five slopes restored with different ecological restoration techniques in Yichang City were selected as study subjects, namely slopes with vegetation-concrete ecological protection technology, slope with high-aggregate vegetation restoration technology, slope with imitation vegetation-concrete ecological restoration technology, slope with plantable cement habitat construction technology + vegetation-concrete ecological protection technology, and slope with native species hydro-seeding technology.The litter was collected using the quadrat method, and its initial nutrient content was measured.An in-situ decomposition experiment was conducted using the litterbag method to determine decomposition characteristics and dynamic nutrient changes.The results showed that under the same decomposition conditions, the litter on vegetation-concrete slopes decomposed the fastest, while that on soil-sprayed slopes decomposed the slowest.There were significant differences in the TOC content of litter among the five slopes, as well as in the initial lignin, N, and P content of the litter.The C: N ratio of the litters also varied significantly over the same decomposition period.Correlation analysis revealed that the decomposition coefficient K was significantly negatively correlated with TOC, N, and C: N, indicating that the decomposition rate of litter on slopes restored with different ecological techniques was primarily influenced by the TOC content and C: N ratio of the litter.The decomposition process was constrained by N availability, meaning that the higher initial TOC, N content, and C: N ratio in the litter were, the slower decomposition rates were, which were less favorable for decomposition.