Decomposition of deciduous leaf litter in a woodland stream

Microorganisms associated with decomposing deciduous leaf litter in a woodland stream were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The use of a critical point drying method allowed the preservation of a wide variety of microorganisms as well as the decomposing litter with a minimum of distortion. The micrographs provide evidence that the aquatic hyphomycetes are the major fungal flora present during decomposition. Two distinct groups of these fungi were found during the seasonal cycle with one group occurring only in the summer while the other occurred throughout the rest of the year. The presence of all developmental stages of these organisms in the environment is considered further evidence of their active role in the decomposition of litter.     

Phyllosphere fungi on living and decomposing leaves of giant dogwood

Phyllosphere fungi on living leaves and their succession on decomposing leaves were studied on giant dogwood (Swida controversa). A total of 12 and 34 fungal species were isolated from the interior and surface, respectively, of living leaves, and 15 frequent species were considered as phyllosphere fungi. Six of these 15 species were also frequent on decomposing litter. Characteristic successional trends were observed in the 6 phyllosphere fungi during decomposition. The sum of frequencies of endophytes decreased as decomposition progressed, and no endophytes were isolated from the litter at the 11th month of decomposition. The sum of frequencies of epiphytes increased as decomposition progressed. Endophytes and epiphytes showed different responses to litter mass loss and concentrations of nitrogen, lignin, and total carbohydrates during the decomposition process. These results suggested that epiphytes may survive on decomposing leaves as primary decomposers on the ground, thereby excluding endophytes by competition for available energy sources, and that epiphytes may have a greater contribution to decomposition than endophytes in dogwood leaves.     

Irrigation,fertilization and initial substrate quality effects on decomposing Loblolly pine litter chemistry

Changes in carbon chemistry (i.e., carbon compound classes such as aromatics, phenolics, etc.) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) litter were examined during three years of decomposition under factorial combinations of irrigation and fertilization treatments. Cross polarization magic angle spinning ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance revealed that total carbon and nutrient concentrations correlated strongly with carbohydrate and O-alkyl carbon concentrations but did not relate well with concentrations of lignin, aromatic and phenolic carbon, or with lignin-related decomposition indices. The best correlations to carbon and nutrient concentrations occurred with the C/N (R²=0.86, P > 0.0001) and alkyl/O-alkyl (R²=0.75, P > 0.0001) decomposition indices. In all situations, the carbon chemistry of the decomposing litter followed the general pattern of accumulation of alkyl and carbonyl carbon with a loss of O-alkyl and methoxy carbon. Only small variations in the aromatic and phenolic carbon concentrations were detected. Since lignin is composed primarily of aromatic and phenolic carbons, the observation that there were only small changes in the aromatic and phenolic carbons of the litter is consistent with the general stability of lignin in these ecosystems. Trends in carbon chemistry during decomposition suggested that fertilization accelerated the decomposition process by about 100% as compared with the control plots. Irrigation also accelerated the decomposition process but to a lower extent (about 62% greater than control plots). Initial litter quality, as defined by the litter C/N, did not have a significant effect on the carbon chemistry of the decomposing litter. This study demonstrated that the decomposition mechanisms were not altered by the treatments but there were important changes in the relative chemistry of the decomposing litter which impacted the rate of decomposition.     

高寒森林不同生境对凋落叶分解灰分动态的影响

灰分是凋落叶的重要组成部分,其浓度直接关系到凋落叶的分解过程及有机组分的动态特征,且可能受生境和分解时期的影响,然而有关凋落叶分解过程中灰分动态的研究鲜有报道。采用凋落袋法,以岷江上游高寒森林4种代表性植物康定柳(Salix paraplesia)、高山杜鹃(Rhododendron lapponicum)、方枝柏(Sabina saltuaria)和四川红杉(Larix mastersiana)凋落叶为研究对象,研究了高寒森林凋落叶在3种不同环境条件下(林下、溪流、河岸带)分解过程中灰分的动态特征。结果表明,灰分量随凋落叶的分解整体呈现降低的趋势,且不同环境条件和不同物种之间存在明显的差异。与之相反,经过两年的分解,除溪流中康定柳凋落叶灰分浓度略有下降外(-0.99%),林下和河岸带中康定柳凋落叶及其它物种凋落叶中灰分浓度在所有环境条件下均表现出了增加的趋势(5.86%—72.15%)。凋落叶分解过程中灰分浓度变异量在不同分解时期存在明显或显著的差异,且受物种和环境因子的调控。这些结果表明,传统上认为凋落叶分解过程中灰分浓度比较稳定的观点是不准确的,且以凋落叶分解过程中灰分浓度不变的前提下采用无灰分质量损失(ash free mass loss)而计算凋落叶质量损失的方法存在一定的不准确性。研究为认识凋落叶分解过程中灰分的动态特征及凋落叶质量损失的测定方法提供了一定的参考。     

