森林凋落物研究进展

对森林凋落物的概念、研究方法及主要研究内容作了阐述,特别就凋落物收集面积和分解袋孔径大小、凋落量时空动态和凋落物分解速率等问题进行了综合分析。目前森林凋落物研究的重要结论有：海拔和纬度因子是通过对光、温、水等生态因子的再分配来影响凋落量,其中主导气候因子是年均温。凋落物的分解与化学组成和环境因子有关,C／N和N含量在凋落物分解过程中起着重要作用。土壤水分是影响凋落物分解主要环境因子之一;土壤微生物对凋落物的影响,前期是通过真菌破碎凋落物表层使内居性动物得以侵入凋落物内部,后期则以细菌降解有机物为主。凋落量、凋落物分解的影响因子,以及凋落物的生态作用等内容应是凋落物研究的重要方向。     

热带尖峰岭和亚热带千岛湖六种凋落叶的分解特征

选取亚热带6个树种马尾松(Pinus massoniana)、毛竹(Phyllostachys heterocycla)、水杉(Metasequoia glyptostroboides)、木荷(Schima superba)、青冈(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)和苏铁(Cycas revoluta)的凋落物,在亚热带的千岛湖和热带的尖峰岭进行凋落物分解实验,研究不同气候带下凋落物的分解特征。两样地的年均气温和降水为主要差异,年均温差达3.0℃。结果表明:两个样地凋落物的分解速率顺序为:毛竹﹥木荷﹥青冈﹥马尾松﹥水杉﹥苏铁,尖峰岭样地6个树种95%分解所需的时间集中在3.22-8.81a,千岛湖样地95%分解所需的时间为4.61-14.27a。6种凋落物叶的分解速率尖峰岭显著大于千岛湖(P0.05)。用尖峰岭的气候条件来模拟千岛湖气候变暖后的状况,凋落物分解的分解速率将提高43.08%-95.65%,凋落物的95%分解时间将缩短30.15%-48.85%。凋落物分解的表观Q10在3.30-9.35之间。在千岛湖样地凋落物的分解速率(k值)与初始氮含量呈显著正相关(P0.05),与木质素含量呈显著负相关(P0.05);在尖峰岭样地,凋落物的分解速率与凋落物基质质量的各因子相关性均不显著。氮含量和木质素含量在中亚热带地区是预测凋落物分解和失重的良好指标,在热带地区气候因子对凋落物分解的控制作用较强于凋落物初始基质质量的控制作用。     

黄土丘陵区人工林刺槐和油松凋落叶在不同降雨时期的分解特征

凋落物分解是维持生态系统养分循环和能量流动的关键过程,但在雨热同期的黄土丘陵区,不同降雨时期凋落物基质质量动态对该区不同树种凋落物分解速率的影响还不清楚。采用凋落物分解袋法,基于野外原位分解实验分析黄土丘陵区主要人工林刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia Linn.）和油松（Pinus tabulaeformis Carr.）凋落叶在不同降雨时期的分解特征和分解过程中凋落叶基质质量的变化与分解速率之间的关系。研究结果发现：（1）经过391 d的分解,刺槐凋落叶的平均质量损失速率为（51.0±8.44）mg/d,显著地高于油松凋落叶（36.7±4.83）mg/d;雨季期间两树种凋落叶的质量损失速率均显著地高于旱季,其中夏季多雨期间凋落叶的质量损失速率最高,冬季微量降雨期间质量损失速率最低。（2）在整个分解过程中两树种凋落叶C和N含量都表现为净释放且主要发生在雨季,P含量表现为释放与富集交替进行;刺槐凋落叶C/N比、C/P比和N/P比呈波动的趋势,油松凋落叶C/N比则显著地增加且在夏季多雨期出现峰值,C/P比呈波动的状态,N/P比变化较小。（3）不同降雨时期刺槐凋落叶的质量损失速率与凋落叶P含量动态显著正相关,与C含量、C/P比和N/P比动态显著负相关。油松凋落叶质量损失速率与C/N比动态显著正相关,与C、N含量动态显著负相关,与N/P比动态呈负二次函数的关系。这些结果说明黄土丘陵区刺槐和油松凋落叶在不同降雨时期分解速率之间的差异显著且两树种凋落叶的分解都集中在雨季期间;此外凋落叶分解主要受到凋落叶N含量和N/P比动态变化的制约,与刺槐凋落叶相比,N含量与N/P比对油松凋落叶的限制作用更强。     

