Is it worth hyperaccumulating Ni on non-serpentine soils? Decomposition dynamics of mixed-species litters containing hyperaccumulated Ni across serpentine and non-serpentine environments

Nickel (Ni)-hyperaccumulating species produce high-Ni litters and may potentially influence important ecosystem processes such as decomposition. Although litters resembling the natural community conditions are essential in order to predict decomposition dynamics, decomposition of mixed-species litters containing hyperaccumulated Ni has never been studied. This study aims to test the effect of different litter mixtures containing hyperaccumulated Ni on decomposition and Ni release across serpentine and non-serpentine soils.