天童国家森林公园常见植物凋落叶分解的研究

 选择天童地区常绿阔叶林及其退化群落常见植物种为对象,着重探讨分解速率和基质营养含量以及比表面积(Specific Leaf Area, SLA)的关系,并试图通过单独分解试验和混合分解试验的比较,从物种、功能群角度探讨凋落叶多样性和分解这一生态系统过程的关系,为深入研究常绿阔叶林常见植物种的营养策略、群落养分循环等奠定基础,也为植被恢复、森林生态系统管理提供理论依据。结果表明：所有凋落叶随时间进程失重率增大,但失重率并不与时间呈线性相关;凋落叶分解后N、P均发生了变化,大多数凋落叶在分解初期N、P均发生了积累,营养元素的释放和富集与凋落叶初始营养状况无明显的相关性。凋落叶的年分解系数与凋落叶中的初始N含量有较高的相关性,而与初始P含量则无显著的相关性;凋落叶的分解速率与成熟叶的面积无相关性,而与其SLA有很强的相关性。通过模型分析,天童地区大多数常见树种凋落叶分解95%需1～4年,平均是2.54年;分解率最高的物种为山鸡椒(Litsea cubeba),其值为6.280,最低的为黄丹木姜子(Litsea elongata),其值为0.558。凋落物混合对分解有很大的影响,虽在初期对分解有阻碍作用,但长期是促进的。若不考虑功能群差异,则可得出多样性的增加有利于分解的结论。功能群数目的增加在凋落物分解前期对分解起促进作用,但这种作用随分解的进展逐渐减小。混合物种的特性往往是决定分解过程的最重要的因素。     

中亚热带常绿阔叶林凋落物分解过程中汞的动态变化及迁移机理

森林凋落物对于汞在林地土壤的生物地球化学循环中起到重要作用,为研究森林凋落物分解过程中汞的迁移转化特征,以重庆四面山风景名胜区典型林分(常绿阔叶林)作为研究对象。于2014年3月—2015年3月连续监测典型林分凋落物中各形态汞浓度和有机质变化量,同时监测周围土壤中汞浓度变化。结果表明:四面山典型林分凋落物分解过程中汞浓度整体上升,总汞浓度(初始浓度:78 ng/g)的增幅最高达53%,甲基汞浓度(初始浓度:0.32 ng/g)最高增幅达138%;在春季和夏季,水溶态和酸溶态两种活性态汞含量分别增加了851%和96%,在分解前期和末期,凋落物汞的中惰性汞比例最高,占比达75%。土壤腐殖质层中总汞和甲基汞浓度比较稳定。凋落物中活性态汞通过雨水淋洗进入土壤与有机质络合并发生甲基化/去甲基化过程,通过地表径流、地下径流进入水体。凋落物中C含量减少了22%,N含量增加了15%,总汞浓度与C/N比呈负相关,与N含量呈正相关。凋落物中微生物C、N含量整体增加,与汞浓度峰值同步,且夏季含量显著高于冬季含量(P0.05),说明微生物与凋落物固定汞和汞的甲基化过程密切相关。     

Phytotoxicity, not nitrogen immobilization, explains plant litter inhibitory effects: evidence from solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy

Litter decomposition provides nutrients that sustain ecosystem productivity, but litter may also hamper root proliferation. The objectives of this work were to assess the inhibitory effect of litter decomposition on seedling growth and root proliferation; to study the role of nutrient immobilization and phytotoxicity; and to characterize decomposing litter by (13)C NMR spectroscopy. A litter-bag experiment was carried out for 180 d with 16 litter types. Litter inhibitory effects were assessed by two bioassays: seed germination and root proliferation bioassays. Activated carbon (C) and nutrient solutions were used to evaluate the effects of phytotoxic factors and nutrient immobilization. An inhibitory effect was found for all species in the early phase of decomposition, followed by a decrease over time. The addition of activated C to litter removed this inhibition. No evidence of nutrient immobilization was found in the analysis of nitrogen dynamics. NMR revealed consistent chemical changes during decomposition, with a decrease in O-alkyl and an increase in alkyl and methoxyl C. Significant correlations were found among inhibitory effects, the litter decay rate and indices derived from NMR. The results show that it is possible to predict litter inhibitory effects across a range of litter types on the basis of their chemical composition.     

