Nitrogen addition affects eco-physiological interactions between two tree species dominating in subtropical forests.

Nitrogen (N) deposition affects plant growth and interspecific interaction. This study aimed to explore the effect of N deposition on the growth and eco-physiological interactions between two tree species dominating in subtropical forests. A greenhouse experiment was conducted for 6 months in which the conifer Cunninghamia lanceolata and the broadleaved Phoebe chekiangensis were grown in monocultures and in a mixture under two levels of N addition: 0 and 45 kg ha yr. The plant growth, root architecture, biomass distribution, element contents in plants and soil, and photosynthetic physiology were determined. The height and crown width of both seedlings tended to be higher in the mixture than in the monoculture when grown without N addition. P. chekiangensis was superior to C. lanceolata in resource acquisition and showed a greater net photosynthetic rate, plant height, crown width, total biomass, and belowground biomass distribution. In the mixture, N addition increased the net photosynthetic rate and decreased the height, ground diameter, and crown width of both species. Belowground biomass distribution was decreased in C. lanceolata but increased in P. chekiangensis under N addition. The P contents in both seedlings were higher in the mixture than in monocultures. Results showed N addition aggravated the competition and weakened the growth of both species in the mixture, largely determined by the competition for resources through the changing root architecture and biomass allocation. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms of interspecific interaction in response to increasing N deposition in silvicultural practice.