不同林龄马尾松凋落物基质质量与土壤养分的关系

凋落物的质量、数量及分解速率在一定程度上代表了土壤的营养状况。为了精确估算凋落物分解对土壤碳库的年净归还量及凋落物-土壤生物化学连续体的深层理解,从凋落物基质质量的角度分析了三峡库区不同林龄马尾松凋落物基质质量与土壤养分的作用关系,结果表明:中龄林、近熟林、成熟林马尾松凋落物基质质量中的C、C/N比、C/P比、木质素/N比、木质素/P比差异显著,其中近熟林凋落物叶木质素/N分别比中龄林和成熟林的高33.65%、39.24%,N、P、K、木质素含量差异不显著;但各组织器官的N、P、K含量差异显著,均是皮<枝<叶<杂物,C/N比、C/P比的变化则相反。不同林龄马尾松0-20 cm(0-5 cm、5-10 cm、10-20 cm)土壤有机质、总氮、有效磷含量均表现出近熟林<中龄林<成熟林,0-5 cm最大,10-20 cm最小,且随着土壤深度的增加而明显降低,总磷则是中林龄最低,成熟林最大,pH值则各土层均表现为中龄林<成熟林<近熟林,平均pH值为4.55-5.51。凋落物基质质量指标与土壤养分之间冗余分析(RDA)表明:马尾松凋落物基质质量和土壤养分之间关系紧密,N、P、纤维素、半纤维素、木质素、木质素/N比、C/N比对土壤养分影响比较大;凋落物中木质素/N比、C/N比与土壤有机质呈显著负相关,其含量越高越不利于土壤有机质的形成,土壤养分积累的越慢;凋落物基质质量氮含量与土壤氮含量呈显著正相关;土壤pH值、容重与N含量呈显著负相关,与凋落物C/N比、木质素/N比呈显著正相关。马尾松土壤表面有机质、N、P养分含量与凋落物基质质量对应养分含量变化规律一致,土壤养分高,凋落物基质质量相对较高,土壤贫瘠,凋落物基质质量相对较低。     

Leaf litter decomposition characteristics and controlling factors across two contrasting forest types

两种不同森林类型叶凋落物分解特征及影响因子研究 叶凋落物分解为森林生态系统提供了重要的能量和养分来源。除传统的环境因素外,叶凋落物的降解过程也受到绿叶功能性状和叶凋落物基质质量的影响。然而,在群落水平上,绿叶功能性状和叶凋落物基质质量对不同森林群落叶凋落物分解的相对重要性仍不清楚。因此,本研究以北京东灵山地区7种典型森林群落类型的混合叶凋落物为研究对象,利用分解袋法通过360天的野外相似环境分解实验对叶凋落物的分解过程进行了研究。这些森林群落包括6种分别以胡桃楸(Juglans mandshurica)、青杨(Populus cathayana)、棘皮桦(Betula dahurica)、白桦(Betula platyphylla)、油松(Pinus tabuliformis) 和华北落叶松(Larix gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii) 为优势种的单优种群落,以及一种以大叶白蜡(Fraxinus rhynchophylla)、蒙古栎(Quercus mongolica)和蒙椴(Tilia mongolica)为优势种的共优种群落。研究结果表明,不同森林群落之间叶凋落物分解速率存在显著差异。群落聚合的植物功能性状和叶凋落物基质质量分别解释了群落叶凋落物分解速率变异的35.60%和9.05%,两者交互作用解释率为23.37%,表明群落聚合的植物功能性状及其与叶凋落物基质质量的共同作用是影响群落叶凋落物分解速率变异的主要因素。通过冗余分析发现,叶片氮含量、叶干物质含量、叶片单宁含量和比叶面积能显著影响群落叶凋落物分解速率的变异。因此,在对群落水平上叶凋落物分解的研究应该关注群落聚合的绿叶功能性状对分解的影响。     

