Background:Attempts to restore degraded highlands by tree planting are common in East Africa.However,up till now,little attention has been given to effects of tree species choice on litter decomposition and nutrient r...Background:Attempts to restore degraded highlands by tree planting are common in East Africa.However,up till now,little attention has been given to effects of tree species choice on litter decomposition and nutrient recycling.Method:In this study,three indigenous and two exotic tree species were selected for a litter decomposition study.The objective was to identify optimal tree species combinations and tree diversity levels for the restoration of degraded land via enhanced litter turnover.Litterbags were installed in June 2019 into potential restoration sites(disturbed natural forest and forest plantation)and compared to intact natural forest.The tested tree leaf litters included five monospecific litters,ten mixtures of three species and one mixture of five species.Standard green and rooibos tea were used for comparison.A total of 1,033 litters were retrieved for weight loss analysis after one,three,six,and twelve months of incubation.Results:The finding indicates a significant effect of both litter quality and litter diversity on litter decomposition.The nitrogen-fixing native tree Millettia ferruginea showed a comparable decomposition rate as the fast decom-posing green tea.The exotic conifer Cupressus lusitanica and the native recalcitrant Syzygium guineense have even a lower decomposition rate than the slowly decomposing rooibos tea.A significant correlation was observed be-tween litter mass loss and initial leaf litter chemical composition.Moreover,we found positive non-additive ef-fects for litter mixtures including nutrient-rich and negative non-additive effects for litter mixtures including poor leaf litters respectively.Conclusion:These findings suggest that both litter quality and litter diversity play an important role in decom-position processes and therefore in the restoration of degraded tropical moist evergreen forest.展开更多
The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two under...The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two understory species （Artemisia scoparia and Setaria viridis） litter on the mass loss and N release of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） litter in Keerqin Sandy Lands, northeast China, and identified the influencing mechanism from the chemical quality of decomposing litter. Four litter combinations were set up： one monocul- ture of Mongolian pine and three mixtures of Mongolian pine and one or two understory species in equal mass proportions of each species. Total C, total N, lignin, cel- lulose and polyphenol concentrations, and mass loss of pine litter were analyzed at days 84 and 182 of incubation.The chemistry of pine litter not only changed with the stages of decomposition, but was also strongly influenced by the presence of understory species during decomposition. Both understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 84 days, while only the simultaneous presence of two understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 182 days. Mass loss of pine litter was negatively correlated with initial ratios of C/N, lignin/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations during the entire incubation period; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with polyphenol concentration and ratios of C/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations at 84 days of incubation. Nitrogen release of pine litter was promoted in the presence of understory species. Nitrogen release at 84 days was negatively correlated with initial N concentration; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with initial polyphenol concentration of litter combinations and positively correlated with lignin concentration of litter com- binations at 84 days of incubation. Our results suggest that the presence ofunderstory species causes substantial changes in chemical components of pine litter that can exert strong influences on subsequent decomposition of pine litter.展开更多
In riparian forests,litter decay provides essential energy and nutrients for both terrestrial and fluvial ecosystems.Litter mixing effects(LMEs)are crucial in regulating litter decay and nutrient dynamics,yet how LMEs...In riparian forests,litter decay provides essential energy and nutrients for both terrestrial and fluvial ecosystems.Litter mixing effects(LMEs)are crucial in regulating litter decay and nutrient dynamics,yet how LMEs change over time is unclear in riparian forests.In this study,leaf litter of three common species(Alnus sibirica Fisch.ex Turcz,Betula platyphylla Sukaczev,and Betula fruticosa Pall.)were mixed in an equal mass ratio and LMEs were measured for mass and nitrogen(N)remaining in whole litter mixtures over a 3-year period in a boreal riparian forest,northeastern China.LMEs were also assessed for component litter mass and N remaining by separating litter mixtures by species.During the decay of litter mixtures,antagonistic effects on mass and N remaining were dominant after one and two years of decay,whereas only additive effects were observed after three years.LMEs correlated negatively with functional diversity after the first and two years of decay but disappeared after three years.When sorting litter mixtures by species,non-additive LMEs on mass and N remaining decreased over incubation time.Moreover,non-additive LMEs were more frequent for litter of both B.platyphylla and B.fruticosa with lower N concentration than for A.sibirica litter with higher N concentration.These results indicate that incubation time is a key determinant of litter mixing effects during decay and highlight that late-stage litter mixture decay may be predicted from single litter decay dynamics in boreal riparian forests.展开更多
