The responses of decomposition to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supply were investigated in three leaf species: Eichhornia crassipes, Vallisneria natans, and Potamogeton maackianus. Decomposition was fastest in E. crassipes (0.047–0.099 day−1), intermediate in V. natans (about 0.030 day−1), and slowest in P. maackianus (about 0.010 day−1). Increase in P-availability increased the decomposition rate of E. crassipes by 68–87%, whereas the impact of N-availability alone was insignificant. Both N- and P-availability in waters had no signific...