The direct effects of UV-B radiation on Betula pubescens litter decomposing at four European field sites

A co-ordinated series of field experiments were conducted to consider the effects of elevated UV-B radiation applied directly to decomposing plant litter. Betula pubescens was decomposed under ambient and elevated UV-B (simulating a 15% ozone depletion) using outdoor irradiation facilities at Adventdalen, Norway (78° N), Abisko, Sweden (68° N), Amsterdam, The Netherlands (52° N,) and Patras, Greece (38° N). There was no significant effect of treatment on mass loss for samples collected after 2, 12 and 14 months decomposition at Amsterdam, or after 4 months decomposition at Adventdalen. Significant reductions in the mass loss of litter decomposing under elevated UV-B compared to ambient were found at the other 2 sites. The only effect of treatment on litter chemistry during decomposition was a significant reduction in the N concentration of material at Abisko and a significant increase in C:N at Patras for litter decomposing under elevated UV-B. Significant differences were found in the structure of the fungal community decomposing litter in Sweden, the only site to be tested. These data, and the few published studies of the response of decomposition to UV-B incident on litter suggest that, in the ecosystems and climates that have been studied, such direct effects are typically confined to the initial stages of decomposition, and are rather small in magnitude.     

羊草和大针茅凋落物分解及其微生物学效应

本文对锡林郭勒草原的主要建群种羊草(Aneurolopidium chinense)和大针茅(Stipa grandis)凋落物的分解状况与各类群腐解微生物生物量动态变化以及凋落物分解对其相应土层的生物活性影响进行了初步研究。研究结果表明： 1．羊草和大针茅凋落物(茎、叶)的分解速率均较缓慢。二年来地表样的失重率分别为15.9%、16.9%和21.5%;埋置样分别为21.4%、23.5%和26.5%。其埋置凋落物分解速率高于地表层。2．凋落物腐解过程中各类群腐解微生物生物量均有明显上升,与凋落物(起始)表面附着微生物的生物量相比,其上升幅度多在10—300倍之间。3．两年中凋落物残体的碳、氮含量比值随腐解进程而下降。4．凋落物的腐解可以刺激相应土层的土壤微生物活性的增长,而且其土壤有机质含量亦有提高。     

Decomposition of forest litters

Summary Studies have been made on the production of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen, rate of decomposition along with comparative changes in microbial population during decomposition of deciduous and coniferous litters. At the same time the effect of addition of antibiotics on the microbial population and rate of decomposition of coniferous litter was investigated.Liberation of nitrogen in the form of ammonia occurred somewhat more rapidly in decomposing deciduous litter than in that of the coniferous litter. Towards the end of the experiment the nitrification process commenced in the deciduous litter but was absent in the coniferous litter.The deciduous litter decomposed more rapidly than the coniferous litter.The bacteria and actinomycetes were consistently more numerous in the deciduous litter than in the coniferous litter; in the case of fungi the reverse occured. An antifungal antibiotic (cycloheximide) had little or no effect on numbers of fungi in the decomposing coniferous litter while antibacterial antibiotics (streptomycin and chloramphenicol) reduced slightly the numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes. Numbers of bacteria and actinomycetes were increased greatly in cultures receiving the antifungal antibiotic and fungal growth was apparently stimulated where antibacterial antibiotics were added. In spite of the observed shift in the microbial population brought about by the addition of antibiotics the rate of decomposition of the coniferous litter appeared to be unaffected. This would suggest that the type of microbia l population is not as important as the type of litter or some other factor in regard to decomposition rate.Joint contribution from the Divisions of Bacteriology (No. 469) and Chemistry (No. 412), Science Service.     