模拟N沉降下不同林龄马尾松林凋落叶分解-土壤C、N化学计量特征

模拟N沉降对森林生态系统的影响是当今全球变化生态学研究的一个热点问题,土壤碳库对N沉降比较敏感,N沉降增加了凋落叶分解过程中外源N含量,间接影响凋落叶分解的化学过程并改变凋落叶分解速率,因此,研究模拟N沉降下凋落叶分解-土壤C-N关系对预测森林C吸存有重要意义。利用原位分解袋法研究了模拟N沉降下三峡库区不同林龄马尾松林(Pinus massoniana)凋落叶分解过程中凋落叶-土壤C、N化学计量响应及其关系;N沉降水平分对照(CK,0 g m~(-2)a~(-1))、低氮(LN,5 g m~(-2)a~(-1))、中氮(MN,10 g m~(-2)a~(-1))和高氮(HN,15 g m~(-2)a~(-1))。结果表明:分解540 d后,N沉降促进20年生和30年生马尾松林凋落叶分解,46年生马尾松林中仅低氮处理促进凋落叶分解,4种处理均是30年生分解最快,说明同一树种起始N含量低的凋落叶对N沉降呈正响应,N沉降处理促进起始N含量低的凋落叶分解,起始N含量高的凋落叶分解过程中易达到"N饱和"。N沉降抑制20年生和46年生凋落叶C释放(低于对照0.62%—6.69%),促进30年生C释放(高于对照0.28%—5.55%);30年生和46年生林分N固持量均高于对照(高于对照0.15%—21.34%),20年生则低于对照(5.70%—13.87%),说明模拟N沉降处理促进起始C含量低的凋落叶C释放和起始N含量低的凋落叶N固持。N沉降处理下仅30年生马尾松林土壤有机碳较对照增加,且土壤有机质与凋落叶C、N和分解速率呈正相关,与凋落叶C/N比呈显著负相关;土壤总氮与凋落叶分解速率、凋落叶N含量呈正相关,土壤有机碳/总氮比与凋落叶C、N含量呈正相关;对照处理中凋落叶分解指标对土壤养分影响顺序是分解速率凋落物C含量凋落物C/N比凋落物N含量,低、中、高氮处理中则是凋落物C含量分解速率凋落物N含量凋落物C/N比。研究表明低土壤养分含量马尾松林对N沉降呈正响应,N沉降促进低土壤养分马尾松林凋落叶分解并提高土壤肥力;凋落叶质量和土壤养分含量低的生态系统土壤C对N沉降响应更显著。     

大针茅草原6种主要植物叶凋落物和根系分解特征与功能性状的关系

开展凋落物分解特征与植物功能性状间的关系研究对于认识生态系统功能的维持机制至关重要。为了阐明不同物种叶凋落物和根系分解的主要影响因素, 该研究以大针茅(Stipa grandis)典型草原的大针茅、糙隐子草(Cleistogenes squarrosa)、知母(Anemarrhena asphodeloides)、羊草(Leymus chinensis)、银灰旋花(Convolvulus ammannii)和黄囊薹草(Carex korshinskyi) 6种植物的叶凋落物和根系为研究对象, 采用凋落物袋法通过501天的野外分解实验对叶凋落物和根系的分解速率常数进行研究, 并测定6种植物的叶片干物质含量、根比表面积、根组织密度以及叶凋落物和根系的碳(C)、氮(N)含量、纤维组分含量等功能性状, 探讨了6种植物叶凋落物和根系的分解特征与其功能性状之间的关系。结果表明, 6种植物叶片和根系性状的种间差异显著, 大部分性状的最大值和最小值的比值在1到2之间, 而个别性状如根系的C:N和根比表面积相差近4倍。叶凋落物和根系在分解过程中质量剩余率与分解速率常数整体变化趋势都表现出前期分解迅速, 中期相对变缓, 后期分解最慢的规律; 并且糙隐子草的叶凋落物和根系分解最慢, 而银灰旋花的叶凋落物分解最快, 知母根系分解最快。通过相关分析和逐步回归分析发现, 在不同分解时期, 叶凋落物和根系的分解过程受到不同性状的影响。结构性碳水化合物含量是叶凋落物前期和后期分解以及根系前期分解的主要影响因素, 非结构性碳水化合物含量则是根系中期和后期分解的主要影响因素; 另外, 叶凋落物在分解中期的分解速率主要受叶片干物质含量的影响, 根系在分解中期和后期的分解速率还分别受到根系C:N和N含量的显著影响。研究结果对于预测大针茅草原的碳和养分循环过程具有重要指导意义。     

