Decomposition of Pinus sylvestris litter in litter bags: Influence of underlying native litter layer

doi:10.1016/S0038-0717(97)00090-4

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Volume 30, Issue 1, January 1998, Pages 47-55

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(97)00090-4 Get rights and content

Abstract

Pinus sylvestris (L.) litter confined in 1-mm mesh litter bags was incubated on layers of either P. sylvestris or Picea abies (Dietra.) litter of different origins (native litters) under standard conditions in the laboratory. The decomposition rate of the confined litter was measured both as evolution of CO₂ and as mass loss. The native litter played an important part in governing the rate of decomposition of the confined litter, with the native litters richest in N and Ca resulting in greater decomposition rates (up to 15% more) of the confined litter than the nutrient poor native litters. Both inter- and intra-species effects were observed and these are discussed in terms of chemical and physical interactions between the confined and native litters.

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Cited by (54)

Litterfall and leaf litter decomposition in a central African tropical mountain forest and Eucalyptus plantation
2014, Forest Ecology and Management
Citation Excerpt :
Most litter quality indicators marginally differ between CG and PE. Hence, the difference in decomposition between CG and PE is likely explained by the higher Ca content in CG (Chadwick et al., 1998; Hobbie et al., 2006; Davey et al., 2007; Ngao et al., 2009). An additional factor explaining the relatively low decomposition of Eucalyptus litter is its high polyphenol content (Berg and Laskowski, 2006).
Litterfall and leaf litter decomposition are important ecosystem processes that rarely have been quantified for African tropical forests. Litterfall was measured in the Nyungwe pristine forest (two years) (2°28′ S, 29°06′ E, 1915 m a.s.l.) and a nearby Eucalyptus plantation (one year) (2°26′ S, 29°05 E, 1889 m a.s.l.) in southwest Rwanda. To test the species effect and home field advantage on litter decomposition a 361-days experiment with single- and mixed-species leaf litter was carried out. The single-species litterbags were only installed in the pristine forest while the mixed-species litterbags were installed in both forest stands.
Total litterfall amounted to 4.1 ± 0.9 and 2.2 ± 0.5 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ during the first year in the pristine forest and the Eucalyptus plantation, respectively; and 4.0 ± 0.7 ton ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ during the second year in the pristine forest. The contribution of leaf litter in the pristine forest was 69% in the first year and 75% in the second year. In the Eucalyptus plantation leaves contributed 79%. Litterfall peaked in the major (July–August) and minor (December–January) dry seasons and at the onset of the rainy season (September–October).
In the pristine forest, the initial decay rate was highest for Cleistanthus polystachyus (CP) leaf litter (0.0330 day⁻¹), followed by the forest litter mixture (PE + CP + CG) (0.016 day⁻¹), and was lowest for Parinari excelsa (PE) (0.0094 day⁻¹). The final decay rate of CP, Carapa grandiflora (CG) and Eucalyptus litter mixture were similar (0.0014, 0.0013 and 0.0017 day⁻¹) and lower than the final decay rate of forest litter mixture (PE + CP + CG) (0.0021 day⁻¹). Decay rates could be related to litter properties such as nitrogen, lignin, Ca and polyphenol content. Mixing litter species caused a negative additive effect on the initial, while a positive additive effect was observed on the final decay rate in the pristine forest stand. Taken together, mixed-species litter showed increased mass loss compared to the expected weighed-based mass loss from the individual litter types in the mixture. Finally, stand type only affected the final decay rate of forest litter mixture (PE + CP + CG) that was lower in Eucalyptus than in pristine forest and is suggested to be caused by reduced forest floor humidity.
Tree species effects on nutrient cycling and soil biota: A feedback mechanism favouring species coexistence
2013, Forest Ecology and Management
Citation Excerpt :
For instance, Reich et al. (2005) and Hobbie et al.(2006) showed that tree species affected leaf-fall decomposition through variation in leaf-fall quality, soil temperature and earthworm community. Chadwick et al. (1998) observed that leaf-fall decay rate was influenced by the nutrient content of the layer of litter on which leaf-fall was incubated. Recently Vesterdal et al. (2012) correlated the leaf-fall quality (N, Ca and Mg) and microclimatic conditions generated by five deciduous tree species with forest floor C turnover rates.
We synthesise a series of independent but integrated studies on the functioning of a mixed Mediterranean oak forest to demonstrate the tree–soil interactions underpinning a positive feedback process that sustains the coexistence of two oak species. The studies focused on the foliar functional traits, plant regeneration patterns, biogeochemical cycles, soil microbial biomass and ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal diversity associated with the co-dominant evergreen Quercus suber and deciduous Quercus canariensis in a Mediterranean forest in southern Spain.
