Comparison of litter dynamics in three plantations of an indigenous timber-tree species (Terminalia superba) and a natural tropical forest in Mayombe, Congo

Goma-Tchimbakala, Joseph; Bernhard-Reversat, F.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2006.04.009

Cited by 44 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Perhaps, this is a result of the young age of these forest plantations, lack of canopy closure, and low fine litterfall. The values of mosquero litter are comparable to those reported in tropical arid ecosystems by several authors [15,22,23]. The high rate of decomposition of organic debris in SPM and therefore their low residence time are aspects of special significance to the reactivation of biogeochemical nutrient cycle in these degraded soils [24].…”

Section: Fine Litter Production Accumulation and Decompositionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Passive and Active Restoration Strategies to Activate Soil Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycles in a Degraded Tropical Dry Land

et al. 2013

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The potential use of two restoration strategies to activate biogeochemical nutrient cycles in degraded soils in Colombia was studied. The active model was represented by forest plantations of neem (Azadirachta indica) (FPN), while the passive model by successional patches of native plant species was dominated by mosquero (Croton leptostachyus) (SPM). In the field plots fine-litter traps and litterbags were established; samples of standing litter and surface soil samples (0-10 cm) were collected for chemical analyses during a year. The results indicated that the annual contributions of fine litterfall in FPN and SPM were 557.5 and 902.2 kg ha −1 , respectively. The annual constant of decomposition of fine litter (k) was 1.58 for neem and 3.40 for mosquero. Consequently, the annual real returns of organic material and carbon into the soil from the leaf litterfall decomposition were 146 and 36 kg ha −1 yr −1 for FPN and 462 and 111 kg ha −1 yr −1 for SPM, respectively. Although both strategies showed potential to activate soil biogeochemical cycles with respect to control sites (without vegetation), the superiority of the passive strategy to supply fine litter and improve soil properties was reflected in higher values of soil organic matter content and cation exchange capacity.

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Section: Fine Litter Production Accumulation and Decompositionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Passive and Active Restoration Strategies to Activate Soil Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycles in a Degraded Tropical Dry Land

et al. 2013

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“…Although Pt and Pr litter in single-species litter microcosms immobilized N from soil, Pt and Pr microcosms had higher soil inorganic N than control at 42 days. A possible explanation for this result was that water-soluble fractions of litter decreased quickly during the early stage of decomposition (Goma and Bernhard 2006) and these energy-rich molecules entering into the soil could promote not only microbial growth but also soil N mineralization. However, at 84 days, no significant difference of soil inorganic N was found between Pt, Pr, and control treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of mixing pine and broadleaved tree/shrub litter on decomposition and N dynamics in laboratory microcosms

Pan

et al. 2008

Ecological Research

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This study was carried out to compare the ecological function of exotic pine (Pinus radiata-Pr) and native pine (Pinus tabulaeformis-Pt) in terms of litter decomposition and its related N dynamics and to evaluate if the presence of broad-leaved tree species (Cercidiphyllum japonicum-Cj) or shrub species (Ostryopsis davidiana-Od) litter would promote the decomposition of pine needles and N cycling. Mass remaining, N release of the four single-species litters and mixed-species (Pt + Cj; Pr + Cj; Pt + Od; Pr + Od) litters and soil N dynamics were measured at microcosm scale during an 84-day incubation period. The Pt and Pr litter, with poorer substrate quality, indicated slower decomposition rates than did the Cj and Od litter. Due to their high C/N ratios, the N mass of Pt and Pr litter continuously increased during the early stage of decomposition, which showed that Pt and Pr litter immobilized exogenous N by microbes. No significant differences of soil inorganic, dissolved organic and microbial biomass N were found between the Pt and Pr microcosm at each sampling. The results showed that the exotic Pr performed similar ecological function to the native Pt in terms of litter decomposition and N dynamics during the early stage. The presence of Cj or Od litter increased the decomposition rates of pine needle litter and also dramatically increased soil N availability. So it is feasible for plantation managers to consider the use of Cj as an ameliorative species or to retain Od in pine plantations to promote the decomposition of pine litter and increase nutrient circulation. The results also suggested that different species litters induced different soil dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). As a major soluble N pool in soil, DON developed a different changing tendency over time compared with inorganic N, and should be included into soil N dynamic under the condition of our study.

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“…Aboveground biomass is larger in plantations afforested in non-forested lands [9], but smaller in those reforested in natural forests than that in their corresponding adjacent natural forests [e.g., [5], [10]]. Aboveground litter mass is lower in plantations with an age of ten years [11], but higher in those with an age of 48 years than that in natural forests [12]. Belowground biomass is larger in plantations with evergreen coniferous species of Picea abies [13] and Pinus ponderosa [14], but smaller in those with deciduous broadleaved species of Populus deltoids than that in natural forests [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecosystem Carbon Stock Influenced by Plantation Practice: Implications for Planting Forests as a Measure of Climate Change Mitigation

et al. 2010

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Uncertainties remain in the potential of forest plantations to sequestrate carbon (C). We synthesized 86 experimental studies with paired-site design, using a meta-analysis approach, to quantify the differences in ecosystem C pools between plantations and their corresponding adjacent primary and secondary forests (natural forests). Totaled ecosystem C stock in plant and soil pools was 284 Mg C ha−1 in natural forests and decreased by 28% in plantations. In comparison with natural forests, plantations decreased aboveground net primary production, litterfall, and rate of soil respiration by 11, 34, and 32%, respectively. Fine root biomass, soil C concentration, and soil microbial C concentration decreased respectively by 66, 32, and 29% in plantations relative to natural forests. Soil available N, P and K concentrations were lower by 22, 20 and 26%, respectively, in plantations than in natural forests. The general pattern of decreased ecosystem C pools did not change between two different groups in relation to various factors: stand age (<25 years vs. ≥25 years), stand types (broadleaved vs. coniferous and deciduous vs. evergreen), tree species origin (native vs. exotic) of plantations, land-use history (afforestation vs. reforestation) and site preparation for plantations (unburnt vs. burnt), and study regions (tropic vs. temperate). The pattern also held true across geographic regions. Our findings argued against the replacement of natural forests by the plantations as a measure of climate change mitigation.

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Comparison of litter dynamics in three plantations of an indigenous timber-tree species (Terminalia superba) and a natural tropical forest in Mayombe, Congo

Cited by 44 publications

References 38 publications

Passive and Active Restoration Strategies to Activate Soil Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycles in a Degraded Tropical Dry Land

Passive and Active Restoration Strategies to Activate Soil Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycles in a Degraded Tropical Dry Land

Effects of mixing pine and broadleaved tree/shrub litter on decomposition and N dynamics in laboratory microcosms

Ecosystem Carbon Stock Influenced by Plantation Practice: Implications for Planting Forests as a Measure of Climate Change Mitigation

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