Influences of plant litter diversity on decomposition. Schmitz1 aboveground consumers are believed to affect ecosystem functioning by regulating the quantity and quality of plant litter entering the soil. The effects can be divided further into direct and indirect ones. The interplay of litter species diversity and soil animals reported here, thus, are directly relevant for nutrient supply rates and forest productivity. The authors of the volume plant litter present an uptodate and interesting contribution. Plant litter represents a major source of organic carbon in forest soils. Worldwide decomposition rates depend both on climate and the legacy of plant functional traits as litter quality.
Linkages between plant litter decomposition, litter quality, and vegetation responses to herbivores d. 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. Thus, new hypotheses and research strategies are common features of many chapters. Emissions of volatile organic compounds during the. Changes in soil functions following invasionsof exotic understoryplantsin deciduousforests. We uncovered a pathway whereby terrestrial predators. Litter decomposition an overview sciencedirect topics. Methods to study litter decomposition a practical guide. N ratios only partially explain altered plant litter mineralization.
Potential mechanisms for the frequently observed litterdiversity effects on mass loss and nitrogen dynamics include fungidriven. Effect of n deposition on decomposition of plant litter. Its decomposition is a complex process that involves mineralisation and transformation of organic matter. Effect of n deposition on decomposition of plant litter and. A new conceptual model on the fate and controls of fresh. The second part deals with the environmental conditions under.
This fully revised and updated 3rd edition of plant litter reflects and discusses new findings and reevaluates earlier ones in light of recent research and with regard to. Bacterial community composition showed a significant positive correlation with the mass loss rate indicating a feedback between plant and soil microbial communities. Litter quality mediated nitrogen effect on plant litter. The availability of several longterm studies from these forest types allows a more indepth approach to the later stages of decomposition as well. Indeed, as long as the rate of litter decomposition remains lower than the rate of above and belowground litter production, a net accumulation of peat.
Plant litter decomposition, humus formation, carbon. Effects of acid on plant litter decomposition in an arctic. Litter decomposition encompasses ample breakdown of organic matter into co. Differences in initial litter quality and subsequent colonization by saprotrophic fungi were ruled out as key drivers. Although plant litter decomposition is primarily driven by plant litter chemistry, temperature, and precipitation these factors have failed to fully explain decomposition patterns in arid and semiarid grassland ecosystems. Linkages between plant litter decomposition, litter quality. Litterbags of different mesh sizes for the selective exclusion of soil fauna by size macro, meso, and microfauna. Biology of plant litter decomposition, volume ii is organized into two parts. Formation of the mor type of forest litter, characterized by slow decomposition, has been attributed to a number of factors, but the effect of mycorrhizal fungi, though postulated4,5, has not. We explore empirical and theoretical evidence for the functional significance of plant litter diversity and the extraordinary high diversity of decomposer organisms in the process of litter decomposition and the consequences for biogeochemical cycles. Solar radiation is a dominant control on the rate of leaf litter decomposition in the semiarid patagonian steppe, which suggests that factors such as cloud cover may influence carbon cycling in.
Decomposition of organic matter is a major ecosystem process involving an array of different organisms, including bacteria, fungi and invertebrates. Toolik lake is slightly buffered, deep, and very oligotrophic. The first part focuses on the organisms involved in plant litter decomposition, particularly, their structure and function. Decomposition of plant litter is a crucial process in controlling the carbon balance of peatlands. Plant litters with diverse quality responded to nitrogen addition differently.
Warming between 4 and 10 c significantly increased rates of soil and litter respiration, litter decomposition, litter nitrogen release, and soil net nitrogen. Chapter methods for estimating litter decomposition. Pdf remediation of radionuclidecontaminated sites using. Biology of plant litter decomposition v2 1st edition. We would expect the types and quantities of vocs emitted to vary across litter types due to differences in litter chemistry andor differences in decomposer communities. Estimation of plant litter pools and decompositionrelated. Jun 15, 2012 these results mirror, qualitatively, our first experiment with real grasshoppers, in which lower available n led to reductions in the decomposition of plant litter fig. Linkages between plant litter decomposition, litter. Microbial activities, as determined by 14cacetate incorporation into extractable lipids, associated with carex litter were significantly p litter decomposition is defined as a process resulting from the activity of decomposer microorganisms on plant litter and it is strongly influenced by environmental conditions cotrufo et al. The availability of several longterm studies from these forest types allows a more indepth approach to the later stages of decomposition as well as to humus formation. The second part deals with the environmental conditions under which breakdown occurs over the whole global surface. This result suggests that leaflitter decomposition depends more on the quality than the number of plant litter species in eutrophic streams. Fear of predation slows plantlitter decomposition this copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. Barker department of animal and plant sciences, university of shef.
