Upper Mississippi River: seasonal and floodplain forest influences on organic matter transport

Seasonal influences and the role of floodplain forest as source or sink of organic matter is relatively unknown for 3arge, temperate rivers. Discharge and fine-particulate (FPOC), dissolved (DOC), and total organic carbon concentrations (TOC) were measured during five sampling periods from November, 1984, to August, 1985, above and below the floodplain-forested area (1054 ha) of Burlington Island in navigation Pool 19, upper Mississippi River. Sampling coincided with autumnal leaf fall of the floodplain forest, peak flood and falling spring flood, and low-flow conditions prior to and during phytoplankton bloom. Greatest TOC transport occurred during peak flood (8.84 × 10⁶ Kg/day) and leaf fall (7.79 × 10⁶ Kg/day). Peak flood transport was dominated by FPOC associated with flushing of material from upland areas. Transport during autumnal leaf fall was predominantly DOC attributed to litter leaching. Seasonal DOC loads generally increased downstream except during the phytoplankton bloom when a decrease was associated with increased microbial metabolic activity. Downstream decline in FPOC and increasing DOC loads during peak flood characterized the mechanism of deposition and processing of FPOC on the floodplain. FPOC concentration was significantly correlated to discharge and DOC concentrations were higher than FPOC except for peak flood. Significant downstream changes in TOC load suggests the importance of riparian vegetation as an influence on organic matter transport in large rivers.     

Release and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter from floodplain litter: influence of origin and oxygen levels

1. We determined the rate of release and microbial uptake of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached from three components (leaves, bark and twigs) of river red gum ( Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) forest litter originating from different parts of a floodplain and under different oxygen levels.
2. Preliminary experiments showed that substantially more DOC was released from leaves than from bark or twigs; there was relatively little DOC release from coarse particulate matter or soil.
3. Both the amount of DOC released from each litter component and the amount metabolized by the microbial community were independent of position on the flood-plain or amount of oxygen available to microbes.
4. Although the bioavailability of DOC was independent of oxygen concentration, the microbial utilization of DOC under aerobic and anaerobic conditions differed. Under aerobic conditions, leaves were colonized by fungi, while bacteria were dominant under anoxic conditions.
5. Phospholipid fatty acid profiles of the microbial communities growing on leaf extracts showed that different microbial communities developed in each oxygen concentration treatment suggesting that, irrespective of flood conditions, a microbial community will develop to utilize a significant proportion of the DOC leached from litter.     

The effect of flooding and flood timing on leaf litter breakdown rates and nutrient dynamics in a river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forest

Comparisons of litter standing-stocks in low-lying and higher areas of the floodplain and the effects of controlled flooding events on leaf litter decomposition and leaf litter nutrients were examined during autumn and winter in a southeastern Australian river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) floodplain forest. The mean mass of total litter and some litter components was significantly greater in autumn than in winter but there were few differences in litter mass between low-lying flood runners and higher sites (1.5 m) on the floodplain, regardless of season. Leaf decomposition was more rapid in flooded areas than in non-flooded areas and was significantly faster in autumn than in winter. In flooded leaves, concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen dropped rapidly during the first 3 days of each experiment, increased to near original after 7–10 weeks and then decreased again. After 112 days of decomposition the C:N:P ratios of leaf litter increased, but this effect was most marked for flooded leaves. Simple models of leaf litter dynamics indicated that leaf litter standing-stocks in low-lying flood runners would be reduced by flooding, particularly during autumn. In contrast, models predicted a net gain in standing-stocks of leaf litter to be higher on the floodplain, particularly in autumn. Alteration to the seasonal timing of floods by river regulation has probably decreased litter standing-stocks and nutrients available in low-lying areas of the floodplain to support the production of macrophytes and biofilms during winter and spring floods.     