杉木人工林下杉木、楠木和木荷叶凋落物分解特征及营养元素含量变化的动态分析

采用网袋法,对0～360 d内杉木[Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. ) Hook. ]、楠木[Phoebe bournei (Hemsl. ) Yang]和木荷(Schima superba Gardn. et Champ. )叶凋落物在杉木人工林下的分解特征及营养元素(N、P、K和C)含量的变化动态进行了比较分析.结果显示,经过360 d的分解,杉木、楠木和木荷叶凋落物的干质量损失率分别为40.6%、42.0%和51.6%,平均腐解率分别为0.001 3、0.001 6和0.002 0 d-1,叶凋落物的分解半衰期分别为537、482和372 d.在整个分解过程中,3个树种叶凋落物中P含量总体上均呈波动且缓慢的上升趋势;K含量在分解过程前期均急剧下降,然后随分解时间的延长变化趋缓;N含量变化差异较大,随分解时间的延长,杉木叶凋落物中N含量呈缓慢上升趋势,另外2个树种叶凋落物中N含量总体上呈先下降后上升的变化趋势;C含量基本上呈前期上升、中期下降、后期又略有上升的趋势,而C/N比则呈前期略上升而后期逐渐下降的趋势.3个树种叶凋落物分解过程中N、P、K和C的释放率及其动态变化也存在一定差异.3个树种叶凋落物中K的释放率均较高、变化趋势较接近,且均处于净释放状态;杉木叶凋落物中N、P和C的释放率总体上低于另2个树种,且木荷叶凋落物中N、P和C基本均处于单调净释放状态,而杉木叶凋落物中N、P和C以及楠木叶凋落物中P和C在分解过程前期均略呈净富集状态,之后N和C基本上呈净释放状态、P则呈波动式净释放状态.结果表明,在杉木人工林下,阔叶树种(楠木和木荷)叶凋落物比针叶树种(杉木)叶凋落物易分解,且阔叶树种叶凋落物中的营养元素也较易释放.     

模拟氮沉降对华西雨屏区苦竹林凋落物基质质量的影响

凋凋落物基质质量是影响凋落物分解速率的决定性因子之一,本研究旨在探究模拟氮沉降对苦竹林凋落物基质质量的影响。2007年11月至2010年12月每月一次连续对华西雨屏区苦竹人工林进行了模拟氮沉降试验,施氮水平分别为：低氮（5 g N?m–2?a–1）,中氮（15 g N?m–2?a–1）和高氮（30 g N?m–2?a–1）。在施氮2 a后,于2010年1月开始收集各样方的凋落物样品,连续收集12个月,分析测定凋落物基质质量。结果表明：施氮显著增加了凋落叶中N、P元素含量,中氮处理显著增加了凋落枝中N元素含量,中氮和高氮处理均显著增加了凋落枝中P元素含量;施氮对凋落物中C元素含量影响很微弱,显著降低了凋落叶中的C/N,中氮处理显著降低了凋落枝中的C/N,对木质素和纤维素含量均未造成显著影响。由于模拟氮沉降增加了苦竹凋落物的N、P含量,降低了其C/N,因此氮沉降可能会促进苦竹凋落物的初期分解速率。     

模拟氮沉降对华西雨屏区天然常绿阔叶林凋落叶分解过程中基质质量的影响

为理解氮沉降对华西雨屏区天然常绿阔叶林凋落物分解过程的影响,采用立地控制实验和凋落物分解袋法,研究了低氮沉降(L,50 kg N hm~(-2)a~(-1))、中氮沉降(M,150 kg N hm~(-2)a~(-1))和高氮沉降(H,300 kg N hm~(-2)a~(-1))对华西雨屏区天然常绿阔叶林凋落叶分解过程中基质质量的影响。结果表明:N沉降抑制了凋落叶的分解,并随着N沉降量的增加,抑制作用增强。N沉降遏制了凋落叶的C、N释放和纤维素降解,促进了P释放。N沉降提高了凋落叶的C/P比,中氮和高氮处理提高了凋落叶C/N比。N沉降显著增加了凋落叶N、木质素和纤维素的含量,分解1年后,各N沉降处理的木质素/N和纤维素/N均显著高于对照。N沉降提高了质量残留率与C/N、木质素/N和纤维素/N的相关性,降低了与C/P的相关性。可见,模拟N沉降显著影响了华西雨屏区天然常绿阔叶林凋落叶分解过程中的基质质量,进而影响了凋落叶的分解过程。     

