Cambridge Journals Online

Research Article

Relative effect of litter quality, forest type and their interaction on leaf decomposition in south-east Brazilian forests

Camila de Toledo Castanhoa1 c1 and Alexandre Adalardo de Oliveiraa1 a1 Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo – Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil a2 Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Article author query de toledo castanho c   de oliveira aa

Abstract:

Decomposition was studied in a reciprocal litter transplant experiment to examine the effects of forest type, litter quality and their interaction on leaf decomposition in four tropical forests in south-east Brazil. Litterbags were used to measure decomposition of leaves of one tree species from each forest type: Calophyllum brasiliense from restinga forest; Guapira opposita from Atlantic forest; Esenbeckia leiocarpa from semi-deciduous forest; and Copaifera langsdorffii from cerradão. Decomposition rates in rain forests (Atlantic and restinga) were twice as fast as those in seasonal forests (semi-deciduous and cerradão), suggesting that intensity and distribution of precipitation are important predictors of decomposition rates at regional scales. Decomposition rates varied by species, in the following order: E. leiocarpa > C. langsdorffii > G. opposita > C. brasiliense. However, there was no correlation between decomposition rates and chemical litter quality parameters: C:N, C:P, lignin concentration and lignin:N. The interaction between forest type and litter quality was positive mainly because C. langsdorffii decomposed faster than expected in its native forest. This is a potential indication of a decomposer's adaptation to specific substrates in a tropical forest. These findings suggest that besides climate, interactions between decomposers and plants might play an essential role in decomposition processes and it must be better understood.

(Accepted November 26 2007)

Key Words: Atlantic forest; cerradão; Copaifera langsdorffii; leaf decomposition; local adaptation; restinga forest; semi-deciduous forest; substrate quality; tropical forest

Correspondence:

^c1 Corresponding author. Email: ctcbio@yahoo.com.br