Effects of flooding on recruitment and dispersal of the Southern Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca australis) at a Murray River floodplain wetland

Summary With limited evidence linking Australia's Murray‐Darling Basin fish species and flooding, this study assessed annual variation in abundance and recruitment levels of a small‐bodied, threatened floodplain species, the Southern Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca australis), in floodplain habitats (creeks, lakes and wetlands) in the Barmah‐Millewa Forest, Murray River, Australia. Spring and summer sampling over a 5‐year period encompassed large hydrological variation, including 1 year of extended floodplain inundation which was largely driven by an environmental water release, and 2 years of severe regional drought. Recruitment and dispersal of Southern Pygmy Perch significantly increased during the floodplain inundation event compared with the other examined years. This study provides valuable support for an environmental water allocation benefiting a native species, and explores the link between flooding and its advantages to native fish. This suggests that the reduced flooding frequency and magnitude as a result of river regulation may well be a major contributing factor in the species’ decline in the Murray‐Darling Basin.     

Potential effects of leaf litter on water quality in urban watersheds

Leaf litter plays a critical role in regulating ecological functions in headwater forest streams, whereas the effects of leaves on water quality in urbanized streams are not fully understood. This study examined the potential importance of leaf litter for the release and transformations of organic carbon and nutrients in urban streams, and compared the effects with other types of natural organic substrates (periphyton and stream sediment). Nutrients and organic carbon were leached from senescent leaves of 6 tree species in the laboratory with deionized water, and maximal releases, leaching rate constants, composition and bioavailability of the leached dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were determined. Stream substrates (leaf debris, rocks with periphyton, and sediment) were seasonally collected from urban and forest reference streams of the NSF Baltimore Long-term Ecological Research Site and incubated with overlying stream water to estimate areal fluxes of DOC and nitrogen. Leaf litter leaching showed large ranges in maximal releases of DOC (7.0–131 mg g^?1), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON; 0.07–1.39 mg g^?1) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP; 0.14–0.70 mg g^?1) among tree species. DOC leaching rate constants, carbon to nitrogen ratios, and DOC bioavailability were all correlated with organic matter quality indicated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Results from substrate incubation experiments showed far higher DOC and DON release and nitrate retention with leaf debris than with sediment, or rocks with periphyton. DOC release from leaf debris was positively correlated with stream nitrate retention at residential and urban sites, with the highest values observed during the fall and lowest during the summer. This study suggests the potential importance of leaf litter quantity and quality on fostering DOC and nutrient release and transformations in urban streams. It also suggests that species-specific impacts of leaves should be considered in riparian buffer and stream restoration strategies.     

A comparison of phosphorus and DOC leachates from different types of leaf litter in an urban environment

1. The leaching rates of filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from five leaf litter types commonly occurring in urban environments in Mediterranean regions of Southern Australia were compared. The relative composition, bioavailability and oxygen demand of this DOC were also assessed. Four tree species were assessed, including the native river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and three introduced deciduous species, the English elm (Ulmus procera), London plane (Platanus acerifolia) and white poplar (Populus alba). Grass cuttings (mixed species) were selected as a common garden waste. 2. Except for English elm, the majority of FRP and DOC was released within the first 48 h. Grass cuttings released the highest amount of FRP with white poplar releasing the most DOC. Species that released relatively high amounts of DOC (white poplar, English elm, river red gum) released relatively low amounts of FRP. Conversely, species that released relatively low amounts of DOC (grass cuttings and London plane) tended to release relatively high amounts of FRP. 3. Analysis of DOC composition, combined with the differing oxygen demand and DOC depletion curves, demonstrated that there were substantial differences in the DOC leached from the leaf litter of the different species. Biochemical oxygen demand and the biodegradability of the DOC was positively correlated with the proportion of hydrophilic and hydrophobic acids present in the leachate. 4. These results demonstrate that simple measurements of nutrient release per gram of leaf litter would be insufficient to predict the ecological impact on receiving waters resulting from changes in dominant vegetation. Furthermore, the use of traps to prevent particulate leaf material from entering streams may have limited potential for reducing the load of dissolved nutrients. We conclude that any changes to vegetation type which substantially alter the timing of leaf fall or the composition of leaf leachates should be avoided.     

