Estimating decomposition rate constants for European tree species from literature sources

Abstract

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important substrate in forests, provides habitat for a multitude of organisms and is also a sink and a source for nutrients and carbon. To assess the dynamics of this substrate equations to describe the course of decomposition have been developed. They can also be used to describe the release of carbon from dead wood into the atmosphere. Unfortunately few equations have been parameterised for European conditions, although there is a need to estimate the dynamics of CWD in this region. Therefore, a method (termed the LB-method) was invented to estimate suitable decomposition rate constants (DRC) from sources published in the CWD Global Database by systematically comparing features and conditions of the area and species of interest with the information given with the published equations. The DRC were weighed according to these comparisons and then sorted by the weight assigned to them. From the resulting distribution a plausible DRC for the region and species of interest was estimated. The LB-method was compared to results from a study on Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) decomposition in Thuringia, Germany, and to results from an expert elicitation on DRC for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in the Federal State of Brandenburg, Germany. In both cases the method gave results within the conWdence interval of the respective study used for comparison. Both methods are suitable for the estimation of preliminary DRC until more accurate constants can be derived by research. While the focus in this study was on density loss the method can be applied to other dead wood features (e.g. volume), and should be applicable to other regions of the world where information is also scarce.

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

“…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).…”

Effect of topography on tree species composition and volume of coarse woody debris in an Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) old growth forests, northern Iran

“…Moreover, in the European forests beech is mixed with softwood trees such as fir that are missing in the Iranian beech stands. Differences in decomposition rate among species can account for variation in the overstory and dead wood composition (Rock et al 2008). The distribution pattern of CWD along the first two extracted canonical axes were similar to patterns of living tree distribution, and were most likely influenced by physiological characteristics of the individual species.…”

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

“…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).…”