Feb 01, 2005 litter mixing effects on decomposition can change plant nutrient availability 34, 38 and consequently plant growth and net primary productivity 34, 39. A plant economics spectrum of litter decomposition article pdf available in functional ecology 261. Plant species traits are the predominant control on litter. Remediation of radionuclidecontaminated sites using plant litter decomposition. Jackson1 and virginie baldy2 1institute of biological and environmental sciences, university of aberdeen, cruickshank building, aberdeen ab24. Leaflitter decomposition is a vital process in forest environments. Abstract we explore empirical and theoretical evidence for the functional significance of plantlitter diversity and the extraordinary high diversity of decomposer organisms in the process of litter decomposition and the consequences for biogeochemical cycles. Differential contribution of soil biota groups to plant. Earthworms, arthropods and plant litter decomposition in. Soil animals alter plant litter diversity effects on. One noteworthy feature of litter decomposition is the variability of litter decomposition rate k among ecosystems and under different climatic conditions. In addition to litter quality, other factors affect decomposition including moisture, temperature, soil nutrient availability, and particle size. In turn, the decomposition of these stressed herbivores alters the function of belowground communities, leading to an overall decrease in the decomposition of plant litter.
Given the important role of litter decomposition to c storage and tree nutrition, it is important to quantify litter decomposition rates for accurate characterization of forest carbon dynamics. Exploring leaf and litter traits in decomposition science. Fear of predation slows plantlitter decomposition dror hawlena,1,2 michael s. Investigating the effects of litter quality and precipitation on litter decomposition in a lowland tropical rain forest receiving 5000 mmyr precipitation. Our work addresses whether food web structure especially the existence of predators influences ecosystem functioning via changes in the nutritional contents of prey 5, 6. Jul 02, 2018 leaf litter decomposition is a vital process in forest environments. Extracellular enzyme activities and carbon chemistry as. I compared effects of increased temperature and litter from different alaskan tundra plant species on cycling of carbon and nitrogen through litter and soil in microcosms. Potential mechanisms for the frequently observed litter diversity effects on mass loss and nitrogen dynamics include fungidriven nutrient. The effects of nitrogen n deposition on plant litter and soil organic matter decomposition differ depending on the stage of decomposition early, late, and final stages. P content important control over decomposition rates. Jan 30, 2018 however, the impact of invasive alien plants on litter decomposition is not consistent, with several studies finding no change or even a decrease in decomposition rates ehrenfeld 2003, liao et al.
Although plant litter decomposition is primarily driven by plant litter chemistry, temperature, and precipitation these factors have failed to fully explain decomposition patterns in arid and semiarid grassland. When soil fauna was present, the nitrogen addition effect on medium. Litter decomposition plays an important role in carbon c cycling in terrestrial ecosystems aerts 2006. A major part of the total litter input to forest soils are nonwoody plant. Decomposition of plant litter is a key step in nutrient recycling. Litter decomposition in a cool temperate deciduous forest. 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. To quantify the degree to which functional differentiation among species affects their litter decomposition rates, we brought together leaf trait and litter mass loss data for 818 species from 66 decomposition experiments on six continents. Plant species traits are the predominant control on litter decomposition rates within biomes worldwide. Dual role of lignin in plant litter decomposition in.
This fully revised and updated 2 nd edition of plant litter focuses on decomposition processes in natural terrestrial systems such as boreal and temperate forests. Plant litter represents a major source of organic carbon in forest soils anichkin and tiunov, 2011. Plant decomposition is dependant on the activity of the soil biota and its interactions with climate, soil properties, and plant residue inputs. Plant litter decomposition in a semiarid ecosystem. This result suggests that leaf litter decomposition depends more on the quality than the number of plant litter species in eutrophic streams. 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. 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. The book seeks to be a springboard for practical new ideas and research about litter quality and decomposition. The book is well arranged, relatively easy to read, contains fantastic graphics. The rate of decay is influenced by the quality of the litter, the physicalchemical environment, and the biota.
