Decomposition of eucalyptus leaves in litter mixtures

Briones, Maria J.I.; Ineson, Phil

doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(96)00158-7

Cited by 140 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…We propose a compensation produced by a lower quality but more heterogeneous litter in the native forest and a higher quality but almost homogeneous litter in the invaded forest. It has been demonstrated that litter produced from mixtures of several plant species decomposes faster than material taken from isolated species [50,55].…”

Section: Advances In Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) Invasion Alters Decomposer Fauna and Plant Litter Decomposition in a Temperate Xerophytic Deciduous Forest

Bedano

Sacchi

Natale

et al. 2014

Advances in Ecology

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Plant invasions may alter the soil system by changing litter quality and quantity, thereby affecting soil community and ecosystem processes. We investigated the effect of Tamarix ramosissima invasion on the decomposer fauna and litter decomposition process, as well as the importance of litter quality in decomposition. Litter decomposition and decomposer communities were evaluated in two monospecific saltcedar forests and two native forests in Argentina, in litterbags containing either local litter (saltcedar or dominant native species) or a control litter. Saltcedar invasion produced an increase in Collembola, Acari, and total mesofauna abundance, regardless of the litter type. Control litter decomposition was higher in the native forest than in the saltcedar forest, showing that increased abundance of decomposer fauna does not necessarily accelerate decomposition processes. Local litter decomposition was not different between forests, suggesting that decomposer fauna of both ecosystems is adapted to efficiently decompose the autochthonous litter. Our results suggest that the introduction of a resource with higher quality than the local one has a negative effect on decomposition in both ecosystems, which is more pronounced in the invaded forest than in the native forest. This finding stresses the low plasticity of saltcedar decomposer community to adapt to short-term environmental changes.

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Section: Advances In Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) Invasion Alters Decomposer Fauna and Plant Litter Decomposition in a Temperate Xerophytic Deciduous Forest

Bedano

Sacchi

Natale

et al. 2014

Advances in Ecology

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“…Next, interactions in litter mixtures were determined by first calculating the expected mass remaining, based on the remaining mass in the single-species litterbags of the component species that were incubated in the same plot. This was calculated as follows (compare Briones and Ineson 1996;McTiernan and others 1997):…”

Section: Calculations and Statistical Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Litter Mixture Interactions at the Level of Plant Functional Types are Additive

Hoorens¹,

Stroetenga²,

Aerts³

2009

Ecosystems

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It is very difficult to estimate litter decomposition rates in natural ecosystems because litters of many species are mixed and idiosyncratic interactions occur among those litters. A way to tackle this problem is to investigate litter mixing effects not at the species level but at the level of Plant Functional Types (PFTs). We tested the hypothesis that at the PFT level positive and negative interactions balance each other, causing an overall additive effect (no significant interactions among PFTs). Thereto, we used litter of four PFTs from a temperate peatland in which random draws were taken from the litter species pool of each PFT for every combination of 2, 3, and 4 PFTs. Decomposition rates clearly differed among the 4 PFTs (Sphagnum spp. < graminoids = N-fixing tree < forbs) and showed little variation within the PFTs (notably for the Sphagnum mosses and the graminoids). Significant positive interactions (4 out of 11) in the PFT mixtures were only found after 20 weeks and in all these combinations Sphagnum was involved. After 36 and 56 weeks of incubation interactions were not significantly different from zero. However, standard deviations were larger than the means, indicating that positive and negative interactions balanced each other. Thus, when litter mixture interactions are considered at the PFT level the interactions are additive. From this we conclude that for estimating litter decomposition rates at the ecosystem level, it is sufficient to use the weighted (by litter production) average decomposition rates of the contributing PFTs.

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“…Alternatively, nutrient dynamics in mixtures could be dependent on other litter species, giving rise to non-additive dynamics. Littermixing studies have focused on detecting these non-additive effects, both in terms of nutrient content of litter (Blair and others 1990;Klemmedson 1992;Rustad 1994;Wardle and others 1997;Salamanca and others 1998;Kaneko and Salamanca 1999;Conn and Dighton 2000;Madritch and Cardinale 2007) and its release from the litter (Chapman and others 1988;Williams and Alexander 1991;Fyles and Fyles 1993;Briones and Ineson 1996;McTiernan and others 1997;Brandtberg and Lundkvist 2004). Non-additive dynamics have been observed by some (Chapman and others 1988;Blair and others 1990;McTiernan and others 1997;Wardle and others 1997;Salamanca and others 1998;Kaneko and Salamanca 1999;Madritch and Cardinale 2007) and not by others (Klemmedson 1992;Rustad 1994;Brandtberg and Lundkvist 2004), even with the observation of both non-additive and additive effects in the same experiment (Fyles and Fyles 1993;Gartner and Cardon 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Release from Mixed Litter Layers is Lower than Predicted from Single Species Decay

2008

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Ecosystem-level nutrient dynamics during decomposition are often estimated from litter monocultures. If species effects are additive, we can statistically predict nutrient dynamics in multispecies systems from monoculture work, and potential consequences of species loss. However, if species effects are dependent on interactions with other litter species (that is, non-additive), predictions based on monoculture data will likely be inaccurate. We conducted a 3-year, full-factorial, mixed-litter decomposition study of four dominant tree species in a temperate forest and measured nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics to explore whether nutrient dynamics in mixtures were additive or non-additive. Following common approaches, we used litterfall data to predict nutrient dynamics at the ecosystem-level. In mixtures, we observed non-additive effects of litter mixing on nutrient dynamics: the presence of nutrient-rich species in mixture facilitated nutrient release, whereas nutrient-poor species facilitated nutrient retention. Fewer nutrients were released from mixtures containing high-quality litter, and more immobilized from mixtures containing low-quality litter, than predicted from monocultures, creating a difference in overall nutrient release between predicted and actual dynamics in litter mixtures. Nutrient release at the ecosystem-level was greatly overestimated when based on monocultures because the effect of species interactions on nutrient immobilization was not accounted for. Our data illustrate that the identity of species in mixtures is key to their role in non-additive interactions, with repercussions for mineral nutrient availability and storage. These results suggest that predictions of ecosystem-level nutrient dynamics using litter monoculture data likely do not accurately represent actual dynamics because the effects of litter species interactions are not incorporated.

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Decomposition of eucalyptus leaves in litter mixtures

Cited by 140 publications

References 21 publications

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) Invasion Alters Decomposer Fauna and Plant Litter Decomposition in a Temperate Xerophytic Deciduous Forest

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) Invasion Alters Decomposer Fauna and Plant Litter Decomposition in a Temperate Xerophytic Deciduous Forest

Litter Mixture Interactions at the Level of Plant Functional Types are Additive

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Release from Mixed Litter Layers is Lower than Predicted from Single Species Decay

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