Convergence and divergence of nutrient stoichiometry during forest litter decomposition

Homann, Peter S.

doi:10.1007/s11104-012-1174-y

Cited by 18 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Decomposition rate constants used for non-woody foliage at pure stands were 0.31 yr −1 for Picea abies and 0.22 yr −1 for Fagus sylvatica, and at mixed stands 0.29 yr −1 for Picea abies and 0.24 yr −1 for Fagus sylvatica (Albers et al, 2004). This non-woody foliage derived decomposition rate constants are comparable to the lower end of litter decay constants of diverse tree species calculated from Table 1 in Homann (2012) amounting to 0.39-0.88 yr −1 , but are about one third higher than in situ derived decomposition rate constants of woody tissue of, for example, about 0.10 yr −1 (Johnson et al, 2014).…”

Section: Litter Erosion Flux (E X Org )supporting

confidence: 67%

How Slow Rock Weathering Balances Nutrient Loss During Fast Forest Floor Turnover in Montane, Temperate Forest Ecosystems

Uhlig

Blanckenburg

2019

Front. Earth Sci.

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Mineral nutrient cycling between trees and the forest floor is key to forest ecosystem nutrition. However, in sloping, well-drained landscapes the forest floor experiences permanent nutrient loss in particulate form by plant litter erosion and as solute after plant litter decomposition, solubilisation, and export. To prevent nutrient deficit, a replenishing mechanism must be in operation that we suggest to be sourced in the subsoil and the weathering zone beneath it, provided that atmospheric input is insufficient. To explore such a mechanism, we quantified deep (up to 20 m depth) weathering and mineral nutrient cycling in two montane, temperate forest ecosystems in Southern Germany: Black Forest (CON) and Bavarian Forest (MIT). From measurements of the inventories, turnover times, and fluxes of macronutrients (K, Ca, Mg, P) we found evidence for a fast, shallow "organic nutrient cycle", and a slow, deep "geogenic nutrient pathway". We found that the finite nutrient pool size of the forest floor persists for a few years only. Despite this loss, foliar nutrient concentrations in Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica do not indicate deficiency. We infer that ultimately the biologically available fraction in the deep regolith (CON: 3-7 m, MIT: 3-17 m) balances nutrient loss from the forest floor and is also decisive for the level of the forest trees' mineral nutrient stoichiometry. Intriguingly, although the nutrient supply fluxes from chemical weathering at CON are twice those of MIT, nutrient uptake fluxes into trees do not differ. The organic nutrient cycle apparently regulates the efficiency of nutrient re-utilization from organic matter to cater for differences in its replenishment by the deep geogenic nutrient pathway, and thereby ensures long-term forest ecosystem nutrition.

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Section: Litter Erosion Flux (E X Org )supporting

confidence: 67%

How Slow Rock Weathering Balances Nutrient Loss During Fast Forest Floor Turnover in Montane, Temperate Forest Ecosystems

Uhlig

Blanckenburg

2019

Front. Earth Sci.

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“…For C, there was a large decrease in the amount during decomposition, while the concentrations of C also decreased only slightly. Together these changes led to the convergence of litter C across species and the significant phylogenetic signals in initial litter C remained but became weaker during decomposition [ 18 ]. This matches the fact that chemical traits will become more and more similar across species with the progression of litter decomposition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies mainly focused on litter chemical transformation of single species [ 11 – 16 ] or of litter mixtures [ 12 , 17 ]. Many of these studies found differences among elements or ecosystems concerned [ 4 , 10 , 12 , 17 ], but see [ 1 , 8 , 12 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. However, studies across many species comparing species traits to chemical litter transformation are still missing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Position and Leaf Toughness Control Chemical Transformation of Litter, and Drought Reinforces This Control: Evidence from a Common Garden Experiment across 48 Species

et al. 2015

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Plant leaf litter is an important source of soil chemicals that are essential for the ecosystem and changes in leaf litter chemical traits during decomposition will determine the availability of multiple chemical elements recycling in the ecosystem. However, it is unclear whether the changes in litter chemical traits during decomposition and their similarities across species can be predicted, respectively, using other leaf traits or using the phylogenetic relatedness of the litter species. Here we examined the fragmentation levels, mass losses, and the changes of 10 litter chemical traits during 1-yr decomposition under different environmental conditions (within/above surrounding litter layer) for 48 temperate tree species and related them to an important leaf functional trait, i.e. leaf toughness. Leaf toughness could predict the changes well in terms of amounts, but poorly in terms of concentrations. Changes of 7 out of 10 litter chemical traits during decomposition showed a significant phylogenetic signal notably when litter was exposed above surrounding litter. These phylogenetic signals in element dynamics were stronger than those of initial elementary composition. Overall, relatively hard-to-measure ecosystem processes like element dynamics during decomposition could be partly predicted simply from phylogenies and leaf toughness measures. We suggest that the strong phylogenetic signals in chemical ecosystem functioning of species may reflect the concerted control by multiple moderately conserved traits, notably if interacting biota suffer microclimatic stress and spatial isolation from ambient litter.