Research has indicated that introducing Aralia elata into larch plantations forms an agroforestry system which could provide economic benefi ts for local farmers and improve degraded soils.However,the impact of litter...Research has indicated that introducing Aralia elata into larch plantations forms an agroforestry system which could provide economic benefi ts for local farmers and improve degraded soils.However,the impact of litter mixtures on soil chemical and microbial properties in this agroforestry system are unclear,which limits effi cient management of the agroforestry system.A 365-d incubation experiment examined the eff ect of litter mixtures of diff erent proportions of larch(L)and A.elata(A)on soil chemical and microbial properties.The results show that levels of mineral N,available P,microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen,cumulative C mineralization,and activities of hydrolases and oxidases increased with an increase of A.elata in the litter mixtures.Concentration of total soil carbon,nitrogen,and phosphorous did not change(except for total nitrogen).Compared with larch litter alone,levels of mineral N,available P,microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen,cumulative C mineralization,and the activities of hydrolases and oxidases increased by 7.6–433.5%.Most chemical and microbial properties were positively correlated with mixed litter proportions and the initial levels of N,P,K,Ca,Mg,Mn,Zn and Cu in the litter,while negatively correlated with the initial concentrations of C,Fe and lignin,C/N and lignin/N ratios.The results indicate that A.elata litter can improve degraded larch soil and the degree depends on the proportion of A.elata litter in the litter mixtures.展开更多
Aims Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)and Xiaozhuan poplar(Populus×xiaozhuanica)are two predominant afforestation tree species in the semi-arid sandy lands of northeast china,which are characterized ...Aims Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)and Xiaozhuan poplar(Populus×xiaozhuanica)are two predominant afforestation tree species in the semi-arid sandy lands of northeast china,which are characterized by poor soil nutrients.Plant litter decomposition plays a critical role in regulating nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.Admixture of broadleaf litter to conifer litter is expected to improve litter decomposition and soil fertility,and thus productivity.However,the effects on the decomposition of litter mixture of the above two tree species are not well understood.therefore,it is essential to assess the decomposition performance of litter mixture with the aim of improving forest nutrient management and the establishment of mixed plantation.Appropriate forest manage-ment practice is critical for the sustainability of site productivity in plantation forests.Methods We conducted a field litterbag decomposition transplant experi-ment for single pine litter,single poplar litter and their mixture in a pine stand,a poplar stand and an adjacent grassland for 16 months in the Keerqin Sandy Lands,northeast china.Important Findings After 16 months of incubation,there remained significantly more litter mass of pine(73.8%)than of poplar(67.2%).the mass remaining was positively correlated with litter carbon(c):nitrogen(N),c:phosphorus(P)and lignin:N ratios,and negatively with litter N and P concentrations,which suggests that initial litter chemical properties were an important factor affecting litter decay.Generally,net N and P immobilizations were observed during decomposition.this indicates that litter decomposition in this area was N-limited as N was progressively immobilized,and then tended to induce P limitation.thus,we strongly recommend prohibiting litter harvesting by local residents to maintain soil fertility in this nutrient-poor area.Our results do not support the home-field advantage hypothesis,as illustrated by the fact that,in most cases,mass loss of litter from native habitat was comparable to that in transplanted habitats during decomposition.Furthermore,a dominant additive effect was detected,indicating that the establishment of mixed plantation may not be appropriate for these two species.展开更多
Aims Human impacts on natural ecosystems induce changes in their functioning through alterations in species richness,composition and evenness of plant communities.Most litter diversity–decomposition processes studies...Aims Human impacts on natural ecosystems induce changes in their functioning through alterations in species richness,composition and evenness of plant communities.Most litter diversity–decomposition processes studies have only manipulated species richness,ignoring the role of evenness.Here,results from a field litterbag experiment are presented to test whether changes in evenness of species distribution in litter mixtures affected the strength of the litter-species richness–decomposition relationship.Methods Ten herbaceous species abundant in Mediterranean grassland communities and representative of different genera and functional groups were used.Species richness was directly manipulated to produce litter mixtures of three and six plant species,as well as litter of each individual species used.Each level of species richness was replicated several times such that each repeat had a different species composition.Three-and six-species litter mixtures were also treated to vary in evenness(three levels).Decomposition rate was assessed by percentage dry weight loss over the 90 days of the experiment.Important Findings Decomposition rate was positively related to the linear increase in litter-species richness and was affected by the composition of the litter-species mixture.Decomposition rates differed significantly between evenness treatments and moreover,the strength of the positive relationship between litter-species richness and decomposition rate decreased notably in the low-evenness treatment.The effects of evenness on decomposition rate,at different richness levels,were partially explained by the differences in the initial litter mixture’s carbon-to-nitrogen ratio within them.This study reveals that shortterm decomposition rate is positively affected by both components of Mediterranean grassland litter-species diversity.展开更多
基金This research was financially and logistically supported by the AMU-IUC program of the Belgium Government through the Flemish interuni-versity council(VLIR-UOS).
