Isolation and characterization of a novel simazine-degrading bacterium from agricultural soil of central Chile, Pseudomonas sp. MHP41

s -Triazine herbicides are used extensively in South America in agriculture and forestry. In this study, a bacterium designated as strain MHP41, capable of degrading simazine and atrazine, was isolated from agricultural soil in the Quillota valley, central Chile. Strain MHP41 is able to grow in minimal medium, using simazine as the sole nitrogen source. In this medium, the bacterium exhibited a growth rate of μ=0.10 h⁻¹, yielding a high biomass of 4.2 × 10⁸ CFU mL⁻¹. Resting cells of strain MHP41 degrade more than 80% of simazine within 60 min. The atzA, atzB, atzC, atzD, atzE and atzF genes encoding the enzymes of the simazine upper and lower pathways were detected in strain MHP41. The motile Gram-negative bacterium was identified as a Pseudomonas sp., based on the Biolog microplate system and comparative sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. Amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis allowed the differentiation of strain MHP41 from Pseudomonas sp. ADP. The comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses suggested that strain MHP41 is closely related to Pseudomonas nitroreducens and Pseudomonas multiresinovorans . This is the first s -triazine-degrading bacterium isolated in South America. Strain MHP41 is a potential biocatalyst for the remediation of s -triazine-contaminated environments.     

Characterization of Arthrobacter nicotinovorans HIM, an atrazine-degrading bacterium, from agricultural soil New Zealand

Arthrobacter nicotinovorans HIM was isolated directly from an agricultural sandy dune soil 6 months after a single application of atrazine. It grew in minimal medium with atrazine as sole nitrogen source but was unable to mineralize 14C-ring-labelled atrazine. Atrazine was degraded to cyanuric acid. In addition to atrazine the bacterium degraded simazine, terbuthylazine, propazine, cyanazine and prometryn but was unable to grow on terbumeton. When added to soil, A. nicotinovorans HIM did enhance mineralization of 14C-ring-labelled atrazine and simazine, in combination with naturally occurring cyanuric acid degrading microbes resident in the soil. Using PCR, the atrazine-degradation genes atzABC were identified in A. nicotinovorans HIM. Cloning of the atzABC genes revealed significant homology (>99%) with the atrazine degradation genes of Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP. The atrazine degradation genes were held on a 96 kbp plasmid.     

Factors Affecting Absorption and Translocation of Simazine by Barley

The factors affecting the absorption and translocation of simazineby young barley plants in short-term experiments in water culturehave been investigated. Chromatographic examination of the xylemsap indicated no extensive breakdown of the herbicide in thetranspiration stream. Under varying conditions of humidity,light intensity, temperature, and in the presence of metabolicinhibitors, the concentration of simazine in the transpirationstream relative to that in the uptake medium was always lessthan unity. This could, in part, be attributed to retentionof simazine at a higher concentration on a fresh weight basisin the root tissues than in the ambient medium. There was littleevidence that the absorption and translocation of simazine wasinfluenced by metabolism except in so far as this affected movementof water, and micro-organisms present on the plant roots atambient laboratory levels had no effect on the uptake and transportof the herbicide. Simazine brings about a decrease in the rate of transpirationand a reduction in the total uptake of rubidium and phosphateat relatively high concentrations. However, when the phosphateconcentration in the ambient medium was below the level at whichtranslocation of this ion is affected by the rate of transpiration,the herbicide did not reduce uptake of phosphate. There is thereforeno evidence that in short-term experiments simazine has an effecton active transport processes.     

Effect of simazine,lindane and ceresan on soil respiration and nitrification rates

Summary The effect of three pesticidesviz, simazine, lindane and ceresan upto 100-fold of field application was studied on organic matter mineralization as well as on nitrification rates in Delhi alluvial soil. The normal rate of simazine (2 ppm) did not influence CO₂ evolution but higher concentrations suppressed it. Lindane and ceresan inhibited CO₂ production from soil by normal concentrations but the same CO₂ production was enhanced in berseem roots treated soil upto 10 ppm of ceresan.The nitrification of ammonium sulphate in soil due to these pesticides was impaired significantly for varying periods. The inhibitory effect of higher concentrations was marked only upto 3 weeks, subsequently the rate of nitrification was restored. Among the nitrifiers, Nitrobacter were more susceptible as compared to Nitrosomonas.     

