Methodology-Dependent Reversals in Root Decomposition: Divergent Regulation by Forest Gap and Root Order in <i>Pinus massoniana</i>

Understanding root decomposition dynamics is essential to address declining carbon sequestration and nutrient imbalances in monoculture plantations. This study elucidates how forest gaps regulate <i>Pinus massoniana</i> root decomposition through comparative methodological analysis, providing theoretical foundations for near-natural forest management and carbon–nitrogen cycle optimization in plantations. The results showed the following: (1) Root decomposition was significantly accelerated by the in situ soil litterbag method (ISLM) versus the traditional litterbag method (LM) (decomposition rate (<i>k</i>) = 0.459 vs. 0.188), reducing the 95% decomposition time (<i>T_0.95</i>) by nearly nine years (6.53 years vs. 15.95 years). ISLM concurrently elevated the root potassium concentration and reconfigured the relationships between root decomposition and soil nutrients. (2) Lower-order roots (orders 1–3) decomposed significantly faster than higher-order roots (orders 4–5) (<i>k</i> = 0.455 vs. 0.193). This disparity was amplified under ISLM (lower-/higher-order root <i>k</i> ratio = 4.1) but diminished or reversed under LM (lower-/higher-order root <i>k</i> ratio = 0.8). (3) Forest gaps regulated decomposition through temporal phase interactions, accelerating decomposition initially (0–360 days) while inhibiting it later (360–720 days), particularly for higher-order roots. Notably, forest gap effects fundamentally reversed between methodologies (slight promotion under LM vs. significant inhibition under ISLM). Our study reveals that conventional LM may obscure genuine ecological interactions during root decomposition, confirms lower-order roots as rapid nutrient-cycling pathways, provides crucial methodological corrections for plantation nutrient models, and advances theoretical foundations for precision management of <i>P. massoniana</i> plantations.