Foliar attributes differed between oak species, with Q. canariensis having higher nutrient content and lower carbon to nutrient ratios and leaf mass per area than Q. suber. These attributes reflected their distinct resource use strategies and adaptation to high and low resource-availability environments, respectively. Leaf-fall nutrient concentrations were higher in Q. canariensis than in Q. suber and were correlated with concentrations in the fresh leaves. Leaf-fall nutrient concentrations influenced nutrient return, leaf-fall decay rate and the proportion of nutrients released from decomposing leaf-fall, all of which were higher for Q. canariensis than for Q. suber. This generated a differential net nutrient input into the soil that led to increased soil nutrient concentrations under the canopy of Q. canariensis as compared to Q. suber. The fraction of slowly decomposing leaf-fall that builds up soil organic matter was higher for Q. canariensis, further raising the nutrient and moisture retention of its soils. Differences between species in soil properties disappeared with increasing soil depth, which was consistent with the hypothesised leaf-fall-mediated effect. Tree-species-generated changes in soil properties had further impacts on soil organisms. Soil microbial biomass (Cmic) and nutrients (Nmic, Pmic) were higher under Q. canariensis than under Q. suber and were positively related to soil moisture content and substrate availability (particularly soil N). The composition of the ECM fungal community shifted between the two oaks in response to changes in the soil properties, particularly soil Ca and pH. Lower ECM phylogenetic diversity and higher abundance of mycorrhizal species with saprophytic abilities were related to the greater soil fertility under Q. canariensis. Overall, the two oak species generated soil conditions that aligned with their resource-use strategies and would enhance their own competitive capabilities, potentially creating a positive feedback. The two Quercus created soil spatial heterogeneity that could enable their coexistence through spatial niche partitioning. This study demonstrates the critical role of aboveground-belowground interactions underpinning forest community composition.
Nitrogen availability affects saprotrophic basidiomycetes decomposing pine needles in a long term laboratory study
2011, Fungal Ecology
Citation Excerpt :
Likewise, fungal N translocation to high C:N ratio substrata may increase the fungal activity in N limited substratum. Net increases in the amount of N in litter during early stages of decay have been observed repeatedly (Berg & Staaf 1981; Berg et al. 1982; Fahey et al. 1985; Melillo et al. 1989; Chadwick et al. 1998; Moore et al. 2006). Net gain of N is typically associated with more recalcitrant litter types with low initial N content, and N import has been hypothesized as a strategy of fungi to overcome N limitation in the newly shed litter (Lindahl & Boberg 2008).
Fungi, especially basidiomycetous litter decomposers, are pivotal to the turnover of soil organic matter in forest soils. Many litter decomposing fungi have a well-developed capacity to translocate resources in their mycelia, a feature that may significantly affect carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in decomposing litter. In an eight-month long laboratory study we investigated how the external availability of N affected the decomposition of Scots pine needles, fungal biomass production, N retention and N-mineralization by two litter decomposing fungi – Marasmius androsaceus and Mycena epipterygia. Glycine additions had a general, positive effect on fungal biomass production and increased accumulated needle mass loss after 8 months, suggesting that low N availability may limit fungal growth and activity in decomposing pine litter. Changes in the needle N pool reflected the dynamics of the fungal mycelium. During late decomposition stages, redistribution of mycelium and N out from the decomposed needles was observed for M. epipterygia, suggesting autophagous self degradation.
Litter decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems: Modelling the controlling role of climatic conditions and litter quality
2011, Applied Soil Ecology
Citation Excerpt :
Undecomposed litters were analyzed for content of total water soluble substances, organic C and lignin, as reported in Fioretto et al. (2005) and Virzo De Santo et al. (1993). Cellulose content was measured only in leaf litters (Fioretto et al., 2005), whereas cellulose content of needle litters was obtained from literature data (Chadwick et al., 1998, for P. sylvestris; Chadwick et al., 1998; Ibrahima et al., 1995; Sariyildiz et al., 2005 for species closely related to A. alba, P. pinea and P. laricio). Decomposition was determined by measuring litter mass loss.
A new process-based model of litter decomposition, characterized by detailed climatic data input and simple litter quality parameters, is proposed. Compared to existing litter carbon models, specific implementations for temperature and moisture limiting effects have been adopted. The model is capable to represent decomposition processes in Mediterranean ecosystems, with summer drought slowing down, even at optimal temperatures, the litter decay rates of sclerophyll plants whose leaf masses are rich in structural compounds and low in N content. The model was calibrated by a best fitting procedure of two different datasets. First, unpublished results of litterbag experiments on leaf litter of 9 Mediterranean species, decomposing under controlled and not limiting temperature and water conditions, have been used to estimate the decay rate dependency from litter quality that was defined by only three initial C pools (labile, stable and recalcitrant compounds) instead of traditional N-based indices. Second, a set of published data from three medium-term field experiments on a single species, Phillyrea angustifolia, decomposing under different climatic conditions, have been used to estimate the limiting effects of temperature and moisture. The model was then validated against published data on seven other species and showed a correct reproduction of the major patterns of litter mass loss during decomposition processes of other seven different Mediterranean species. The model simulations, satisfactory for different litter types under a wide range of climatic conditions, suggest that factors which were not taken into account, such as initial litter N contents, microclimatic variations related to stand structure, soil chemistry and texture, and microbial communities, are not very significant for assessing decomposition dynamics in Mediterranean ecosystems. The minimal requirements of input data, the simple structure, and the easiness of parameterisation make our model, among the many other available litter carbon models, an attractive alternative for different research purposes, at least for Mediterranean ecosystems.