Effect of Herbicides on the Toxicity of Fungicides Against Rhizoctonia solani Causing Damping-off of Cotton

The effect of two herbicides (paraquat and simazine on the antifungal activity of two fungicides (captan and mounsrin) against Rhizoctonia solani was studied. when the herbicides paraquat and simazine were applied to soil they altered the effectiveness of both fungicides in controlling R. solani , thus causing damping-off of cotton. Both herbicides increased the toxicity of both fungicides against mycelial growth of the fungus. In pot tests, seeds or soil treated with captan or mounsrin, gave better control of R. solani damping-off disease when the soil was treated with paraquat or simazine compared to untreated soil. Captan was, however, found to be more effective in controlling the disease than mounsrin.     

Dynamic modelling of the simazine content of soil

A mathematical model of dynamics of simazine level in soil based on the hypothesis of several forms of simazine in soil and integral influence of environmental factors on inactivation has been worked out. The results of modelling are under discussion.     

Simazine application inhibits nitrification and changes the ammonia-oxidizing bacterial communities in a fertilized agricultural soil

s-Triazine herbicides are widely used for weed control, and are persistent in soils. Nitrification is an essential process in the global nitrogen cycle in soil, and involves ammonia-oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing Archaea (AOA). In this study, we evaluated the effect of the s-triazine herbicide simazine on the nitrification and on the structure of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities in a fertilized agricultural soil. The effect of simazine on AOB and AOA were studied by PCR-amplification of amoA genes of nitrifying Bacteria and Archaea in soil microcosms and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses. Simazine [50?μg g(-1) dry weight soil (d.w.s)] completely inhibited the nitrification processes in the fertilized agricultural soil. The inhibition by simazine of ammonia oxidation observed was similar to the reduction of ammonia oxidation by the nitrification inhibitor acetylene. The application of simazine-affected AOB community DGGE patterns in the agricultural soil amended with ammonium, whereas no significant changes in the AOA community were observed. The DGGE analyses strongly suggest that simazine inhibited Nitrosobacteria and specifically Nitrosospira species. In conclusion, our results suggest that the s-triazine herbicide not only inhibits the target susceptible plants but also inhibits the ammonia oxidation and the AOB in fertilized soils.     

Bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas sp. strain MHP41 promotes simazine attenuation and bacterial community changes in agricultural soils

Bioremediation is an important technology for the removal of persistent organic pollutants from the environment. Bioaugmentation with the encapsulated Pseudomonas sp. strain MHP41 of agricultural soils contaminated with the herbicide simazine was studied. The experiments were performed in microcosm trials using two soils: soil that had never been previously exposed to s -triazines (NS) and soil that had >20 years of s -triazine application (AS). The efficiency of the bioremediation process was assessed by monitoring simazine removal by HPLC. The simazine-degrading microbiota was estimated using an indicator for respiration combined with most-probable-number enumeration. The soil bacterial community structures and the effect of bioaugmentation on these communities were determined using 16S RNA gene clone libraries and FISH analysis. Bioaugmentation with MHP41 cells enhanced simazine degradation and increased the number of simazine-degrading microorganisms in the two soils. In highly contaminated NS soil, bioaugmentation with strain MHP41 was essential for simazine removal. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from NS and AS soils revealed high bacterial diversity. Bioaugmentation with strain MHP41 promoted soil bacterial community shifts. FISH analysis revealed that bioaugmentation increased the relative abundances of two phylogenetic groups ( Acidobacteria and Planctomycetes ) in both soils. Although members of the Archaea were metabolically active in these soils, their relative abundance was not altered by bioaugmentation.     

Ongoing functional evolution of the bacterial atrazine chlorohydrolase AtzA

Triazine herbicides such as atrazine and simazine which were heavily used in the latter half of the twentieth century constituted a rich new source of nitrogen for soil microbes. An atzA dechlorinase active against both atrazine and simazine was isolated from various soil bacteria from diverse locations in the mid 1990s. We have surveyed the atzA genes from eight triazine-degrading Aminobacter aminovorans strains isolated from French agricultural soils recurrently exposed to triazines in 2000. Six amino acid differences from the original isolate were each found in more than one of the A. aminovorans strains. Three of these in particular (V92L, A170T and A296T) were recovered from a majority of the isolates and from locations separated by up to 900 km, so may reflect ongoing selection for the new function. Two of the latter (A170T and A296T) were indeed found to confer higher specificity for simazine, albeit not atrazine, and greater affinity for a metal ion required for activity, than did the original variant. In contrast, we found that ongoing maintenance of the original atzA-containing isolate in laboratory culture for 12 years in a medium containing high concentrations of atrazine has led to the fixation of another amino acid substitution that substantially reduces activity for the triazines. The high concentrations of atrazine in the medium may have relaxed the selection for a highly efficient triazine dechlorinase activity, and that there is some, as yet uncharacterised, counter selection against the activity of this enzyme under these conditions.     

鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林凋落叶分解与土壤动物群落动态和多样性

2001年12月~2002年12月,采用不同孔径分解凋落叶样袋法,对鼎湖山季风常绿阔叶林3类凋落叶的分解进行了研究,并对落叶分解过程中凋落叶袋内和袋下土样中的土壤动物群落和多样性进行了调查。结果表明,3种孔径袋内凋落叶的分解速率为大孔>中孔>微孔;混合凋落叶的分解速率大于单种凋落叶;蜱螨目在凋落叶分解的整个过程中相对数量都较高,弹尾目在凋落叶的分解过程中在凋落叶袋和土壤间移动,数量变化较大。凋落叶袋内大、中型土壤动物的个体数量在分解前期较多,中、小型土壤动物在分解的中期数量剧增;凋落叶袋内土壤动物的个体数量、密度以及多样性指数都随着落叶的分解而增加,9月最高;土壤样内则在分解的前期较高,以后逐渐降低。凋落叶的分解和土壤动物群落动态及多样性受凋落叶基质质量以及样地温度、降雨量等综合因素的影响。     

Chemostat selection of a bacterial community able to degrade s-triazinic compounds: continuous simazine biodegradation in a multi-stage packed bed biofilm reactor

Using a successive transfer method on mineral salt medium containing simazine, a microbial community enriched with microorganisms able to grow on simazine was obtained. Afterwards, using a continuous enrichment culture procedure, a bacterial community able to degrade simazine from an herbicide formulation was isolated from a chemostat. The continuous selector, fed with a mineral salt medium containing simazine and adjuvants present in the commercial herbicide formulation, was maintained in operation for 42 days. Following the lapse of this time, the cell count increased from 5 x 10(5) to 3 x 10(8) CFU mL(-1), and the simazine removal efficiency reached 96%. The chemostat's bacterial diversity was periodically evaluated by extracting the culture's bacterial DNA, amplifying their 16S rDNA fragments and analyzing them by thermal gradient gel electrophoresis. Finally, a stable bacterial consortium able to degrade simazine was selected. By PCR amplification, sequencing of bacterial 16S rDNA amplicons, and comparison with known sequences of 16S rDNA from the NCBI GenBank, eight bacterial strains were identified. The genera, Ochrobactrum, Mycobacterium, Cellulomonas, Arthrobacter, Microbacterium, Rhizobium and Pseudomonas have been reported as common degraders of triazinic herbicides. On the contrary, we were unable to find reports about the ability of the genus Pseudonocardia to degrade triazinic compounds. The selected bacterial community was attached to a porous support in a concurrently aerated four-stage packed-bed reactor fed with the herbicide. Highest overall simazine removal efficiencies eta (SZ) were obtained at overall dilution rates D below 0.284 h(-1). However, the multistage packed bed reactor could be operated at dilution rates as high as D = 3.58 h(-1) with overall simazine removal volumetric rates R (v,SZ) = 19.6 mg L(-1) h(-1), and overall simazine removal specific rates R (X,SZ) = 13.48 mg (mg cell protein)(-1) h(-1). Finally, the consortium's ability to degrade 2-chloro-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine (CAAT), cyanuric acid and the herbicide atrazine, pure or mixed with simazine, was evaluated in fed batch processes.     