森林凋落物分解及其对全球气候变化的响应

凋落物分解是重要的森林生态系统过程之一,受到气候、凋落物质量、土壤生物群落等生物和非生物因素的综合调控．迄今,有关不同森林生态系统和不同树种地上部分的凋落物动态、凋落物分解过程中的养分释放动态、生物和非生物因素对凋落物分解的影响等研究报道较多,但对地下凋落物的分解研究相对较少．近年来,森林凋落物分解对以大气CO2浓度增加和温度升高为主要特征的全球变化的响应逐步受到重视,但其研究结果仍具有很多不确定性．因此,未来凋落物生态研究的重点应是凋落物分解对土壤有机碳固定的贡献、地上／地下凋落物的物理、化学和生物学过程及其对各种生态因子（例如冻融、干湿交替）及交互作用的响应、凋落物特别是地下凋落物分解对全球气候变化的响应机制等方面．     

In situ litter decomposition and litter quality in a Mojave Desert ecosystem: effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 and interannual climate variability

Rising atmospheric CO₂ has been predicted to reduce litter decomposition as a result of CO₂‐induced reductions in litter quality. However, available data have not supported this hypothesis in mesic ecosystems, and no data are available for desert or semi‐arid ecosystems, which account for more than 35% of the Earth's land area. The objective of our study was to explore controls on litter decomposition in the Mojave Desert using elevated CO₂ and interannual climate variability as driving environmental factors. In particular, we sought to evaluate the extent to which decomposition is modulated by litter chemistry (C:N) and litter species and tissue composition. Naturally senesced litter was collected from each of nine 25 m diameter experimental plots, with six plots exposed to ambient [CO₂] or 367 μL CO₂ L^?1 and three plots continuously fumigated with elevated [CO₂] (550 μL CO₂ L^?1) using FACE technology beginning in April 1997. All litter collected in 1998 (a wet, or El Niño year; 306 mm precipitation) was pooled as was litter collected in 1999 (a dry year; 94 mm). Samples were allowed to decompose for 4 and 12 months starting in May 2001 in mesh litterbags in the locations from which litter was collected. Decomposition of litter produced under elevated CO₂ and ambient CO₂ did not differ. Litter produced in the wetter year showed more rapid initial decomposition (over the first 4 months) than that produced in the drier year (27±2% yr^?1 or 7.8±0.7 g m^?2 yr^?1 for 1998 litter; 18±3% yr^?1 or 2.2±0.4 g m^?2 yr^?1 for 1999 litter). C:N ratios of litter produced under elevated CO₂ (wet year: 37±0.5; dry year: 42±2.5) were higher than those of litter produced under ambient CO₂ (wet year: 34±1.1; dry year: 35±1.4). Litter production in the wet year (amb. CO₂: 25.1±1.1 g m^?2 yr^?1; elev. CO₂: 35.0±1.1 g m^?2 yr^?1) was more than twice as high as that in the dry year (amb. CO₂: 11.6±1.7 g m^?2, elev. CO₂: 13.3±3.4 g m^?2), and contained a greater proportion of Lycium pallidum and a lower proportion of Larrea tridentata than litter produced in the dry year. Decomposition, viewed across all treatments, decreased with increasing C:N ratios, decreased with increasing proportions of Larrea tridentata and increased with increasing proportions of Lycium pallidum and Lycium andersonii. Because litter C:N did not vary by litter production year, and CO₂ did not alter decomposition or litter species/tissue composition, it is likely that the impact of year‐to‐year variation in precipitation on the proportion of key plant species in the litter may be the most important way in which litter decomposition will be modulated in the Mojave Desert under future rising atmospheric CO₂.     

Early kit mortality and growth in farmed mink are affected by litter size rather than nest climate