文摘Background:Attempts to restore degraded highlands by tree planting are common in East Africa.However,up till now,little attention has been given to effects of tree species choice on litter decomposition and nutrient recycling.Method:In this study,three indigenous and two exotic tree species were selected for a litter decomposition study.The objective was to identify optimal tree species combinations and tree diversity levels for the restoration of degraded land via enhanced litter turnover.Litterbags were installed in June 2019 into potential restoration sites(disturbed natural forest and forest plantation)and compared to intact natural forest.The tested tree leaf litters included five monospecific litters,ten mixtures of three species and one mixture of five species.Standard green and rooibos tea were used for comparison.A total of 1,033 litters were retrieved for weight loss analysis after one,three,six,and twelve months of incubation.Results:The finding indicates a significant effect of both litter quality and litter diversity on litter decomposition.The nitrogen-fixing native tree Millettia ferruginea showed a comparable decomposition rate as the fast decom-posing green tea.The exotic conifer Cupressus lusitanica and the native recalcitrant Syzygium guineense have even a lower decomposition rate than the slowly decomposing rooibos tea.A significant correlation was observed be-tween litter mass loss and initial leaf litter chemical composition.Moreover,we found positive non-additive ef-fects for litter mixtures including nutrient-rich and negative non-additive effects for litter mixtures including poor leaf litters respectively.Conclusion:These findings suggest that both litter quality and litter diversity play an important role in decom-position processes and therefore in the restoration of degraded tropical moist evergreen forest.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant number 31270668)the State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology(grant number LFSE2013-11)
文摘The effects of understory plant litter on domi- nant tree litter decomposition are not well documented especially in semi-arid forests. In this study, we used a microcosm experiment to examine the effects of two understory species （Artemisia scoparia and Setaria viridis） litter on the mass loss and N release of Mongolian pine （Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） litter in Keerqin Sandy Lands, northeast China, and identified the influencing mechanism from the chemical quality of decomposing litter. Four litter combinations were set up： one monocul- ture of Mongolian pine and three mixtures of Mongolian pine and one or two understory species in equal mass proportions of each species. Total C, total N, lignin, cel- lulose and polyphenol concentrations, and mass loss of pine litter were analyzed at days 84 and 182 of incubation.The chemistry of pine litter not only changed with the stages of decomposition, but was also strongly influenced by the presence of understory species during decomposition. Both understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 84 days, while only the simultaneous presence of two understory species promoted mass loss of pine litter at 182 days. Mass loss of pine litter was negatively correlated with initial ratios of C/N, lignin/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations during the entire incubation period; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with polyphenol concentration and ratios of C/N and polyphenol/N of litter combinations at 84 days of incubation. Nitrogen release of pine litter was promoted in the presence of understory species. Nitrogen release at 84 days was negatively correlated with initial N concentration; at 182 days it was negatively correlated with initial polyphenol concentration of litter combinations and positively correlated with lignin concentration of litter com- binations at 84 days of incubation. Our results suggest that the presence ofunderstory species causes substantial changes in chemical components of pine litter that can exert strong influences on subsequent decomposition of pine litter.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(41771108 and 31570479)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi,China(20212ACB215002)the Double Thousand Plan of Jiangxi Province(jxsq2018106044).
文摘In riparian forests,litter decay provides essential energy and nutrients for both terrestrial and fluvial ecosystems.Litter mixing effects(LMEs)are crucial in regulating litter decay and nutrient dynamics,yet how LMEs change over time is unclear in riparian forests.In this study,leaf litter of three common species(Alnus sibirica Fisch.ex Turcz,Betula platyphylla Sukaczev,and Betula fruticosa Pall.)were mixed in an equal mass ratio and LMEs were measured for mass and nitrogen(N)remaining in whole litter mixtures over a 3-year period in a boreal riparian forest,northeastern China.LMEs were also assessed for component litter mass and N remaining by separating litter mixtures by species.During the decay of litter mixtures,antagonistic effects on mass and N remaining were dominant after one and two years of decay,whereas only additive effects were observed after three years.LMEs correlated negatively with functional diversity after the first and two years of decay but disappeared after three years.When sorting litter mixtures by species,non-additive LMEs on mass and N remaining decreased over incubation time.Moreover,non-additive LMEs were more frequent for litter of both B.platyphylla and B.fruticosa with lower N concentration than for A.sibirica litter with higher N concentration.These results indicate that incubation time is a key determinant of litter mixing effects during decay and highlight that late-stage litter mixture decay may be predicted from single litter decay dynamics in boreal riparian forests.
