Site Type Effect on Litter Decomposition Rates: A Three-Year Comparison of Decomposition Process between Spoil Heap and Forest Sites

Abstract

Research Highlights: Direct comparison of leaf litter decomposition rates between harsh soil conditions of degraded lands and adjacent “closer to natural” forest areas has not been done before. Background and Objectives: We aimed to fill this knowledge gap by determining the differences in amounts of carbon and nitrogen released by species-specific litter depending on decomposition rates in various stand and habitat conditions, which enables selection of the most ecologically and economically appropriate (for fast soil organic layer development) tree species for afforestation of reclaimed lands. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on the external spoil heap of the “Bełchatów” lignite mine (Central Poland) and adjacent forests. In December 2013, we established a litterbag experiment beneath the canopies of birch and pine stands. We used litter of Alnus glutinosa (Gaertn.), Betula pendula (Roth), Pinus sylvestris (L.), and Quercus robur (L.) collected ex situ, which we installed (after oven-drying) beneath the canopies of eight stands. The experiment lasted for three years (with sampling of three-month intervals). Results: Harsh soil conditions of degraded lands are unfavorable for litter mineralization. It was found that 23%–74% of decomposed materials were mineralized in spoil heap stands, whereas in forest stands these amounts ranged from 35%–83%. Litter of Q. robur in birch stands on the spoil heap is predicted to take 12 years longer for total decomposition than in forest stands of the same species. This hinders organic carbon turnover and could result in elongation of the time for full biological and economic reclamation of degraded lands. On the other hand, decomposition of relatively fast decomposable litter (A. glutinosa and B. pendula) in pine stands on the spoil heap was faster than in pine stands in forest sites (17% and 13% faster, respectively). We did not observe this trend for decomposition of more recalcitrant litter types of P. sylvestris and Q. robur. Conclusions: The results show the value of selective choice of tree species for afforestation of post-mining areas to accelerate the development of technogenic soil substrates. We recommend introducing all tree species studied in the cluster form of admixtures as all of them could bring some profits in ecological and economical reclamation.

Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Dynamics in Fire-Affected Larch Forests in the Russian Far East

“…Similar to our findings, a litterbag study in a pine forest of Central Poland found that pronounced N immobilization occurred in undisturbed stands compared with disturbed ones [62]. By the end of our experiment, the N amount in litterbags was 115% of the initial N mass at the control site and 149% of the initial N mass at the burned site.…”

Tree species have a greater influence on species composition of the herb layer than soil texture on a forested post‐mining area

“…The small biomass and low degree of cover by the herb layer most probably results from the large biomass of litter under P. sylvestris (Rawlik et al, 2018), which limits plant growth and germination. Another explanation may be lower light levels that reach the forest floor under P. sylvestris in comparison to B. pendula and A. glutinosa (Horodecki & Jagodziński, 2019). In addition, concentrations of alkaline cations under P. sylvestris on sandy sites were the lowest (for Ca, less than half as high), while Fe content was higher than in the neighbouring forest stands of B. pendula .…”

“…Spoil heaps created as a result of open‐pit lignite mining allow observation of initial soil‐forming processes in soil‐less areas (Hendrychová, 2008; Horodecki & Jagodziński, 2019; Prach, 2013). Forest research conducted relatively recently on wooded plots under pure stands of 14 tree species about 30 years old, showed significant effects of tree species on variation in site conditions, as well as species diversity of plants, fungi, and animals (Hobbie et al, 2006; Mueller et al, 2016; Reich et al, 2005; Skorupski, Jagodziński, Żytkowiak, & Karolewski, 2012).…”

Changes in leaf litter decomposition of primary Korean pine forests after degradation succession into secondary broad‐leaved forests

“…In different periods of forest succession, profound changes in soil habitat caused by differences in aboveground vegetation affect the leaf litter decomposition (Forest et al., 2013 ; Prescott et al., 2000 ). Previous research demonstrated that leaf litter decomposition may be influenced by litter quality, soil physicochemical properties, and/or biological factor adjustments (Bray et al., 2012 ; García‐Palacios et al., 2016 ; Horodecki & Jagodziński, 2019 ; Polyakova & Billor, 2008 ). In this study, we found that leaf litter decomposition was significantly different in the primary Korean pine forest and secondary broad‐leaved forest.…”