Rates of litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. This work assessed the roles of different groups of the soil biota on litter decomposition, and the way they are modulated by soil use. The effects of acid on the microbial decomposition of the dominant aquatic macrophyte carex sp. While this partitioning is specific for each plant residue type, the decay rates of. Fear of predation slows plantlitter decomposition science. Influence of grazing on the decomposition of pinus pinea l. Cornelissen,1 kathryn amatangelo,2 ellen dorrepaal,1 valerie t. Large herbivores act as a major driver of plant litter decomposition in grasslands. We collected 15 litter types representing 11 plant species in july 2000 from sites on the islands of hawaii, oahu, and kauai table 1. The most extreme variability of litterfall is seen as a function of seasonality. The decomposition of dead organic matter is a major determinant of carbon and nutrient cycling in ecosystems, and of carbon fluxes between the biosphere and the atmosphere 1,2,3. Since the publication of the 2 nd edition, there have been substantial developments in the field of litter decomposition. Impact of an invasive alien plant on litter decomposition.
Test hypothesisprecipitation driven dissolved organic matter dom fluxes are a significant litter mass loss vector. Litter decomposition is defined as a process resulting from the activity of decomposer microorganisms on plant litter and it is strongly influenced by environmental conditions cotrufo et al. Plantfungal symbiosis affects litter decomposition during. The decay rate decline with time and with the depth of the litter bag in the litter layers, with maximum dry weight loss occurring over the period encompassing the fall freeze. Large herbivores influence plant litter decomposition by. This was achieved by collecting litter from a range of plant species in several locations throughout new zealand, and. This fully revised and updated 3 rd edition of plant litter reflects and discusses new findings and reevaluates earlier ones in light of recent research and with regard to current areas of investigation the availability of several longterm studies allows a more indepth. In addition, the amount and quality of plant litter input have a strong impact on c and nutrient cycling 68. Litter decomposition supplies nutrients to the soil solution, which renders them available for plant and soil microbial uptake. Letter plant species traits are the predominant control on litter decomposition rates within biomes worldwide william k.
Of the mineral nutrients, n is needed in the highest amounts by litter decomposing fungi followed by phosphorus p dowding, 1981. Initial leaf n concentration and leaf litter decomposition were positively linearly related, and this relationship became stronger as eutrophication increased. Pdf a plant economics spectrum of litter decomposition. The decomposition of plant litter is a complex process that involves mineralization and transformation of organic matter.
The role of photodegradation in plant litter decomposition. The litter layer is quite variable in its thickness, decomposition rate and nutrient content and is affected in part by seasonality, plant species, climate, soil fertility, elevation, and latitude. A new conceptual model on the fate and controls of fresh and. Consequences of biodiversity loss for litter decomposition. Eutrophication modulates plantlitter diversity effects on. If you wish to distribute this article to others, you can order highquality copies for your following the guidelines here. Decomposition of plant litter is the primary process by which carbon and nutrients are returned from plants to the soil and atmosphere. Fear of predation slows plantlitter decomposition dror.
The decomposition of plant litter is central to many ecosystem functions such as soil formation and nutrient cycling seastedt 1984. The modifications of soil biotic and abiotic properties, as well as the changes in quality cn ratio of plant litter, are two key pathways by which large herbivores can affect litter decomposition. New evidence suggests that 639 % of c loss during leaf litter decay enters the soil in the form of. Since the publication of the 2nd edition, there have been substantial developments in the field of litter decomposition. Biodiversity and litter decomposition in terrestrial. Thus, the plant litter c assimilated during decomposition may be either mineralized to co 2 or converted to microbial biomass. Pdf plant litter decomposition and nutrient release in. Overall, our results highlight that eutrophication modulates leaf diversity effects on leaflitter decomposition with potential implications for. Other plant attributes such as phenology, plant form, leaf architecture, and lignin distribution may also modify photodegradation potentials 24, 36. Soil animals alter plant litter diversity effects on decomposition stephan ha. As most of the plant biomassderived carbon in the forests is mineralised in the litter layer, an understanding of this process and the microorganisms involved is essential for the identification of. Most commonly, plant residues are partitioned into a rapidly and a slowly decomposing litter pool pansu et al. Living plant diversity can influence decomposition and nutrient dynamics through changes in microclimatic conditions 1, 3, complementary nutrient use 4, 5, and rhizosphere processes.
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