基金supported fi nancially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1808201).
文摘Research has indicated that introducing Aralia elata into larch plantations forms an agroforestry system which could provide economic benefi ts for local farmers and improve degraded soils.However,the impact of litter mixtures on soil chemical and microbial properties in this agroforestry system are unclear,which limits effi cient management of the agroforestry system.A 365-d incubation experiment examined the eff ect of litter mixtures of diff erent proportions of larch(L)and A.elata(A)on soil chemical and microbial properties.The results show that levels of mineral N,available P,microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen,cumulative C mineralization,and activities of hydrolases and oxidases increased with an increase of A.elata in the litter mixtures.Concentration of total soil carbon,nitrogen,and phosphorous did not change(except for total nitrogen).Compared with larch litter alone,levels of mineral N,available P,microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen,cumulative C mineralization,and the activities of hydrolases and oxidases increased by 7.6–433.5%.Most chemical and microbial properties were positively correlated with mixed litter proportions and the initial levels of N,P,K,Ca,Mg,Mn,Zn and Cu in the litter,while negatively correlated with the initial concentrations of C,Fe and lignin,C/N and lignin/N ratios.The results indicate that A.elata litter can improve degraded larch soil and the degree depends on the proportion of A.elata litter in the litter mixtures.
基金This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31870603 and 31270668).
文摘Aims Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)and Xiaozhuan poplar(Populus×xiaozhuanica)are two predominant afforestation tree species in the semi-arid sandy lands of northeast china,which are characterized by poor soil nutrients.Plant litter decomposition plays a critical role in regulating nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.Admixture of broadleaf litter to conifer litter is expected to improve litter decomposition and soil fertility,and thus productivity.However,the effects on the decomposition of litter mixture of the above two tree species are not well understood.therefore,it is essential to assess the decomposition performance of litter mixture with the aim of improving forest nutrient management and the establishment of mixed plantation.Appropriate forest manage-ment practice is critical for the sustainability of site productivity in plantation forests.Methods We conducted a field litterbag decomposition transplant experi-ment for single pine litter,single poplar litter and their mixture in a pine stand,a poplar stand and an adjacent grassland for 16 months in the Keerqin Sandy Lands,northeast china.Important Findings After 16 months of incubation,there remained significantly more litter mass of pine(73.8%)than of poplar(67.2%).the mass remaining was positively correlated with litter carbon(c):nitrogen(N),c:phosphorus(P)and lignin:N ratios,and negatively with litter N and P concentrations,which suggests that initial litter chemical properties were an important factor affecting litter decay.Generally,net N and P immobilizations were observed during decomposition.this indicates that litter decomposition in this area was N-limited as N was progressively immobilized,and then tended to induce P limitation.thus,we strongly recommend prohibiting litter harvesting by local residents to maintain soil fertility in this nutrient-poor area.Our results do not support the home-field advantage hypothesis,as illustrated by the fact that,in most cases,mass loss of litter from native habitat was comparable to that in transplanted habitats during decomposition.Furthermore,a dominant additive effect was detected,indicating that the establishment of mixed plantation may not be appropriate for these two species.
文摘Aims Human impacts on natural ecosystems induce changes in their functioning through alterations in species richness,composition and evenness of plant communities.Most litter diversity–decomposition processes studies have only manipulated species richness,ignoring the role of evenness.Here,results from a field litterbag experiment are presented to test whether changes in evenness of species distribution in litter mixtures affected the strength of the litter-species richness–decomposition relationship.Methods Ten herbaceous species abundant in Mediterranean grassland communities and representative of different genera and functional groups were used.Species richness was directly manipulated to produce litter mixtures of three and six plant species,as well as litter of each individual species used.Each level of species richness was replicated several times such that each repeat had a different species composition.Three-and six-species litter mixtures were also treated to vary in evenness(three levels).Decomposition rate was assessed by percentage dry weight loss over the 90 days of the experiment.Important Findings Decomposition rate was positively related to the linear increase in litter-species richness and was affected by the composition of the litter-species mixture.Decomposition rates differed significantly between evenness treatments and moreover,the strength of the positive relationship between litter-species richness and decomposition rate decreased notably in the low-evenness treatment.The effects of evenness on decomposition rate,at different richness levels,were partially explained by the differences in the initial litter mixture’s carbon-to-nitrogen ratio within them.This study reveals that shortterm decomposition rate is positively affected by both components of Mediterranean grassland litter-species diversity.
