Litter from the four species decomposed at different rates table 3 and the rates of decay of the four species varied over time. Leaf litter decomposition estimates of global variability. By 30 months, we see that between 6080% of the carbon is lost. Litter decomposition is an important process in the global carbon cycle. Johan lidman abstract headwaters, which are the most common stream order in the landscape, are mostly. Pdf leaf litter decomposition in tropical rainforest of. Litter decomposition activity background litter in our area litter is everywhere. They will explore the decomposition process and observe the rates at which different pieces of litter decompose. Ramesh reddy2 1west florida research and education center, university of florida, 5988 hwy.
An integrated spectroscopic and wet chemical approach to. Leaf litter decomposition rates increase with rising mean. Altitude and species identity drive leaf litter decomposition rates of. However, the two studies vary widely in their estimates of the apparent q10 temperature coefficient, the proportional. However, the effects of understory plants and overstory trees on litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics. Eventually, slowly disappearing acidsoluble and acidinsoluble substances dominated the pattern of mass loss in all litters. The most extreme variability of litterfall is seen as a function of seasonality. Litterfall, plant litter, leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, or duff, is dead plant material such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes that have fallen to the ground. We hypothesised that the decomposition rates of leaf litter will increase along a gradient of decreasing fraction of the european beech fagus sylvatica and increasing tree species diversity in the generally beechdominated central european temperate deciduous forests due to an increase in litter quality. Thresholds may exist at which single factors control decay rate. May 02, 2017 leaf litter has slower decomposition rate than expected in warm temps date.
Earthworms, arthropods and plant litter decomposition in. Decomposition of plant litter is the most important source of nutrients for plants in many terrestrial ecosystems swift et al. Specific leaf area predicts dryland litter decomposition via. Leaf litter decomposition research papers academia. Rates of litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Leaflitter decomposition is a vital process in forest environments. Kathy shea decomposition rates of sugar maple acer saccharum leaves in a stream and pond environment within a maplebasswood ecosystem in southern minnesota were recorded. In decreasing order of importance, the key factors regulating decomposition are commonly assumed to be climate, litter quality e. Statistical methods annual decomposition rates k values were determined by species and throughfall treatment mass loss data were analyzed using a negative exponential decay model y100ekt olsen. They will then explore the consequences of not reducing, reusing andor recycling.
At this stage, litter decay rates are controlled instead by climate, soil texture. Leaf litter decomposition in temperate deciduous forest. In the lower left quadrant, systems with poor surface litter ventilation and. At the 6 month harvest, there are some initial decomposition differences because of management practices, but this difference disappears by 12 months fig.
Pdf airdrying depresses rates of leaf litter decomposition. Comparison among guild classes article pdf available in tropical ecology 512 december 2010 with 72 reads. Decomposition of plant litter is a key process for the transfer of carbon and nutrients in ecosystems. Airdrying depresses rates of leaf litter decomposition article pdf available in soil biology and biochemistry 30. The effects of leaf litter evenness on decomposition. Short communication litter quality impacts on grassland. Leaf litter decomposition rates were a positive linear function of mat, causing the residence time of leaf litter on the forest floor to decline by.
Litter decomposition in earthworminvaded northen hardwood. The results support our hypothesis that the overall decomposition rates are mainly influenced by the chemical composition of the individual litter species. Weight loss was rapid in early rains but slowed substantially in the following months, resulting in 23 to 12 weights remaining after two years of field exposure. Litterbags of different mesh sizes that exclude or permit access by most earthworms, filled with litter of differ. The main objective of this book is to provide students and laboratory instructors at universities and professional ecologists with a broad range of established methods to study plant litter.
Soluble substances and litters relatively rich in solubles disappeared rapidly during early stages of decomposition. One noteworthy feature of litter decomposition is the variability of litter decomposition rate k among ecosystems and under different climatic conditions. We removed the native litter layer from within the collars and applied 4 ml of glyphosate to deter plant growth within the collars. This experiment was conducted for 180 days by using litter bag technique during dry and wet seasons. Exploring leaf and litter traits in decomposition science. We studied the decomposition of leaf litter including its lignin fraction in monospecific. Deciduous subordinates alone explained 7%, 21% and 15% of the total variation in community litter mixture decomposition rate for early, middle and late successional stages, respectively, which is more than would be expected from their litter mass fraction. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituent nutrients are added to the top layer of soil, commonly known as the litter layer or o horizon o for.