We investigated the effects of nest box climate on early mink kit mortality and growth. We hypothesised that litters in warm nest boxes experience less hypothermia-induced mortality and higher growth rates during the 1st week of life. This study included data from 749, 1-year-old breeding dams with access to nesting materials. Kits were weighed on days 1 and 7, dead kits were collected daily from birth until day 7 after birth, and nest climate was measured continuously from days 1 to 6. We tested the influences of the following daily temperature (T) and humidity (H) parameters on the number of live-born kit deaths and kit growth: T_mean, T_min, T_max, T_var (fluctuation) and H_mean. The nest microclimate experienced by the kits was buffered against the ambient climate, with higher temperatures and reduced climate fluctuation. Most (77.0%) live-born kit deaths in the 1st week occurred on days 0 and 1. Seven of 15 climate parameters on days 1 to 3 had significant effects on live-born kit mortality. However, conflicting effects among days, marginal effects and late effects indicated that climate was not the primary cause of kit mortality. Five of 30 climate parameters had significant effects on kit growth. Few and conflicting effects indicated that the climate effect on growth was negligible. One exception was that large nest temperature fluctuations on day 1 were associated with reduced deaths of live-born kit (P<0.001) and increased kit growth (P=0.003). Litter size affected kit vitality; larger total litter size at birth was associated with greater risks of kit death (P<0.001) and reduced growth (P<0.001). The number of living kits in litters had the opposite effect, as kits in large liveborn litters had a reduced risk of death (P<0.001) and those with large mean litter size on days 1 to 7 had increased growth (P=0.026). Nest box temperature had little effect on early kit survival and growth, which could be due to dams’ additional maternal behaviour. Therefore, we cannot confirm that temperature is the primary reason for kit mortality, under the conditions of plenty straw access for maternal nest building. Instead, prenatal and/or parturient litter size is the primary factor influencing early kit vitality. The results indicate that the focus should be on litter size and dam welfare around the times of gestation and birth to increase early kit survival in farmed mink.     

Direct and indirect effects of climate on decomposition in native ecosystems from central Argentina

Abstract Climate affects litter decomposition directly through temperature and moisture, determining the ecosystem potential decomposition, and indirectly through its effect on plant community composition and litter quality, determining litter potential decomposition. It would be expected that both the direct and indirect effects of climate on decomposition act in the same direction along gradients of actual evapotranspiration (AET). However, studies from semiarid ecosystems challenge this idea, suggesting that the climatic conditions that favour decomposition activity, and the consequent ecosystem potential decomposition, do not necessarily lead to litter being easier to decompose. We explored the decomposition patterns of four arid to subhumid native ecosystems with different AET in central‐western Argentina and we analysed if ecosystem potential decomposition (climatic direct effect), nutrient availability and leaf litter potential decomposition (climatic indirect effect) all increased with AET. In general, the direct effect of climate (AET) on decomposition (i.e. ecosystem potential decomposition), showed a similar pattern to nutrient availability in soils (higher for xerophytic and mountain woodlands and lower for the other ecosystems), but different from the pattern of leaf litter potential decomposition. However, the range of variation in the ecosystem potential decomposition was much higher than the range of variation in litter potential decomposition, indicating that the direct effect of climate on decomposition was far stronger than the indirect effect through litter quality. Our results provide additional experimental evidence supporting the direct control of climate over decomposition, and therefore nutrient cycling. For the ecosystems considered, those with the highest AET are the ecosystems with the highest potential decomposition. But what is more interesting is that our results suggest that the indirect control of climate over decomposition through vegetation characteristics and decomposability does not follow the same trend as the direct effect of climate. This finding has important implications in the prediction of the effects of climate change on semiarid ecosystems.     

Nitrogen deposition interacts with climate in affecting production and decomposition rates in Sphagnum mosses

Increasing rates of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition may reduce growth and accelerate decomposition of Sphagnum mosses in bogs. Sphagnum growth and rates of Sphagnum litter decomposition may also vary because of climate change as both processes are controlled by climatic factors. The initial purpose of this study was to assess if growth and litter decomposition of hummock and lawn Sphagnum species varied with increasing N input in a factorial mid‐term (2002–2005) experiment of N and phosphorus (P) addition, in a bog on the southern Alps of Italy. However, as the experimental period was characterized by an exceptional heat wave in summer 2003, we also explored the interacting effects of fertilization and strongly varying climate on growth and decomposition rates of Sphagnum. The heat wave implied strong dehydration of the upper Sphagnum layer even if precipitation in summer 2003 did not differ appreciably from the overall mean. Sphagnum production was somewhat depressed by high levels (3 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) of N addition without concomitant addition of P presumably because of nutrient imbalance in the tissues, but production rates were much lower than the overall means in 2003, when no effect of nutrient addition could be observed. Adding N at high level also increased the potential decay of Sphagnum litter. Higher CO₂ emission from N‐fertilized litter was due to amelioration of litter chemistry showing lower C/N quotients in the N‐fertilized treatments. Rates of CO₂ emission from incubated litter also were more strongly affected by water content than by nutrient status, with practically no CO₂ emission detected when litter was dry. We conclude that higher rates of atmospheric N availability input may depress Sphagnum growth because of P, and presumably potassium, (co‐)limitation. Higher N availability is also expected to promote potential decay of Sphagnum litter by ameliorating litter chemistry. However, both effects are less pronounced if the growing Sphagnum apex and the underlying senescing tissues dry out.     