广东省北江流域河流有机碳浓度历史重建

根据河流颗粒有机碳浓度(CPOC)、溶解有机碳浓度(CDOC)与河流总悬浮物含量(CTSS)和流量(Q)的关系,构建广东省北江流域河流有机碳浓度估算模型分别为:CPOC=0.0195×CTSS+0.0589和CDOC = 0.0047×CTSS+0.0027×Q+0.9087.由上述模型重建了北江流域河流有机碳浓度变化历史,结果发现,北江流域河流有机碳主要以颗粒有机碳形式存在;年内分布表现为汛期高于平水期;年际变化多样,但总体上均表现出下降趋势;空间分布上表现为自上游往下有机碳浓度有所下降,但在三水站有所回升.     

The effects of shredding invertebrates on the transfer of organic carbon from littoral leaf litter to water-column bacteria

Leaf litter can be of great importance for the productivity of small oligotrophic lakes surrounded by deciduous forests. Feeding invertebrate shredders produce particulate organic leftovers, but their feeding also enhances the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). We tested whether invertebrate-mediated DOC release affects the production of heterotrophic water-column bacteria. Submersed leaves were incubated in microcosms with and without shredders; and DOC, absorbance, bacterial abundance and bacterial production in the water column were monitored. We also measured dry weight of the organic particles (FPOC, fine particulate organic carbon, leaf residues and shredders). Total leaf-litter carbon decreased by nearly 80% in the presence of shredders, and on average 56% of the initial leaf carbon ended up as FPOC after 126 days of incubation. Without shredders FPOC production was almost zero, and 72% of the added leaf carbon could be retrieved as leaves when the experiment ended. Both these figures include the rapid release of DOC during the first week of leaf incubation in the lake water (equivalent to 16–19% of total added leaf carbon). Although bacterial production in the water was several times higher in treatments with shredders, bacterial consumption of leaf-derived DOC from shredding was obviously of minor importance in the total carbon budget. This result suggests, although shredders have a strong impact on transformation of leaves to FPOC, they do not greatly enhance the initial rate of mineralization of the leaf-derived detritus.     

The influence of leaf litter on zooplankton in floodplain wetlands: changes resulting from river regulation

1. The loss of input of leaf litter through clearing of riparian vegetation may result in significant changes to aquatic ecosystems. River red gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) surrounding floodplain wetlands in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, contribute large quantities of leaf litter, but the quality of this resource may change depending on the timing of inundation. 2. We used experimental mesocosms to test the hypotheses that zooplankton would have a greater abundance with an input of leaf litter and that fewer zooplankton would emerge from egg banks in cleared than forested wetlands. The experiment was carried out in summer/autumn and in spring to test a third hypothesis that zooplankton would respond to changes in the timing of wetland inundation as a result of river regulation. 3. In summer/autumn, leaf litter reduced zooplankton abundance by 89% at the beginning of the experiment through its influence on water quality. Only a few taxa (Polyarthra spp., Colurella spp. and the cladoceran Family Moinidae) responded positively to leaf litter when water quality improved later in the experiment, indicating a switch in the role of leaf litter from a non‐trophic to a trophic pathway. 4. In spring, microcrustaceans emerged in smaller numbers from sediment sourced from cleared compared to forested wetlands, reflecting different communities in these two wetland types and/or disturbances to the sediment that interfere with emergence. 5. Although leaf litter appears not to be an important resource for zooplankton in floodplain wetlands, riparian clearing may have lasting effects on future emerging zooplankton communities. Additionally, river regulation may have considerable impacts on the influence of leaf litter on zooplankton, which has implications for the management of floodplain river systems.     