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“…The effects of the type of functional systematic group (like EGs and DAs), and of individual tree species, strongly interact with several factors, including climate, time since the change of tree species and soil intrinsic properties or management, while site properties often dominate (Augusto et al, 2001b;Binkley & Menyailo, 2005;Ladegaard-Pedersen et al, 2005;De Santo et al, 2009;Guckland et al, 2009;Berger, Inselsbacher & Zechmeister-Boltenstern, 2010;Chodak & Niklinska, 2010;Homann, 2012;McIntosh, Macdonald & Gundale, 2012;Prescott & Grayston, 2013;Vesterdal et al, 2013). These numerous interactions may be difficult to address and some have not been investigated using well-designed experiments.…”

Section: (3) Knowledge Gapsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influences of evergreen gymnosperm and deciduous angiosperm tree species on the functioning of temperate and boreal forests

et al. 2014

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It has been recognized for a long time that the overstorey composition of a forest partly determines its biological and physical-chemical functioning. Here, we review evidence of the influence of evergreen gymnosperm (EG) tree species and deciduous angiosperm (DA) tree species on the water balance, physical-chemical soil properties and biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients. We used scientific publications based on experimental designs where all species grew on the same parent material and initial soil, and were similar in stage of stand development, former land use and current management. We present the current state of the art, define knowledge gaps, and briefly discuss how selection of tree species can be used to mitigate pollution or enhance accumulation of stable organic carbon in the soil. The presence of EGs generally induces a lower rate of precipitation input into the soil than DAs, resulting in drier soil conditions and lower water discharge. Soil temperature is generally not different, or slightly lower, under an EG canopy compared to a DA canopy. Chemical properties, such as soil pH, can also be significantly modified by taxonomic groups of tree species. Biomass production is usually similar or lower in DA stands than in stands of EGs. Aboveground production of dead organic matter appears to be of the same order of magnitude between tree species groups growing on the same site. Some DAs induce more rapid decomposition of litter than EGs because of the chemical properties of their tissues, higher soil moisture and favourable conditions for earthworms. Forest floors consequently tend to be thicker in EG forests compared to DA forests. Many factors, such as litter lignin content, influence litter decomposition and it is difficult to identify specific litter-quality parameters that distinguish litter decomposition rates of EGs from DAs. Although it has been suggested that DAs can result in higher accumulation of soil carbon stocks, evidence from field studies does not show any obvious trend. Further research is required to clarify if accumulation of carbon in soils (i.e. forest floor + mineral soil) is different between the two types of trees. Production of belowground dead organic matter appears to be of similar magnitude in DA and EG forests, and root decomposition rate lower under EGs than DAs. However there are some discrepancies and still are insufficient data about belowground pools and processes that require further research. Relatively larger amounts of nutrients enter the soil-plant biogeochemical cycle under the influence of EGs than DAs, but recycling of nutrients appears to be slightly enhanced by DAs. Understanding the mechanisms underlying forest ecosystem functioning is essential to predicting the consequences of the expected tree species migration under global change. This knowledge can also be used as a mitigation tool regarding carbon sequestration or management of surface waters because the type of tree species affects forest growth, carbon, water and nutrient cycling.

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Convergence and divergence of nutrient stoichiometry during forest litter decomposition

Cited by 18 publications

References 39 publications

How Slow Rock Weathering Balances Nutrient Loss During Fast Forest Floor Turnover in Montane, Temperate Forest Ecosystems

How Slow Rock Weathering Balances Nutrient Loss During Fast Forest Floor Turnover in Montane, Temperate Forest Ecosystems

Evolutionary Position and Leaf Toughness Control Chemical Transformation of Litter, and Drought Reinforces This Control: Evidence from a Common Garden Experiment across 48 Species

Influences of evergreen gymnosperm and deciduous angiosperm tree species on the functioning of temperate and boreal forests

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