不同温度条件下杉木、桤木和火力楠细根分解对土壤活性有机碳的影响

通过室内培养试验,研究了不同温度(9 ℃、14 ℃、24 ℃和28 ℃)条件下桤木、杉木和火力楠细根分解对土壤活性有机碳的影响.结果表明,不同树种细根的分解率不同,树种间差异显著,大小依次为火力楠>桤木>杉木.细根分解率随着培养温度的增加而增大,随着培养时间的延长而降低.添加细根的种类、培养温度和培养时间均对实验系统中土壤微生物碳和水溶性有机碳的含量产生影响.3个树种细根分解使土壤微生物碳和水溶性有机碳含量显著高于对照,大小依次为火力楠>桤木>杉木>对照; 培养中期以及中等培养温度条件下细根分解对应着较高的土壤微生物碳和水溶性有机碳含量.细根分解对土壤易氧化碳含量无显著影响.     

Combining supercritical fluid extraction of soil herbicides with enzyme immunoassay analysis

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) of soil herbicides followed by enzyme immunoassay analysis (EIA) is explained in a step-by-step process. Extracted herbicides, include 2,4-D, simazine, atrazine, and alachlor. The herbicide, trifluralin was not successfully analyzed by EIA because of crossreacting metabolites. Problems with SFE, including uneven packing of cells, leaks, uneven flow and clogging, can largely be eliminated as the method parameters are optimized. It was necessary to add modifiers including methanol or acetone to the SF CO₂ to increase the solubility of the analytes. Detection limits of 2.5 ng/g soil for atrazine and alachlor and 15 ng/g soil for simazine and 2,4-D without concentration of the sample were achieved. Recoveries above 80% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 15% for 2,4-D simazine, atrazine and alachlor were achieved. Atrazine and alachlor recoveries were above 90% with RSDs below 10%. Forty soil samples could be extracted and analyzed in an 8-h day.     

宁夏荒漠草原柠条锦鸡儿枯落物分解特征及其影响因素

以宁夏荒漠草原柠条锦鸡儿(Caragana kornshinskii)枯落物为研究对象,利用网孔分解袋法研究了极小型、小型、中型和大型柠条锦鸡儿灌丛微生境枯落物分解率变化特征及对土壤环境的响应规律。结果表明:(1)随着分解时间延长,不同大小柠条锦鸡儿灌丛微生境土壤含水量和土壤温度均呈现出相似的分布特征,而土壤pH值和电导率随时间分布特征则受到灌丛大小的显著影响。(2)3种网孔内,不同大小柠条灌丛微生境间枯落物分解率均无显著差异性。但是,灌丛微生境中枯落物分解率受到灌丛大小和网孔大小的共同影响。(3)中型灌丛微生境中枯落物分解率在3种网孔间均无显著差异性。但在极小型灌丛微生境中,120 d时枯落物分解率表现为4 mm(40.95%)0.01 mm(38.51%)2 mm(32.14%),150 d时枯落物分解率表现为2 mm(37.64%)4 mm(35.20%)0.01 mm(26.68%)。在小型灌丛微生境中,120 d时枯落物分解率表现为0.01 mm(46.81%)4 mm(41.07%)2 mm(34.75%)。在大型灌丛微生境中,120 d时枯落物分解率表现为4 mm(39.65%)2 mm(36.65%)0.01 mm(35.96%),210 d时枯落物分解率表现为2 mm(48.05%)4 mm(35.96%)0.01 mm(30.80%)。(4)Olson衰减指数模型得出枯落物分解50%和95%所需时间,表现为极小型灌丛和中型灌丛微生境中均为0.95年和4.1年(3种网孔相同);小型灌丛微生境中为0.63年和2.74年(4 mm)、1.90年和8.21年(2 mm)、0.95年和4.1年(0.01 mm);大型灌丛微生境中为0.95年和4.1年(4 mm)、0.63年和2.74年(2 mm)、1.90年和8.21年(0.01 mm)。研究表明,在宁夏荒漠草原,仅灌丛大小引起的微生境差异对枯落物分解率影响较小,但灌丛大小和土壤动物类群的相互作用对枯落物分解率的影响较大。     

Linkages between grazing history and herbivore exclusion on decomposition rates in mineral soils of subalpine grasslands

Background & aims

Herbivore-driven changes to soil properties can influence the decomposition rate of organic material and therefore soil carbon cycling within grassland ecosystems. We investigated how aboveground foraging mammalian and invertebrate herbivores affect mineral soil decomposition rates and associated soil properties in two subalpine vegetation types (short-grass and tall-grass) with different grazing histories.

Methods

Using exclosures with differing mesh sizes, we progressively excluded large, medium and small mammals and invertebrates from the two vegetation types in the Swiss National Park (SNP). Mineral soil decomposition rates were assessed using the cotton cloth (standard substrate) method between May and September 2010.