Response of bacterial extracellular enzymes to inundation of floodplain sediments

1. Bacterial extracellular enzymes provide a measure of microbial response to organic matter supply, pivotal to the recovery of riverine food webs after disturbances such as floods.
2. We examined the effects of flood duration on extracellular enzyme response from riverbank and floodplain wetland sediments from the Murrumbidgee River, south-east Australia.
3. There were strong temporal peaks in enzyme activity from both riverbank and billabong sites, peaking between 1 and 5 days following flooding and with a general decline by 21 days. A dominance of non-glucosidase and xylosidase enzymes resulted in no significant differences between billabong and riverbank sediments. This supports the hypothesis that regulated Australian river systems are driven by autochthonous carbon sources.
4. The short response time of the glucosidase after flooding suggests that even short pulses (24 h) in high flows may stimulate bacterial activity, as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loads also peak at this time. However, a longer wetting time may be needed to drive hydrolysis of the proteins, fatty acids and longer chain polysaccharides, whether in the littoral zone of the river or connection with the floodplain.     

Dissolved and particulate organic carbon in two wetlands in southwestern New South Wales,Australia

Concentrations of dissolved (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) in two billabong wetlands (Murrumbidgil Swamp and Lake Merrimajeel) in inland temperate Australia were positively correlated with leaf fall from river red gums Eucalyptus camaldulensis (DOC and POC in Murrumbidgil Swamp), phytoplankton productivity (DOC in Murrumbidgil Swamp, DOC and POC in Lake Merrimajeel), and with biomass of aquatic macrophytes (DOC in the two wetlands). DOC correlated with water level at both sites. Mean concentrations of DOC (Murrumbidgil Swamp, 36.0 gm^-3; Lake Merrinmajeel, 27.5 g m^-3) and POC (15.0 g m^-3; 15.5 g m^-3) were high compared with other water bodies worldwide, although average for wetlands. The relatively high concentrations of DOC and POC in the study wetlands appear to be the result of their high rates of plant production, and input of leaves from river red gums.     

Chemical Characteristics and Origin of Dissolved Organic Matter in the Yukon River

Monthly (or bi-weekly) water samples were collected from the Yukon River, one of the largest rivers in North America, at a station near the US Geological Survey Stevens Village hydrological station, Alaska from May to September 2002, to examine the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its seasonal variations. DOM was further size fractionated into high molecular weight (HMW or colloidal, 1 kDa–0.45 μm) and low molecular weight (LMW, <1 kDa) fractions. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), colored dissolved organic matter (C-DOM) and total dissolved carbohydrate (TCHO) species were measured in the size fractionated DOM samples. Concentrations of DOC were as high as 2830 μmol-C l⁻¹ during the spring breakup in May and decreased significantly to 508–558 μmol-C l⁻¹ during open-water season (June–September). Within the DOC pool, up to 85% was in the colloidal fraction (1 kDa–0.45 μm) in early May. As DOC concentration decreased, this colloidal portion remained high (70–85% of the bulk DOC) throughout the sampling season. Concentrations of TCHO, including monosaccharides (MCHO) and polysaccharides (PCHO), varied from 722 μmol-C l⁻¹ in May to 129 μmol-C l⁻¹ in September, which comprised a fairly constant portion of bulk DOC (24±2%). Within the TCHO pool, the MCHO/TCHO ratio consistently increased from May to September. The C-DOM/DOM ratio and the size fractionated DOM increased from May to September, indicating that DOM draining into the Yukon River contained increased amounts of humified materials, likely related to a greater soil leaching efficiency in summer. The average composition of DOM was 76% pedogenic humic matter and 24% aquagenic CHO. Characteristics of soil-derived humic substances and low chlorophyll-a concentrations support a dominance of terrestrial DOM in Yukon River waters.     

