Evidence that straw does not increase the mobilization of N from decomposing salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh.) leaf litter

We tested whether straw could induce higher N release from decomposing salal leaf litter, which ostensibly interferes with mineralization of N. We mixed forest floor material from two forest types with 15N-enriched salal leaf litter, and incubated the mixtures 3 years with and without straw amendments. The amounts of N, as well as the relative amounts of 15N, extracted in five fractions were, respectively, 29–93 and 25–82% lower in straw-amended forest floor. Results suggest that straw diverted microbial decomposition activity away from the more recalcitrant litter fractions. Previous reports of higher mineral-N availability in straw-amended forest floors are best explained by a fertilizer effect of straw as opposed to a ‘priming effect’.