Evaluating Litter Yield and Decomposition for Re-Vegetated Mangroves in a Subtropical Mudflat

Abstract

Field monitoring and incubation experiments were conducted to evaluate the litter yield and examine the decomposition of the litter of three representative mangrove species frequently used for mangrove re-vegetation in a subtropical mudflat on the South China coast. The results show that the litter yield of the investigated mangrove species varied significantly from season to season. The annual litter production was in the following decreasing order: Heritiera littoralis > Thespesia populnea > Kandelia obovata. Initially, rapid decomposition of easily degradable components of the litter materials resulted in a marked weight loss of the mangrove litter. There was a good linear relationship between the length of field incubation time and the litter decomposition rate for both the branch and the leaf portion of the three investigated mangrove species. Approximately 50% or more of the added mangrove litter could be decomposed within one year and the decomposed litter could be incorporated into the underlying soils and consequently affect the soil carbon dynamics. An annual soil carbon increase from 2.37 to 4.64 g/kg in the top 5 cm of the soil was recorded for the investigated mangrove species.

Response of Annual Herbaceous Plant Leaching and Decomposition to Periodic Submergence in Mega-Reservoirs: Changes in Litter Nutrients and Soil Properties for Restoration

“…Following the results of Niu (2019), at a depth of 0 cm for the two herbaceous plants, the soil’s total nutrient content did not significantly increase within 30 days of decay [ 20 ]. In the early stage, the litter decomposition products were mainly highly soluble and low-molecular-weight organic acids, which could not be retained in the soil, resulting in a significant increase in the nutrient content of the overlying water.…”

“…Nutrient elements would be released into the water through leaching [ 18 ]. Previous studies have shown that soil organic matter decomposition is inhibited by waterlogging conditions [ 19 , 20 ]. The soil contains more organic carbon due to the slow decomposition rate in the anaerobic water environment.…”

Biomass and carbon stocks in mangrove ecosystems of Kerala, southwest coast of India

“…The highest carbon stock recorded from the densely covered plots may be due to the higher litter production that was added to the soil as carbon input. The mangrove litter added to the soil could decompose and get incorporated in to the underlying mineral soil layer thereby affecting the soil carbon dynamics (Niu et al 2019). The soil carbon in the upper layers contents are usually the most vulnerable owing to the direct interaction with atmosphere and erosional forces.…”