鼎湖山生物圈保护区马尾松林凋落物的分解及其营养动态研究

 本文报道了鼎湖山生物圈保护区马尾松林凋落物分解及其营养动态的情况。松针和混合凋落物的失重率在试验过程中均呈直线下降。松针和混合凋落物的分解系数(K)分别为0.44a-1和0.37a-1。在凋落物分解过程中氮是5个元素中唯—的1个元素,它表现出浓度和绝对量均首先呈上升然后下降的变化。磷和钙的浓度和绝对量在凋落物分解过程中,表现相类似的变化模型。它们的释放速率较其它元素更类似于凋落物的失重率。钾是5个元素中最活跃的元素。其浓度和绝对量的变化在凋落物分解过程中相类似：在分解初期(30到50天)迅速下降后呈缓慢的变化。镁的浓度和绝对量在分解初期以相对快的速率下降后,呈现两种绝然不同的变化：绝对量渐渐下降而浓度则慢慢上升。5个元素的流动性比较,在两种凋落物的分解过程中,均早K>Mg>P>Ca>N的顺序变化。     

陆地生态系统混合凋落物分解研究进展

凋落物分解在陆地生态系统养分循环与能量流动中具有重要作用,是碳、氮及其他重要矿质养分在生态系统生命组分间循环与平衡的核心生态过程。自然生态系统中,植物群落大多具有较高的物种丰富度和多样性,其混合凋落物在分解过程中也更有可能发生养分传递、化学抑制等种间互作,形成多样化的分解生境,多样性较高的分解者类群以及复杂的级联效应分解,这些因素和过程均对研究混合凋落物分解过程、揭示其内在机制形成了极大的挑战。从构成混合凋落物物种丰富度和多样性对分解生境、分解者多样性及其营养级联效应的影响等方面,综合阐述混合凋落物对陆地生态系统凋落物分解的影响,探讨生物多样性在凋落物分解中的作用。通过综述近些年的研究发现,有超过60%的混合凋落物对其分解速率的影响存在正向或负向的效应。养分含量有差异的凋落物混合分解过程中,分解者优先利用高质量凋落物,使低质量的凋落物反而具有了较高的养分有效性,引起低质量凋落物分解加快并最终使混合凋落物整体分解速率加快;而凋落物物种丰富度对土壤动物群落总多度有轻微的影响或几乎没有影响,但是对线虫和大型土壤动物的群落组成和多样性有显著影响,并随着分解阶段呈现一定动态变化;混合凋落物改变土壤微生物生存的理化环境,为微生物提供更多丰富的分解底物和养分,优化微生物种群数量和群落结构及其分泌酶的活性,并进一步促进了混合凋落物的分解。这些基于植物-土壤-分解者系统的动态分解过程的研究,表明混合凋落物分解作用不只是经由凋落物自身质量的改变,更会通过逐级影响分解者多样性水平而进一步改变分解速率和养分释放动态,说明生物多样性确实在一定程度上调控凋落物分解及其养分释放过程。     

The origin of litter chemical complexity during decomposition

The chemical complexity of decomposing plant litter is a central feature shaping the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle, but explanations of the origin of this complexity remain contentious. Here, we ask: How does litter chemistry change during decomposition, and what roles do decomposers play in these changes? During a long‐term (730 days) litter decomposition experiment, we tracked concurrent changes in decomposer community structure and function and litter chemistry using high‐resolution molecular techniques. Contrary to the current paradigm, we found that the chemistry of different litter types diverged, rather than converged, during decomposition due to the activities of decomposers. Furthermore, the same litter type exposed to different decomposer communities exhibited striking differences in chemistry, even after > 90% mass loss. Our results show that during decomposition, decomposer community characteristics regulate changes in litter chemistry, which could influence the functionality of litter‐derived soil organic matter (SOM) and the turnover and stabilisation of soil C.     

长白山白桦(Betula platyphlla)纯林和白桦山杨 (Populus davidiana)混交林凋落物的分解

采用交互分解实验,研究长白山白桦叶片和白桦、山杨与水曲柳混合叶片在白桦纯林和白桦山杨混交林内的分解过程。两年的分解实验结果表明,两种类型叶片均存在一个快速分解阶段和一个慢速分解阶段,森林类型和凋落物类型对凋落物分解率的影响在快速分解阶段不显著而在慢速分解阶段显著;混交林内的环境促进了凋落物分解和养分元素释放;在同一林型内,底物质量高的混合叶片其分解率和养分元素释放率均大于底物质量低的白桦叶片;凋落物的底物质量在一定程度上可以抵消森林类型对凋落物分解的影响;白桦山杨混交林混合叶片分解速率和养分元素释放率要显著大于白桦纯林内的白桦叶片,说明白桦山杨混交林的物质循环速度和养分元素供应能力要显著大于白桦纯林。     

