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Area and edge effects on leaf-litter decomposition in a fragmented subtropical dry forest
Affiliation:1. Department of Biomechatronics Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan;2. The Experimental Forest, College of Bio-Resources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Nantou, Taiwan;3. Department of Forestry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan;4. School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Abstract:South American subtropical dry forests are highly threatened by fragmentation. Despite considerable research efforts aimed at predicting ecosystem alterations due to this driver of global change, we still need to deal with general principles to improve our ability to predict the impact of fragmentation. Our work is one of the few studies that analyse the relationship between forest fragmentation and decomposition. In 12 remnants of Chaco Serrano forest in Central Argentina we tested if decomposition rates of a common leaf-litter substrate varied with fragment size and between the forest edge and interior. Decomposition declined with fragment size, with no significant effects of location (edge/interior) or interaction between the two components of fragmentation. Our results suggest that in situ conditions for decomposition may change as a consequence of forest fragmentation, specifically as a result fragment size. This may lead to impaired nutrient recycling in smaller forest remnants.
Keywords:Area loss  Forest edge  Habitat fragmentation  Discontinuous canopy  Chaco Serrano
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