Our estimate of the q 10 temperature coefficient for leaf litter decomposition was 2. Litter decomposition influences soil biogeochemistry of plant stands and affects the formation of soil organic matter. Abstract identifying the environmental factors controlling litter decomposition is key to understanding the magnitude and rates of nutrient cycling. California waste mgmt bulletin bananaorange peel 25 weeks cotton rag 15 months cigarette butt 15 years wool clothing 15 years plasticcoated paper 5 years plastic bag 1020 years painted wooden stake years. Chapter methods for estimating litter decomposition. Most studies on the chemical constituents that determine leaf litter quality have been conducted in temperate streams webster and benfield 1986. Unfortunately, you have seen it on the beach, on the seawall, in our streets and parks and playgrounds.
Litter decomposition via leaching of dissolved organic matter dom is understudied suggest the wettest of lowland forests may sustain some of the highest rates of litter turnover on earth climate change is likely to slow rates of decomposition, unless litter quality concurrently increased. Leaf litter quality is defined as the ease of decomposition heal et al. Climate, leaf litter chemistry and leaf litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Effects of changes in the environment and contribution of microbial and shredder activity on litter decomposition. Litter decomposition and nutrient release as affected by. Decomposition of organic matter is a major ecosystem process involving an array of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi and invertebrates. Litter decomposition may induce remarkable feedbacks to climate change because it is a climatedependent process. Mangifera indica, zizyphus jujuba, litchi chinensis, and artocarpus heterophyllus are the most common cropland agroforest horticultural tree species of bangladesh. Swiss federal institute of aquatic science and technology, uberlandstrasse 3, 8600 dubendorf, switzerland, and institute of integrative biology ibz, eth zurich, 8092 zurich, switzerland.
The model is based on the cooccurrence of intraspeci. Roadside litter decomposition chart for litter source. Leaf litter has slower decomposition rate than expected in. The aim of our study was to determine the rates of leaf litter decay of four tree species alnus glutinosa gaertn. Litter decomposition plays an important role in carbon c cycling in terrestrial ecosystems aerts 2006. Are litter decomposition and fire linked through plant. Litter decomposition injune2010weinstalled20 cmdiameterpvccollars at the site to a depth of 5 cm. Litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics in a phosphorus. Homefield advantage accelerates leaf litter decomposition in forests. The ltidechina includes a wide variety of natural and managed ecosystems, consisting of 12 forest types eight regional broadleaf forests, three needleleaf plantations and one.
Decomposition is a complex and multistep process of litter breakdown through leaching, mechanical and invertebrate fragmentation, and transformation through the activity of soil microorganisms swift et al. Litter decomposition is an important component of the global carbon budget. Bags caught in trees or rolling around in the surf, bottle caps on the beach where shells should be, or plastic bottles hastily discarded on a sidewalk. The longterm intersite decomposition experiment in china hereafter referred to as ltidechina was established in 2002 to study how substrate quality and macroclimate factors affect leaf litter decomposition. Jun 04, 2009 litter decomposition is an important process in the global carbon cycle. Chemical composition of litter affected decomposition rates and patterns. Measurement of leaf litter decomposition springerlink. The litter decomposition experiment began on september 29, 2010 month 0initial, when 18. In this study we focus on the early stage of decomposition, because nutrient.
Functional leaf traits and biodiversity effects on litter. Litter decomposition decay rates did not vary among topographic posi tions, so data were pooled by watershed. As litter substrate quality decreases during decompo sition, initial litter quality has a decreasing influence on latestage decomposition rates. Decomposition of organic matter is a major ecosystem process involving an array. Leaf litter decomposition in tropical rainforest of ebom, southwest cameroon. Jul 02, 2018 leaf litter decomposition is a vital process in forest environments. A test of the hierarchical model of litter decomposition. Deciduous subordinates with strongly contrasting nutritional and water. Climate, leaf litter chemistry and leaf litter decomposition. In mixtures of litter from 2, 5, or 12 species, neither species richness nor phylogenetic diversity was associated with deviations from expected decomposition rates based on monocultures. Leaf litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics in. Due to the strong climatic control of litter decomposition, climate change may significantly affect this pathway.