Macro‐detritivore identity drives leaf litter diversity effects

The importance of leaf litter diversity for decomposition, an important process in terrestrial ecosystems, is much debated. Previous leaf litter‐mixing studies have shown that non‐additive leaf litter diversity effects can occur, but it is not clear why they occurred in only half of the studies and which underlying mechanisms can explain these conflicting results. We hypothesized that incorporating the role of macro‐detritivores could be important. Although often ignored, macro‐detritivores are known to strongly influence decomposition. To better understand the importance of macro‐detritivores for leaf litter mixing effects during decomposition, four common leaf litter species were added separately and in two and four species combinations to monocultures of three different macro‐detritivores and a control without fauna. Our results clearly show that leaf litter‐mixing effects occurred only in the presence of two macro‐detritivores (earthworms and woodlice). Application of the additive partitioning method revealed that in the specific combination of woodlice and the presence of a slow‐decomposing leaf litter species in the mixture, leaf litter mixing effects were strongly driven by a selection effect. This was caused by food preference of the isopod: the animals avoided the slow decomposing species when given the choice. However, most leaf litter mixing effects were caused by complementarity effects. The potential mechanisms underlying the complementarity effects are discussed. Our results clearly show that that both leaf litter and macro‐detritivore identity can affect litter diversity. This may help to explain the conflicting results obtained in previous experiments.     

Organic Matter Dynamics in a Tropical Gallery Forest in a Grassland Landscape

The high biodiversity of tropical forest streams depends on the strong input of organic matter, yet the leaf litter decomposition dynamics in these streams are not well understood. We assessed how seasonal litterfall affects leaf litter breakdown, density and biomass of aquatic invertebrates, and the microbial biomass and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes in a South American grassland ‘vereda’ landscape. Although litter production in the riparian area was low, leaf litter breakdown was high compared with other South American systems, with maximum values coinciding with the rainy season. Fungal biomass in decomposing leaves was high, but spore densities in water and sporulation rates were very low. Invertebrates were not abundant in litter bags, suggesting they play a minor role in leaf litter decomposition. Chironomids accounted for ~70 percent of all invertebrates; only 10 percent of non‐Chironomidae invertebrates were shredders. Therefore, fungi appear to be the drivers of leaf litter decomposition. Our results show that despite low productivity and relatively fast litter decomposition, organic matter accumulated in the stream and riparian area. This pattern was attributed to the wet/dry cycles in which leaves falling in the flat riparian zone remain undecomposed (during the dry period) and are massively transported to the riverbed (rainy season).     

四川盆地亚热带常绿阔叶林凋落叶多酚类物质在不同降雨期间的降解特征

植物多酚类物质是森林凋落物中的重要组分,其含量的多寡在一定程度上决定了凋落物的分解速率。然而,凋落物分解过程中多酚类物质的降解动态仍不十分清楚。因此,以四川盆地亚热带常绿阔叶林最具代表性的3个针叶树种马尾松(Pinus massoniana)、柳杉(Cryptomeria fortunei)、杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)和3个阔叶树种香樟(Cinnamomum camphora)、红椿(Toona ciliata)、麻栎(Quercus acutissima)凋落叶为对象,采用凋落物分解袋法,研究了6种凋落叶多酚类物质在第一年不同降雨期间的降解特征。结果表明:自微量降雨期起至雨季前期止,6种凋落叶多酚类物质具有一致的降解动态,降解率均表现为随着降水量的增加而增加;自雨季后期之后,多酚类物质含量均处于稳定状态。第一个分解年,6种凋落叶多酚类物质降解率大小顺序依次为:红椿(100%)柳杉(97.81%)杉木(94.45%)麻栎(93.67%)马尾松(93.06%)香樟(91.64%)。分解初期旱季两时期(微量降雨期和春季少雨期),6种凋落叶多酚类物质均有较大的降解量,其降解率占全年降解率的42.16%—71.20%。并且,除香樟以外的5种凋落叶多酚类物质大量降解释放发生在雨季前期,占全年降解率的44.46%—55.72%。此外,凋落叶多酚类物质初始含量与其降解率呈显著的二次函数关系。可见,降雨是湿润亚热带常绿阔叶林区凋落物多酚类物质降解的关键驱动因子之一,树种组成是影响凋落物多酚类物质降解的内部因素。     

