Import and release of nutrients during the first five years of plant litter decomposition

During the initial stages of leaf and needle litter decomposition, microorganisms face nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) scarcity since plant litter is very N- and P-poor compared to microbial biomass. The processes that microorganisms use to cope with the unfavorable stoichiometry, such as transport of nutrients into decomposing litter, are still not fully understood.