Carbon input belowground is the major C flux contributing to leaf litter mass loss: Evidences from a <sup>13</sup>C labelled-leaf litter experiment
2010, Soil Biology and Biochemistry
Citation Excerpt :
The quantification of these major C fluxes contributing to litter decomposition has not yet been applied to the same sample due to the intrinsic complexity of the decomposition process and the limitations of the prevailing technical approach, i.e. litterbags (Bocock and Gilbert, 1957), widely used to measure litter mass loss and calculate litter decay rates (Gholz et al., 2000). Litterbags are useful in decomposition experiments as they confine the litter and prevent contamination from new litter inputs (Adair et al., 2008; Chadwick et al., 1998; Smith and Bradford, 2003; Yamashita and Takeda, 1998). However, they can fundamentally alter the decomposition environment by influencing natural interactions with soil macrofauna, for instance (Smith and Bradford, 2003; St. John, 1980), an effect demonstrated to be dependent on bag mesh size (Bradford et al., 2002; St. John, 1980).
Partitioning of the quantities of C lost by leaf litter through decomposition into (i) CO₂ efflux to the atmosphere and (ii) C input to soil organic matter (SOM) is essential in order to develop a deeper understanding of the litter-soil biogeochemical continuum. However, this is a challenging task due to the occurrence of many different processes contributing to litter biomass loss. With the aim of quantifying different fluxes of C lost by leaf litter decomposition, a field experiment was performed at a short rotation coppice poplar plantation in central Italy. Populus nigra leaf litter, enriched in ¹³C (δ¹³C ∼ +160‰) was placed within collars to decompose in direct contact with the soil (δ¹³C ∼ −26‰) for 11 months. CO₂ efflux from within the collars and its isotopic composition were determined at monthly intervals. After 11 months, remaining litter and soil profiles (0–20 cm) were sampled and analysed for their total C and ¹³C content. Gas chromatography (GC), GC–mass spectrometry (MS) and GC-combustion-isotope ratio (GC/C/IRMS) were used to analyse phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) extracted from soil samples to identify the groups of soil micro-organisms that had incorporated litter-derived C and to determine the quantity of C incorporated by the soil microbial biomass (SMB). By the end of the experiment, the litter had lost about 80% of its original weight. The fraction of litter C lost as an input into the soil (67 ± 12% of the total C loss) was found to be twice as much as the fraction released as CO₂ to the atmosphere (30 ± 3%), thus demonstrating the importance of quantifying litter-derived C input to soils, in litter decomposition studies. The mean δ¹³C values of PLFAs in soil (δ¹³C = −12.5‰) showed sustained incorporation of litter-derived C after one year (7.8 ± 1.6% of total PLFA-C). Thus, through the application of stable ¹³C isotope analyses, we have quantified two major C fluxes contributing to litter decomposition, at macroscopic and microscopic levels.
Effect of litter quality on its decomposition in broadleaf and coniferous forest
2008, European Journal of Soil Biology
Citation Excerpt :
Many different results have been reported from litter mixing, including neutral [4], positive [9] and negative effects [13], even within the same study [22,35]. Some studies [2,6,32] have revealed that high quality litter promotes decomposition of poor quality litter while poor quality litter retards decomposition of high quality litters. Other researchers have suggested that litter from a broadleaf tree decomposed faster in ‘broadleaf habitats’ than in ‘coniferous habitats’, but there is no difference in the decomposition of coniferous litter based on habitat [34].
Recently there has been much interest in the effect of litter mixing as well as the effect of different forest habitats on the decomposition process. Our aim was to test two hypotheses: high quality litter promotes decomposition of poor quality litter, and litter decomposes faster in broadleaf than in coniferous forest. We conducted a litter mixing experiment using litterbags placed in two forest floors, in which treatments consisted of litter monocultures of each of two campy species (Castanopsis eyrei and Pinus massoniana), as well as mixtures of these two species. The results showed that C. eyrei leaves decomposed significantly faster in the coniferous habitat than in their native habitat. On the other hand, P. massoniana needles decomposed significantly faster in their native coniferous habitat than in the broadleaf habitat. In our experiment we found that the mixture had different effect on different quality litter. P. massoniana needles (poor quality) had a positive effect on the decomposition of C. eyrei leaves (high quality), while C. eyrei leaves had a negative effect on the decomposition of P. massoniana needles in the mixture case in both broadleaf and coniferous habitats. The diversity of the fungi identified from different litters varied among treatments and the mass loss was positively correlated with the Shannon–Weaver diversity index of fungi. It is suggested that fungi may be one of the major drivers to control the decomposition process.

