Decomposition dynamics of coarse woody debris of three important central European tree species

Herrmann, Steffen; Kahl, Tiemo; Bauhus, Jürgen

doi:10.1186/s40663-015-0052-5

Cited by 76 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This might explain why our decay rate constants were lower than those in some other studies (Rock et al, 2008;Herrmann et al, 2015). Moreover, the decay rates are sensitive, at a regional scale, to climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation (Shorohova and Kapitsa, 2014), although the decay rates for a mean annual temperature of 0-10 • C are, however, quite similar, and rates below 0.04 y −1 are often reported (Mackensen et al, 2003).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Due to the large size (e.g. sections of tree trunks) and highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of deadwood, the timescales involved in the coarse woody debris (CWD) decay of Picea abies (L.) Karst. and Larix decidua Mill. in Alpine forests are largely unknown. We investigated the CWD decay dynamics in an Alpine valley in Italy using the chronosequence approach and the five-decay class system that is based on a macromorphological assessment. For the decay classes 1-3, most of the dendrochronological samples were cross-dated to assess the time that had elapsed since tree death, but for decay classes 4 and 5 (poorly preserved tree rings) radiocarbon dating was used. In addition, density, cellulose, and lignin data were measured for the dated CWD. The decay rate constants for spruce and larch were estimated on the basis of the density loss using a single negative exponential model, a regression approach, and the stagebased matrix model. In the decay classes 1-3, the ages of the CWD were similar and varied between 1 and 54 years for spruce and 3 and 40 years for larch, with no significant differences between the classes; classes 1-3 are therefore not indicative of deadwood age. This seems to be due to a time lag between the death of a standing tree and its contact with the soil. We found distinct tree-species-specific differences in decay classes 4 and 5, with larch CWD reaching an average age of 210 years in class 5 and spruce only 77 years. The mean CWD rate constants were estimated to be in the range 0.018 to 0.022 y −1 for spruce and to about 0.012 y −1 for larch. Snapshot sampling (chronosequences) may overestimate the age and mean residence time of CWD. No sampling bias was, however, detectable using the stage-based matrix model. Cellulose and lignin time trends could be derived on the basis of the ages of the CWD. The half-lives for cellulose were 21 years for spruce and 50 years for larch. The half-life of lignin is considerably higher and may be more than 100 years in larch CWD. Consequently, the decay of Picea abies and Larix decidua is very low. Several uncertainties, however, remain: 14 C dating of CWD from decay classes 4 and 5 and having a pre-bomb age is often difficult (large age range due to methodological constraints) and fall rates of both European larch and Norway spruce are missing.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

et al. 2016

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“…Fragmentation of downed logs distorts data on wood density [7]. If fragmentation is not included, the mass loss in advanced TSD is very low.…”

Section: Laboratory Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…excluding standing deadwood). This is important for subsequent analyses, since decaying for some time in a vertical position can significantly alter decay times [7,25]; (iv) we tried to choose numbers of downed logs for each period of time since death (derived from censuses) equally ( Figure 1); (v) we tried to select mostly logs that were not suspended in the air. Fifty-three beech, 49 fir and 52 spruce downed logs that met the above criteria were sampled, with a resulting range of DBH of sampled logs from 40-100 cm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deadwood Density and Moisture Variation in a Natural Temperate Spruce-Fir-Beech Forest

Přívětivý¹,

Baldrián²,

Šamonil³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Deadwood represents a source of nutrients, carbon and water for metabolism within forest ecosystem. Nutrients are mobilized due to the decomposition of wood, which is a long-term process that can be best studied by analysing environmental data on a temporary scale. Our study provides physico-temporal data on the downed logs of three major tree species in European temperate forests: Abies alba Mill., Fagus sylvatica L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. Time since death was obtained using tree censuses (repeated for 40 years) and dendrochronology for each single downed log, the oldest being 75 years old. Standard laboratory methods were used for the determination of wood density and moisture changes. F. sylvatica was decomposed rapidly in the initial phase -mass loss was 50% during the 5 years after death, while A. alba and P. abies lost 13% and 16%, respectively. Downed logs of F. sylvatica contained 391 kg of water per m 3 , while these of P. abies 279 kg. A logtransformed linear model was created that shows the dependence of time since death on mass loss. According to the model, F. sylvatica had the shortest total decomposition time (39 years), followed by A. alba (58 years) and P. abies (86 years).

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“…A decrease in the amount of deadwood is typically attributable to decay outpacing mortality. It should be noted that the decay rate is largely species-specific; for instance, beech decompose faster than spruce (Holeksa et al 2008;Rock et al 2008;Müller-Using and Bartsch 2009;Herrmann et al 2015). Other contributing factors include local climatic conditions and the presence of organisms decomposing organic matter (Zhou et al 2007).…”

Section: Duration Of Conservation and The Share Of Standing Deadwoodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deadwood volume in strictly protected, natural, and primeval forests in Poland

2018

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Standing and downed deadwood at different stages of decay provides a crucial habitat for a wide range of organisms. It is particularly abundant in unmanaged forests, such as strictly protected areas of national parks and nature reserves. The present work used the available data for such sites in Poland, analyzing a total of 113 studies concerning 79 sites to determine the causes contributing to variation in deadwood volume based on the duration of conservation, changes in deadwood volume over time (for those sites which were examined multiple times), elevation above sea level, forest type, stage of forest development, input of dead trees from the years preceding deadwood measurements, live tree volume, and the proportion of downed to standing deadwood). Depending on species composition and site altitude, most tree stands fell into one of four categories: subalpine spruce forests, montane beech-fir forests, low altitude beech-fir forests, or oak-hornbeam and riparian forests. The mean deadwood volume for all forest types amounted to 172.0 m 3 /ha. The mean volume of deadwood in montane beech-fir forests (223.9 m 3 /ha) was statistically significantly greater than in the other three forest types, for which it ranged from 103.5 to 142.5 m 3 /ha. A direct effect of the duration of conservation on deadwood volume was not identified. Nevertheless, analysis of repeated measurements on the same sample plots at 10-year intervals showed a consistent rise in mean deadwood volume. A linear regression model for all the analyzed factors reported from montane beech-fir forests and subalpine spruce forests showed that in addition to site altitude, another statistically significant variable was the input of dead trees (R 2 = 63.54%).

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Decomposition dynamics of coarse woody debris of three important central European tree species

Cited by 76 publications

References 48 publications

Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

Deadwood Density and Moisture Variation in a Natural Temperate Spruce-Fir-Beech Forest

Deadwood volume in strictly protected, natural, and primeval forests in Poland

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