Abstract
Wood decomposition is integral to forest carbon and nutrient cycling, yet its sensitivity to nutrient availability remains poorly understood. While nitrogen (N) often inhibits and phosphorus (P) accelerates leaf litter decay, few studies have tested these patterns in wood—and none under factorial N and P addition in temperate forests. We installed Acer saccharum stakes in three mature forests at the Multiple Element Limitation in Northern Hardwood Ecosystems (MELNHE) experiment in New Hampshire, USA, following 10 years of factorial N and P additions. After 4–5 years, we measured mass loss, nutrient dynamics, and fungal communities while accounting for soil temperature, moisture, litter cover, canopy openness, and pH. Phosphorus increased wood mass loss by 7% and was more strongly retained than N, while N had no effect. P addition also increased soft-rot Ascomycetes. Environmental factors, especially litter cover and soil temperature, strongly regulated decomposition, underscoring P limitation in woody detritus turnover.