Impact of changes in freezing and thawing on foliar litter carbon release in alpine$/$subalpine forests along an altitudinal gradient in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

Wu, Fuzhong; Peng, Changhui; Zhu, Jun; Zhang, J.; Tan, Bo; Yang, Wanqin

doi:10.5194/bgd-11-9539-2014

Cited by 11 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…This result supports previous findings, demonstrating that snow cover can promote the loss of litter cellulose [19,26]. Cellulose is degraded by extracellular enzymes secreted by numerous species of bacteria and fungi [5].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…In contrast, during snowmelt, thicker snow cover leads to acute leaching, which results in increases in cellulose and lignin contents due to the absolute losses of liable components from litter. However, thinner snow patches under a closed canopy undergo more frequent freeze-thaw cycles, and the litter at these sites is subjected to greater physical damage, which favors lignin decomposition [19]. Second, with respect to lignin photodegradation due to increased solar radiation [20], lignin loss at the gap center may be greater during the growing season, whereas a closed canopy can provide a more stable microenvironment of abundant rainfall and high temperature for decomposers, which is beneficial to cellulose and lignin loss [5] because the canopy cover excludes light and reduces the associated evaporation from the forest floor.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Forest gaps and the associated crown canopy generate strong winter snowpack gradients from the gap center to the closed canopy, influence the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles in the winter, and redistribute temperature, precipitation and solar radiation during the growing season [17,18]. Remaining mass, nutrient release, and microbial biomass during the process of litter decomposition have been widely investigated in alpine forests [17][18][19]24,30], and the results have shown that forest gaps allow the accumulation of deep snow patches that significantly promote litter decomposition during the winter. Based on previous investigations, we measured the concentrations of litter cellulose and lignin at critical periods as well as snow coverage and temperature dynamics during a one-year decomposition period, at sites from the gap center to the closed canopy in three selected forest gaps.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Forest Gaps on Litter Lignin and Cellulose Dynamics Vary Seasonally in an Alpine Forest

Han

Yang

et al. 2016

Forests

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Abstract:To understand how forest gaps and the associated canopy control litter lignin and cellulose dynamics by redistributing the winter snow coverage and hydrothermal conditions in the growing season, a field litterbag trial was conducted in the alpine Minjiang fir (Abies faxoniana Rehder and E.H. Wilson) forest in a transitional area located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Over the first year of litter decomposition, the litter exhibited absolute cellulose loss and absolute lignin accumulation except for the red birch litter. The changes in litter cellulose and lignin were significantly affected by the interactions among gap position, period and species. Litter cellulose exhibited a greater loss in the winter with the highest daily loss rate observed during the snow cover period. Both cellulose and lignin exhibited greater changes under the deep snow cover at the gap center in the winter, but the opposite pattern occurred under the closed canopy in the growing season. The results suggest that decreased snowpack seasonality due to winter warming may limit litter cellulose and lignin degradation in alpine forest ecosystems, which could further inhibit litter decomposition. As a result, the ongoing winter warming and gap vanishing would slow soil carbon sequestration from foliar litter in cold biomes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Forest Gaps on Litter Lignin and Cellulose Dynamics Vary Seasonally in an Alpine Forest

Han

Yang

et al. 2016

Forests

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“…Based on the freezing and thawing dynamics determined from our previous investigations at the study site, we divided an entire year into five periods (Zhu et al 2012;Wu et al 2014). Specifically, we divided winter into three periods, which were designated as the "pre-freezing period," the "freezing period," and the "thawing period," according to our previous investigations (Wu et al 2014). In addition, we designated April to August as the "growing season" and August to early November as the "late growing season."…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The herbaceous plants are primarily fern (Cystopteris montana), Carex spp., and Cyperus spp. (Wu et al 2014). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamics of multiple metallic elements during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river

Yue

Yang

Peng

et al. 2016

Annals of Forest Science

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Abstract& Key message Compared with previously reported data, we found that plant litter decomposes faster in river ecosystem than on forest floor in a comparable period, but the dynamics of metallic elements during litter decomposition in river are likely to share common patterns with the corresponding ones in decomposing litter on forest floor. & Context Litter decomposition in terrestrial lotic ecosystem is one of the most important pathways for metallic elements cycling, while little information is currently available about the dynamics of metallic elements in the decomposing litter of lotic ecosystems.& Aims and methods The concentrations and release rates of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and aluminium (Al) were investigated in the decomposing foliar litter of four dominant species in an alpine forest river. & Results Over a 1-year period of decomposition, K, Ca, and Mg were released from virtually all types of litter, whereas Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and Al were released from willow litter but accumulated in azalea, cypress, and larch litters during litter decomposition. Litter species, decomposition period, and river water characteristics (e.g., temperature, pH, flow velocity, and nutrient availability) were significantly related to the dynamics of these metallic elements in decomposing litter. & Conclusion Our results suggested that the similarity between the dynamics of metallic elements in the decomposing litter of lotic ecosystems reported here and previously for forest floors indicates a general pattern for the cycling of metallic element across different ecosystem types, and the net accumulation patterns for elements such as Zn, Cu, and Al during litter decomposition suggested that some litter species may act as efficient "cleaner" for metal purification in future ecological engineering.

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Degradation of lignin and cellulose during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river

et al. 2016

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. 2016. Degradation of lignin and cellulose during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river. Ecosphere 7(10):e01523. 10. 1002/ecs2.1523 Abstract. Lignin and cellulose are thought to be critical factors that affect the rate of litter decomposition; however, few data are available on their degradation dynamics during litter decomposition in lotic ecosystems, such as forest rivers, where litter can decompose much more rapidly than in terrestrial ecosystems. We studied the degradation of lignin and cellulose in the foliar litter of four dominant riparian species (willow: Salix paraplesia; azalea: Rhododendron lapponicum; cypress: Sabina saltuaria; and larch: Larix mastersiana) in an alpine forest river. Over an entire year's incubation, litter lignin and cellulose degraded by 14.7-100% and 57.7-100% of their initial masses, respectively, depending on litter species. Strong degradations of lignin and cellulose occurred in the prefreezing period (i.e., the first 41 d) during litter decomposition, and the degradation rate was the highest among all the decomposition periods regardless of litter species. Litter species, decomposition period, and environmental factors such as temperature and nutrient availability showed significant influences on lignin and cellulose degradation rates. Compared with previously reported data regarding the dynamics of lignin and cellulose during litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems, our results suggest that lignin and cellulose can be degraded much more rapidly in lotic ecosystems, indicating that the traditionally used two-phased model for the dynamics of lignin in decomposing litter may not be suitable in lotic ecosystems.

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Impact of changes in freezing and thawing on foliar litter carbon release in alpine$/$subalpine forests along an altitudinal gradient in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

Cited by 11 publications

References 40 publications

Effects of Forest Gaps on Litter Lignin and Cellulose Dynamics Vary Seasonally in an Alpine Forest

Effects of Forest Gaps on Litter Lignin and Cellulose Dynamics Vary Seasonally in an Alpine Forest

Dynamics of multiple metallic elements during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river

Degradation of lignin and cellulose during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river

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