有机碳质量对黄河三角洲芦苇凋落物分解及其温度敏感性的影响

凋落物分解速率及其温度敏感性Q_(10)能够影响凋落物对土壤的碳归还及其对全球变暖的响应。然而,凋落物有机碳质量对凋落物分解及其温度敏感性的影响研究仍不充分。以黄河三角洲芦苇(Phragmites australi)为例,通过凋落物袋法、室内模拟实验及固态~(13)C核磁共振技术,研究有机碳质量对凋落物分解及其温度敏感性的影响,探讨预测凋落物分解及其温度敏感性的指标。结果表明:(1)随着凋落物分解,易分解碳组分(烷氧碳、双烷氧碳)相对含量逐渐降低,而难分解碳组分(芳香碳)相对含量显著增加,疏水碳/亲水碳、芳香碳/烷氧碳比值逐渐增大,凋落物有机碳更加稳定,凋落物呼吸速率及失重率呈下降趋势。(2)凋落物失重主要受烷基碳、烷氧碳相对含量及C/N的影响,凋落物CO_2累积释放量主要受烷氧碳及双烷氧碳相对含量的影响。羰基碳相对含量可以用来解释Q_(10)的变异。因此,相对于生态化学计量比,烷基碳、烷氧碳、双烷氧碳、羰基碳相对含量是预测凋落物分解及其温度敏感性的敏感性指标。     

降解剂对森林凋落物可溶性有机碳含量的影响及凋落物降解模式比较研究

森林凋落物是森林生态系统中可溶性有机碳(DOC)的主要来源,在生态系统碳循环过程中起重要作用。以帽儿山地区胡桃楸、兴安落叶松以及胡桃楸-兴安落叶松人工林凋落物为研究对象,通过液体发酵培养将纤维素高效降解真菌Peniophora intranata与Sarocladium strictum制成单一(A菌剂、B菌剂)及混合菌剂(C菌剂),测定野外条件下经降解剂处理的凋落物基质在不同时期的DOC含量,分析降解剂对不同类型森林凋落物DOC动态变化的影响,并比较各凋落物基质降解模式异同。结果表明：(1)凋落物基质DOC含量在降解剂处理后均随降解时间增加呈下降趋势,且下降幅度大小表现为混合基质>胡桃楸基质>落叶松基质;在最初的1个月,各凋落物基质DOC含量均显著高于其他降解时期DOC含量。(2)经混合菌剂处理后的胡桃楸基质DOC含量相较于2种单一菌剂处理后的胡桃楸基质DOC含量低,而经混合菌剂处理后的兴安落叶松基质与胡桃楸-兴安落叶松基质的DOC含量未表现出相同的显著性。(3)经3种菌剂处理后的胡桃楸基质降解模式均相同,经B菌剂与C菌剂处理的落叶松基质降解模式相同,经A菌剂与C菌剂处理...     

Fluxes of bacteria and organic matter into a blackwater river from river sediments and floodplain soils

1. The Ogeechee River, in south-eastern Georgia, U.S.A, is a blackwater river with an extensive floodplain that is inundated regularly during winter months. Previous studies have shown that low to moderate bacterial production rates cannot support the relatively high suspended bacteria concentrations observed (10^7?-10⁸ cells ml^?1), suggesting an allochthonous source of bacteria. We report the results of a combination of field and flume experiments which demonstrate that river sediments and floodplain soils are significant sources of suspended bacteria during seasonal flooding. Benthic bacteria are also entrained by normal discharges. There are sizeable fluxes of POC and DOC from river sediments and floodplain soils. 2. Bacterial, POC and DOC fluxes (14, 250, and 790 mg Cm^?2 h^?1, respectively) were substantial when water was percolated upward through floodplain soils. 3. Simulation of overland flow using a flume demonstrated further fluxes of bacteria and POC from floodplain soils (up to 61 and 10700 mg Cm^?2h^?1, respectively) and river sediments, but did not yield additional DOC from floodplain soils. 4. These laboratory results are supported by experiments in which we measured significant increases in concentrations of bacteria and DOC in a downstream direction in (i) the main river channel during a winter flood in 1986, and (ii) a floodplain slough (channel side-arm) which re-entered the main channel 800m from its initial divergence. Inputs of bacteria and DOC from the surrounding floodplain were estimated to be up to 3500 kg DOC h^?1, and 4000 kg bacteria Ch^?1 over a 50-km reach. 5. These previously unmeasured fluxes of organic carbon help to explain the high concentrations of suspended bacteria in the Ogeechee River.     