东北地区森林凋落叶分解速率与气候、林型、林分光照的关系

在东北长白山、张广才岭、小兴安岭、大兴安岭的主要森林类型中设置26块样地,进行为期3a(2004—2006年)凋落叶分解实验,以研究气候、林型、林冠透光率对凋落叶分解速率的相对影响大小。结果表明,不同林型凋落叶分解速率依次为:落叶阔叶林针阔叶混交林落叶针叶林常绿针叶林岳桦林。对分解速率影响因素的分析表明,气候因子(热量和水分)对分解速率有较强的解释力,分别解释了分解常数k和分解95%所需时间(t95%)的55.5%和65.0%的变异。但是,气候对分解速率的影响在很大程度上是通过与林型、林冠透光率的协同作用而实现的,其独立解释力并不大(9%)。气候的变化导致林型(物种组成)的变化、进而影响分解速率,这一因素解释了分解参数变异的46.8%(k)和56.8%(t95%)。与此同时,气候和林型的变化还导致林冠透光率的变化,随着热量水平的上升林冠透光率下降、间接提高分解速率。这一因素分别解释了k值和t95%变异的23.9%和22.3%。研究结果表明,气候对凋落叶分解的影响主要是通过对物种组成、林冠结构(影响透光率)等生物因素的间接作用实现的。忽视这些生物因素、简单研究气候和分解速率的关系可能难以正确预测未来气候变化对凋落物分解的影响。     

Litter mass loss rates in pine forests of Europe and Eastern United States: some relationships with climate and litter quality

The purpose of this study was to relate regional variation in litter mass-loss rates (first year) in pine forests to climate across a large, continental-scale area. The variation in mass-loss rate was analyzed using 39 experimental sites spanning climatic regions from the subarctic to subtropical and Mediterranean: the latitudinal gradient ranged from 31 °N to 70 °N and may represent the the largest geographical area that has ever been sampled and observed for the purpose of studying biogeochemical processes. Because of unified site design and uniform laboratory procedures, data from all sites were directly comparable and permitted a determination of the relative influence of climateversus substrate quality viewed from the perspective of broad regional scales. Simple correlation applied to the entire data set indicated that annual actual evapotranspiration (AET) should be the leading climatic constraint on mass-loss rates (R_adj ² = 0.496). The combination of AET, average July temp. and average annual temp. could explain about 70% of the sites' variability on litter mass-loss. In an analysis of 23 Scots pine sites north of the Alps and Carpatians AET alone could account for about 65% of the variation and the addition of a substrate-quality variable was sufficiently significant to be used in a model. The influence of litter quality was introduced into a model, using data from 11 sites at which litter of different quality had been incubated. These sites are found in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland. At any one site most ( ≫ 90%) of the variation in mass-loss rates could be explained by one of the litter-quality variables giving concentration of nitrogen, phosphorus or water solubles. However, even when these models included nitrogen or phosphorus even small changes in potential evapotranspiration resulted in large changes in early-phase decay rates. Further regional subdivision of the data set, resulted in a range of strength in the relationship between loss rate and climatic variables, from very weak in Central Europe to strong for the Scandinavian and Atlantic coast sites (R_adj ² = 0.912; AETversus litter mass loss). Much of the variation in observed loss rates could be related to continentalversus marine/Atlantic influences. Inland locations had mass-loss rates lower than should be expected on the basis of for example AET alone. Attempts to include seasonality variables were not successful. It is clear that either unknown errors and biases, or, unknown variables are causing these regional differences in response to climatic variables. Nevertheless these results show the powerful influence of climate as a control of the broad-scale geography of mass-loss rates and substrate quality at the stand level. Some of these relationships between mass-loss rate and climatic variables are among the highest ever reported, probably because of the care taken to select uniform sites and experimental methods. This suggest that superior, base line maps of predicted mass-loss rates could be produced using climatic data. These models should be useful to predict the changing equilibrium litter dynamics resulting from climatic change.