To evaluate the influencing mechanisms and potential risks of understory cultivation of medicinal plants on nutrient cycling, we compared pure Castanopsis hystrix (non-intercropping) stands with the stands intercropped with Aspidistra elatior on Maofeng Mountain. Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content of understory plants, litter, and soil was measured to analyze their stoichiometric characteristics and differences between treatments. The results showed that intercropping increased the total nitrogen (TN) content in the aboveground part of the herbaceous layer (P < 0. 05), while decreasing the organic carbon (OC) content as well as the C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios in the stems and leaves of the shrub layer (P < 0. 05), indicating enhanced N and P absorption and utilization efficiency in understory plants. In the litter layer, intercropping reduced the OC content (P < 0. 05), decreased the C/N ratio in the semi-decomposed and fully decomposed layers (P < 0. 05), and increased the TN content in the fully decomposed layer, which reflected accelerated litter decomposition and enhanced N mineralization, while the P release was delayed. In the soil layer, intercropping increased OC, TN, and the C/N, C/P, and N/P ratios (P < 0. 05). The rise in soil N/P indicated the mitigation of N limitation, while the decreases in total phosphorus (TP) and available phosphorus (AP) suggested an increased risk of P limitation. Soil enzyme activities were enhanced under intercropping (P < 0. 05), reflecting stronger microbial decomposition and mineralization. Redundancy analysis revealed close coupling relationships among the C, N, and P characteristics of plants, litter, and soil. Overall, intercropping A. elatior in C. hystrix forests optimized nutrient utilization, promoted litter decomposition, and enhanced soil C and N accumulation, thereby altering the C, N, and P allocation patterns within the plant-litter-soil system, while highlighting the potential ecological risk of reduced soil P availability.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |