Nutrient limitation to the decomposition of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

The responses of decomposition to N and P supply were investigated in three leaf types of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes ( Mart.) Solms): dead green leaves collected from Donghu Lake; green, and brown leaves collected from outdoor tanks. The ratios of C: N, C: P, lignin: N and lignin: P were lowest in the green leaves collected from Donghu Lake, and highest in the brown leaves collected from outdoor tanks. Decomposition constant (k) of water hyacinth varied greatly, ranged from 0.006 to 0.099 d(-1). Leaf litters decayed most quickly within the initial two weeks during the experimental period, but decomposition rate decreased significantly in the following days. Decomposition and nutrient ( N and P) release were fastest in the green leaves collected from Donghu Lake, intermediate in the green leaves collected from outdoor tanks, slowest in the brown leaves collected from outdoor tanks. Statistical analyses revealed that the effects of P-availability on decomposition rate and N, P release rate of the three litter types were significant, whereas the impacts of N-availability was insignificant ( p > 0.05) except for the brown leaves collected from outdoor tanks. These results suggest that decomposition rate and nutrient content dynamics of water hyacinth differ with their growth habitats, and could partly be regulated by nutrient availability, especially by P-availability, in the environments.