Results

Decomposition displayed strong spatio-temporal variability, best explained by soil temperature. Exclusion of large mammals increased decomposition rates, but further exclusion reduced decomposition rates again in the lightly grazed (tall-grass) vegetation. No difference among treatments was found in the heavily grazed (short-grass) vegetation. Heavily grazed areas had higher decomposition rates than the lightly grazed areas because of higher soil temperatures. Microbial biomass carbon and soil C:N ratio were also linked to spatio-temporal decomposition patterns, but not to grazing history.

Conclusions

Despite altering some of the environmental controls of decomposition, cellulose decomposition rates in the SNP’s subalpine grasslands appear to be mostly resistant to short-term herbivore exclusion.     

Simazine treatment history determines a significant herbicide degradation potential in soils that is not improved by bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas sp. ADP

AIMS: To study biological removal of the herbicide simazine in soils with different history of herbicide treatment and to test bioaugmentation with a simazine-degrading bacterial strain. METHODS AND RESULTS: Simazine removal was studied in microcosms prepared with soils that had been differentially exposed to this herbicide. Simazine removal was much higher in previously exposed soils than in unexposed ones. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and multivariate analysis showed that soils previously exposed to simazine contained bacterial communities that were significantly impacted by simazine but also had an increased resilience. The biodegradation potential was also related to the presence of high levels of the atz-like gene sequences involved in simazine degradation. Bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas sp. ADP resulted in an increased initial rate of simazine removal, but this strain scarcely survived. After 28 days, residual simazine removals were the same in bioaugmented and not bioaugmented microcosms. CONCLUSIONS: In soils with a history of simazine treatment bacterial communities were able to overcome subsequent impacts with the herbicide. The success of bioaugmentation was limited by the low survival of the introduced strain. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Conclusions from this work provided insights on simazine biodegradation potential of soils and the convenience of bioaugmentation.     

Mutagenesis and Triazine Herbicide Effects in Strawberry Shoot Cultures

The effects of simazine on shoot culture of two varieties ofstrawberry were investigated with a view to establishing a systemfor in vitro selection of resistant mutants. In single shootssome chlorophyll loss occurred at herbicide levels producinglittle growth inhibition, but efficient bleaching was associatedwith severe suppression of growth. Varying simazine and sucroselevels, in both single and multiple shoot cultures did not revealany conditions where chlorophyll destruction and growth inhibitioncould be separated. A protective effect, against bleaching,of high sucrose levels was not linked to suppression of photosynthesis,as assessed by CO₂-fixation measurements. Mutagenesis with nitrosomethylurea resulted in chlorophyll deficiencies in about 10% of shootsarising from axillary buds, but no resistant sectors emergedfrom 8000 and 400 mutagenized explants placed on medium containinginhibitory levels of simazine and streptomycin sulphate, respectively. Key words: Strawberry, simazine, triazine, mutagenesis, shoot cultures     

Influence of temperature on phytotoxicity of triazine herbicides to pine seedlings

The effects of temperature, over a range of 5 to 30 C, on phytotoxicity of simazine, atrazine, propazine, prometryne, prometone, and ipazine to young Pinus resinosa seedlings were investigated in growth chambers. Herbicides were applied to the soil surface and then mixed into the soil before pine seeds were planted. Development of recently germinated seedlings was then studied for 7 weeks. High temperatures greatly accelerated herbicide toxicity, but the effects of temperature varied greatly among herbicides. Atrazine and simazine were more toxic than other herbicides tested at all temperatures. Toxicity of simazine and atrazine was apparent early, whereas effects of propazine, prometryne, prometone, and ipazine were somewhat delayed. After 7 weeks maximum dry-weight production of shoots under each herbicide treatment and control occurred at 20 C, with some decreases noted at lower temperatures and marked decreases at progressively higher ones. At 20 C final seedling dry weights following treatment with simazine or atrazine were only one-third as high as in control plants. Growth was also reduced in lesser amounts by propazine, prometryne, prometone, or ipazine. Variations in phytotoxicity of different triazine herbicides appeared to be related more to their structural differences than their solubilities. Under the constant environmental conditions of the experiments, toxicity symptoms in plants treated with triazine herbicides appeared more rapidly and decisively than in previous field experiments under fluctuating environments. The influence of high temperatures in enhancing triazine toxicity appeared to involve complex interactions of physiological activity of plants and temperature effects on herbicide uptake.     