Fine Scale Patterns in Microbial Extracellular Enzyme Activity during Leaf Litter Decomposition in a Stream and its Floodplain

Microorganisms mediate the decomposition of leaf-litter through the release of extracellular enzymes. The surfaces of decomposing leaves are both chemically and physically heterogeneous, and spatial patterns in microbial enzyme activity on the litter surface should provide insights into fine-scale patterns of leaf-litter decomposition. Platanus occidentalis leaves were collected from the floodplain of a third-order stream in northern Mississippi, enclosed in individual litter bags, and placed in the stream channel and in the floodplain. Replicate leaves were collected approximately monthly over a 9-month period and assayed for spatial variation in microbial extracellular enzyme activity and rates of organic matter (OM) decomposition. Spatial variation in enzyme activity was measured by sampling 96 small discs (5-mm diameter) cut from each leaf. Discs were assayed for the activity of enzymes involved in lignin (oxidative enzymes) and cellulose (β-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase) degradation. Rates of OM loss were greater in the stream than the floodplain. Activities of all enzymes displayed high variability in both environments, with severalfold differences across individual leaves, and replicate leaves varied greatly in their distribution of activities. Geostatistical analysis revealed no clear patterns in spatial distribution of activity over time or among replicates, and replicate leaves were highly variable. These results show that fine-scale spatial heterogeneity occurs on decomposing leaves, but the level of spatial variability varies among individual leaves at the measured spatial scales. This study is the first to use geostatistical analyses to analyze landscape patterns of microbial activity on decomposing leaf litter and in conjunction with studies of the microbial community composition and/or substrate characteristics, should provide key insights into the function of these processes.     

Effects of flooding on recruitment and abundance of Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua) in the lower River Murray

Flooding is often considered a stimulus for production of fish in floodplain rivers. In the southern Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia, however, few native fish species have been shown to use the floodplain for spawning, and recruitment has been positively and negatively associated with flooding. In 2010/11, extensive flooding in the lower River Murray provided an opportunity to investigate the recruitment response of Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua) following 10 years of drought and floodplain isolation. Annual variation in Golden Perch abundance and recruitment were investigated in anabranch and main channel habitats at Chowilla in the floodplain geomorphic region of the lower River Murray over a 7‐year period incorporating the flood and 6 years of in‐channel flow. Spatial variation in recruitment in the lower River Murray was also investigated by comparing the age structure of Golden Perch in the swamplands/lakes, gorge and floodplain geomorphic regions. Golden Perch abundance in the Chowilla region increased significantly postflooding compared with drought years. Age structures indicated that increased abundance was due predominantly to fish spawned during the flood (2010/11) and the previous year (2009/10), which was characterised by in‐channel flows. Age structure was similar in the nearby Katarapko Anabranch system indicating a uniform postflood recruitment response in the floodplain geomorphic region. Juvenile Golden Perch from the 2010/11 and 2009/10 cohorts were less apparent in the gorge and swamplands/lakes regions. Golden Perch have flexible life histories and will spawn and recruit in association with in‐channel rises in flow and overbank flows, but significant increases in abundance in the lower River Murray may result from overbank flooding. Contemporary approaches to flow restoration in the MDB emphasise overbank flows and floodplain processes. We suggest, however, that environmental flow management that incorporates floodplain and in‐channel processes, at appropriate spatio‐temporal scales, will result in more robust populations of Golden Perch.     