This study focused on leaf litter decomposition and nutrient n, p, and k dynamics during the decomposition process. When a larger c fraction is released into the atmosphere, a smaller c fraction is transferred to humic substances, which can be stored in soils for a long time. Decomposition rates of a common litter between stream and. A knowledge of litter decomposition rates and biological processes could be useful for the management of soil fertility swift 1986, ecological restoration of environmentally fragile sites, detoxification of soil contaminants and reducing the emission of trace gases to the atmosphere heal et al. Global syntheses indicate that temperature is a primary factor controlling litter decay rates aerts, 1997. Abstract aim leaf litter decomposition in freshwater ecosystems is a vital process linking ecosystem nutrient cycling, energy transfer and trophic. Specific leaf area predicts dryland litter decomposition. Decomposition and nutrient dynamics of hardwood leaf. Tree species effect on litter decomposition and nutrient. Leaf litter decomposition and microbial activity in nutrient.
The mass loss pattern and rate of decomposition showed significant differences among the studied tree species figures 1 and 2 which may be due to the litter quality, the presence of varying amounts of water soluble phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannin, physical and chemical properties of leaf litter, and the presence of thick waxy cuticle 18, 33, 34. View leaf litter decomposition research papers on academia. Eventually, slowly disappearing acidsoluble and acidinsoluble substances. Leaf breakdown studies allow ecologists to measure decomposition rates in different environments. Ecologists have found that leaf litter is not as sensitive to. However, multiple linear regressions showed that sla, litter c and p significantly affected k values for leaf litter decomposition besides litter position, with sla standing out as a. Functional diversity of leaf litter mixtures slows. Which chemical constituents are known to determine leaf litter quality. Decomposition of quercus rubra, the litter with the lowest initial calcium concentration and highest lignin. Leaf litter traits predominantly control litter decomposition in streams. Determine mass loss and analyze litter at 6 months, 1 year, 1. Leaf litter has slower decomposition rate than expected in warm temps date. Changes in chemical composition of litter during decomposition. Leaf litter decomposition and microbial activity in.
Decomposition rates of a common litter between stream and pond environments in a maplebasswood ecosystem tom nickerson biology 371 semester research dr. It accounts for most of the heterotrophic soil respiration and results in formation of more stable soil organic carbon soc which is the largest terrestrial carbon stock. Leaf litters of jarrah eucalyptus marginata donn ex sm. N, p, and minerals can be stored in soils for plant. Decomposition of sitespecific litter mixtures was monitored for 100 wk in four roodplaht communities. Jul 02, 2010 leaf litter decomposition rates were positively correlated with the initial n and ca concentrations of the litter, and negatively with the initial c. Decomposition and nutrient dynamics of hardwood leaf litter. The students will learn about litter decomposition. Litter decomposition an overview sciencedirect topics. Forest litter decomposition in relation to soil nitrogen.
Methods to study litter decomposition a practical guide manuel. Longterm intersite experiments indicate that temperature and moisture influence early rates of litter decomposition primarily by determining the plants present, suggesting that climate change effects will be small unless they alter the plant forms present. N ratio and lignin concentration could predict litter decomposition to some degree, but their predictive power was dependent on litter position. Decomposition was determined by using litter bags with sampling at 0, 14, 36, 60, 90, 119, 179, 291 and 362 days after commencement and determining the remaining biomass kg ha1, decomposition. Modelling the effects of litter decomposition on tree. High nutrient concentrations potentially stimulate the activity of heterotrophic microorganisms associated with submerged leaf litter and, hence, in. Litter decomposition rates are a function of litter quality, biota and microclimate seastedt et al. In the activity, they will use a graphmaking tool to create a graph of trash decomposition rates. Functional leaf traits and biodiversity effects on litter decomposition in a stream markus h.
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