高寒森林不同生境凋落叶分解过程中水溶性组分动态特征

凋落叶分解所产生的水溶性组分(water soluble matter)是森林水陆不同生境碳和养分迁移的重要载体。本研究通过布设高寒森林4种代表物种凋落叶分解袋,即康定柳(Salix paraplesia)、高山杜鹃(Rhododendron lapponicum)、方枝柏(Sabina saltuaria)和四川红杉(Larix mastersiana),探讨其在林下地表、溪流和河岸带3种生境下不同分解时期(冻结初期、冻结期、融化期、生长季节、生长季节后期)的水溶性组分及水溶性碳含量动态及其影响因素。结果表明:经两年的分解,发现溪流显著促进了凋落叶中水溶性组分和水溶性碳的释放;同一物种凋落叶在不同生境下水溶性组分和水溶性碳损失差异显著(P<0.05),整体表现为溪流>河岸带>林下;在分解初期水溶性组分含量有明显的降低;在整个分解过程中,水溶性组分(-70.43%)和水溶性碳(-84.31%)含量变化基本一致且呈明显降低趋势。此外,凋落叶中水溶性组分和水溶性碳的释放速率受时间、物种以及区域环境因子(温度、p H值、营养成分)的调控。这些结果表明,高寒森林凋落叶中水溶性组分和水溶性碳在分解过程中易随水体的流动而转移至下游生态系统,并且区域环境因子在凋落叶水溶性组分和水溶性碳释放过程中具有重要的作用,这为深入理解高寒森林以凋落物为载体的物质迁移过程提供了科学依据。     

Root growth and litter decomposition in a coffee plantation under shade trees

In a non-fertilized coffee plantation under shade trees the root biomass was excavated to estimate its distribution in the soil profile. One third of total fine (less than 1 mm) roots was found in the first 10 cm of soil; the cumulative total to 30 cm reached 73%. A highly variable and transient amount of fine roots colonized the litter layer. Root production both in the litter and in the first 7.5 cm of mineral soil was estimated from sequential samplings and was 10 g m^–2 yr^–1 and 660 g m^–2 yr^–1 respectively. The decomposition rate of weighed averages of litter fractions in the coffee plantation, calculated as the ratio of litter fall rate to the amount found in the soil was k=4.8. Shade tree leaves, the major component of litter descomposed slower than coffee leaves and these slower than flowers and fruits. Litter bag experiments showed considerable slower rates when mesh was 0.03 mm than 0.5 mm. Nitrogen and phosphorous showed increases in concentrations as decomposition progressed while potassium, calcium and magnesium followed a decrease in concentration that paralleled that of dry weight loss. In comparing the decomposition rate for litter with or without coffee roots growing in the bags, a tendency to show faster decomposition rates was found for the treatment with roots. These differences were however, only significant for one month for shade tree leaves litter. Nitrogen amounts remaining in shade tree leaves litter was lower in the treatment with roots that without roots. Potassium concentration in roots was positively correlated with potassium concentration in decomposing leaf litter where roots were growing. These results suggest that while roots growing attached to decomposing litter had little or no effect in speeding the decomposition process, the superficial roots seem to play an important role in absorbing very efficiently the mineralized nutrients from litter. The anatomical study of roots showed that the plantation is intensely infected with V-A mycorrhiza. External mycorrhizal hyphae did not to play a role in attachment of roots to decomposing litter while root hairs were found to grow in profusion on root surfaces oriented toward litter.     

Contents,accumulation and release of energy in green,dead and decomposing plant materials in an upland grassland near Kameničky,Czechoslovakia

The energy content was studied in above-ground live plant material and in litter in a natural grassland ecosystem with dominantNardus stricto l., defined phytosociologically asPolygalo-Nardetum strictae Preising 1950 corr. Oberdorfer 1957, and in two of its fertilized variants in the course of 1975 to 1977. Based on the determined production characteristics and data on decomposition processes, the amounts of energy accumulated by the green parts of the stands and the amount of energy released during decomposition from the litter were calculated. Changes in the energy content of litter in different stages of decomposition were determined. With progressing decomposition the energy content per gram ash-free decomposing plant litter increases.