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¹: Present address: Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, BBSRC North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, U.K. Tel: +44 1837 82558; fax: +44 1837 82139

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Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Abstract

References (31)

Response of soils to climate change

Advances in Ecological Research

Fungal biomass and nitrogen in decomposing Scots pine needle litter

Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Metabolic and faunal activity in litters of three mixtures compared with pure stands

Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment

Effect of urban heavy metal pollution on organic matter decomposition in Quercus ilex L. woods

Environmental Pollution

Sulphite and pH effects on CO₂ evolution from angiospermous and coniferous tree leaf litters

Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Cellulose, lignin and nitrogen levels in rate regulating factors in late stages of forest litter decomposition

Pedobiologia

Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials

Litter mass loss rates in pine forests of Europe and Eastern United States: some relationships with climate and litter quality

Biogeochemistry

Decomposition rate and chemical changes of Scots pine needle litter II. Influence of chemical composition

Ecological Bulletins

Decay rates, nitrogen fluxes and decomposer communities of single- and mixed-species foliar litter

Ecology

The disappearance of leaf litter under different woodland conditions

Plant and Soil

Nitrogen availability beneath pure spruce and mixed larch and spruce stands growing on a deep peat. I. Net mineralisation measured by field and laboratory incubation

Plant and Soil

Larch litter and nitrogen availability in mixed larch-spruce stands. II. A comparison of larch and spruce litters as a nitrogen source for Sitka spruce seedlings

Canadian Journal of Forest Research

Increased atmospheric CO₂ and litter quality: decomposition of sweet chestnut leaf litter with animal food webs of different complexities

Oikos

Apparent controls of mass loss rate of leaf litter on a regional scale

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

Cited by (54)

Litterfall and leaf litter decomposition in a central African tropical mountain forest and Eucalyptus plantation

Tree species effects on nutrient cycling and soil biota: A feedback mechanism favouring species coexistence

Nitrogen availability affects saprotrophic basidiomycetes decomposing pine needles in a long term laboratory study

Litter decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems: Modelling the controlling role of climatic conditions and litter quality

Carbon input belowground is the major C flux contributing to leaf litter mass loss: Evidences from a <sup>13</sup>C labelled-leaf litter experiment

Effect of litter quality on its decomposition in broadleaf and coniferous forest

Decomposition of Pinus sylvestris litter in litter bags: Influence of underlying native litter layer

Abstract

Advances in Ecological Research

Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Agriculture, Ecosystems and the Environment

Environmental Pollution

Soil Biology & Biochemistry

Pedobiologia

Chemical Analysis of Ecological Materials

Litter mass loss rates in pine forests of Europe and Eastern United States: some relationships with climate and litter quality

Biogeochemistry

Decomposition rate and chemical changes of Scots pine needle litter II. Influence of chemical composition

Ecological Bulletins

Decay rates, nitrogen fluxes and decomposer communities of single- and mixed-species foliar litter

Ecology

The disappearance of leaf litter under different woodland conditions

Plant and Soil

Nitrogen availability beneath pure spruce and mixed larch and spruce stands growing on a deep peat. I. Net mineralisation measured by field and laboratory incubation

Plant and Soil

Larch litter and nitrogen availability in mixed larch-spruce stands. II. A comparison of larch and spruce litters as a nitrogen source for Sitka spruce seedlings

Canadian Journal of Forest Research

Increased atmospheric CO2 and litter quality: decomposition of sweet chestnut leaf litter with animal food webs of different complexities

Oikos

Apparent controls of mass loss rate of leaf litter on a regional scale

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

Increased atmospheric CO₂ and litter quality: decomposition of sweet chestnut leaf litter with animal food webs of different complexities