模拟N沉降下不同林龄马尾松林凋落叶分解-土壤C、N化学计量特征

模拟N沉降对森林生态系统的影响是当今全球变化生态学研究的一个热点问题,土壤碳库对N沉降比较敏感,N沉降增加了凋落叶分解过程中外源N含量,间接影响凋落叶分解的化学过程并改变凋落叶分解速率,因此,研究模拟N沉降下凋落叶分解-土壤C-N关系对预测森林C吸存有重要意义。利用原位分解袋法研究了模拟N沉降下三峡库区不同林龄马尾松林(Pinus massoniana)凋落叶分解过程中凋落叶-土壤C、N化学计量响应及其关系;N沉降水平分对照(CK,0 g m~(-2)a~(-1))、低氮(LN,5 g m~(-2)a~(-1))、中氮(MN,10 g m~(-2)a~(-1))和高氮(HN,15 g m~(-2)a~(-1))。结果表明:分解540 d后,N沉降促进20年生和30年生马尾松林凋落叶分解,46年生马尾松林中仅低氮处理促进凋落叶分解,4种处理均是30年生分解最快,说明同一树种起始N含量低的凋落叶对N沉降呈正响应,N沉降处理促进起始N含量低的凋落叶分解,起始N含量高的凋落叶分解过程中易达到"N饱和"。N沉降抑制20年生和46年生凋落叶C释放(低于对照0.62%—6.69%),促进30年生C释放(高于对照0.28%—5.55%);30年生和46年生林分N固持量均高于对照(高于对照0.15%—21.34%),20年生则低于对照(5.70%—13.87%),说明模拟N沉降处理促进起始C含量低的凋落叶C释放和起始N含量低的凋落叶N固持。N沉降处理下仅30年生马尾松林土壤有机碳较对照增加,且土壤有机质与凋落叶C、N和分解速率呈正相关,与凋落叶C/N比呈显著负相关;土壤总氮与凋落叶分解速率、凋落叶N含量呈正相关,土壤有机碳/总氮比与凋落叶C、N含量呈正相关;对照处理中凋落叶分解指标对土壤养分影响顺序是分解速率凋落物C含量凋落物C/N比凋落物N含量,低、中、高氮处理中则是凋落物C含量分解速率凋落物N含量凋落物C/N比。研究表明低土壤养分含量马尾松林对N沉降呈正响应,N沉降促进低土壤养分马尾松林凋落叶分解并提高土壤肥力;凋落叶质量和土壤养分含量低的生态系统土壤C对N沉降响应更显著。     

Effect of litter substrate quality and soil nutrients on forest litter decomposition: A review

Forest litter plays an important role in determining nutrient cycling, balance and maintaining ecosystem function of forest ecosystems. Studies have shown that litter substrate quality is one of the most important factors affecting litter decomposition in a given area. It is, hence, important to understand the factors controlling litter decomposition in the late decomposition stage and determining organic matter changes over the duration of litter decomposition. Decomposition rate of mixed litter may differ with that of a single specie litter. Supply of soil nutrients is an important factor controlling litter decomposition rate, because the essential nutrients in soil or litter material influence community and activity of decomposers (soil organisms). There were clear relationships among soil nutrient, litter substrate quality, and decomposition. Soil nutrient contents were positively correlated with litter substrate quality, showing that higher contents of soil nutrient were accompanied with good quality of litter substrate, and lower soil nutrients with poor litter quality. The effects of soil fertility on litter decomposition rate varied with environmental conditions. It was reported that litter quality regulates the early stage of carbon decomposition and its accumulation in soil, however, it could not predict the long-term dynamics of soil organic carbon. Hence, the formation and stabilization of soil organic carbon are controlled by the quantity of litter input and its interaction with the soil circumstances rather than by the litter quality. The present paper reviewed the research findings about litter decomposition related to litter substrate quality and soil nutrients, including short-term and long-term litter decomposition, decomposition of single-species vs. mixed-litter decomposition and litter nutrients release. The present paper aimed to clarify the relationship between soil nutrients and litter decomposition, which will help to understand forest succession, forest water conservation and soil re-production capacity.