可溶性有机碳在米槠天然林不同土层中的迁移特征

选取我国中亚热带典型的常绿阔叶林米槠天然林(Castanopsis carlesii)为研究对象,采集林内米槠凋落物并通过挖剖面法分6个土层采集土样至1m。通过浸提米槠凋落物得到可溶性有机碳(dissolved organic carbon,DOC)溶液并在室内模拟其在不同土层的淋溶过程,不仅分析了土壤性质对DOC淋溶的影响,还研究了淋溶前后DOC化学结构的变化,以阐明DOC在不同土层中的迁移特征及影响因素,探寻米槠天然林土壤的固碳潜力和DOC在土壤有机碳循环中的作用。结果表明:(1)下层土壤比上层土壤吸附DOC的能力更强,亲水性DOC与疏水性DOC间会争夺土壤颗粒表面的吸附位点,而且芳香化合物和大分子物质等疏水性DOC组分会被优先吸附;(2)红外光谱表明,芳香类和醚类等疏水性物质会优先被吸附,烷烃类物质却不易被吸附,土壤中原有的酚、醇类亲水性物质会被初始DOC中的疏水性物质置换出来;(3)土壤DOC的截留能力与粘粒、游离氧化铁含量呈极显著正相关,而与土壤有机碳和砂粒含量呈极显著负相关,其中土壤有机碳的含量是影响米槠天然林不同土层DOC截留量的关键因素。     

Controls on the release of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen from a deciduous forest floor investigated by manipulations of aboveground litter inputs and water flux

Although dissolved organic matter (DOM) released from the forest floor plays a crucial role in transporting carbon and major nutrients through the soil profile, its formation and responses to changing litter inputs are only partially understood. To gain insights into the controlling mechanisms of DOM release from the forest floor, we investigated responses of the concentrations and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) in forest floor leachates to manipulations of throughfall (TF) flow and aboveground litter inputs (litter removal, litter addition, and glucose addition) at a hardwood stand in Bavaria, Germany. Over the two-year study period, litter manipulations resulted in significant changes in C and N stocks of the uppermost organic horizon (Oi). DOC and DON losses via forest floor leaching represented 8 and 11% of annual litterfall C and N inputs at the control, respectively. The exclusion of aboveground litter inputs caused a slight decrease in DOC release from the Oi horizon but no change in the overall leaching losses of DOC and DON in forest floor leachates. In contrast, the addition of litter or glucose increased the release of DOC and DON either from the Oi or from the lower horizons (Oe + Oa). Net releases of DOC from the Oe + Oa horizons over the entire manipulation period were not related to changes in microbial activity (measured as rates of basal and substrate-induced respiration) but to the original forest floor depths prior to manipulation, pointing to the flux control by the size of source pools rather than a straightforward relationship between microbial activity and DOM production. In response to doubled TF fluxes, net increases in DOM fluxes occurred in the lower forest floor, indicating the presence of substantial pools of potentially soluble organic matter in the Oe + Oa horizons. In contrast to the general assumption of DOM as a leaching product from recent litter, our results suggest that DOM in forest floor leachates is derived from both newly added litter and older organic horizons through complex interactions between microbial production and consumption and hydrologic transport.     

Response of dissolved organic matter in the forest floor to long-term manipulation of litter and throughfall inputs

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) contributes to organic carbon either stored in mineral soil horizons or exported to the hydrosphere. However, the main controls of DOM dynamics are still under debate. We studied fresh leaf litter and more decomposed organic material as the main sources of DOM exported from the forest floor of a mixed beech/oak forest in Germany. In the field we doubled and excluded aboveground litter input and doubled the input of throughfall. From 1999 to 2005 we measured concentrations and fluxes of dissolved organic C and N (DOC, DON) beneath the Oi and Oe/Oa horizon. DOM composition was traced by UV and fluorescence spectroscopy. In selected DOM samples we analyzed the concentrations of phenols, pentoses and hexoses, and lignin-derived phenols by CuO oxidation. DOC and DON concentrations and fluxes almost doubled instantaneously in both horizons of the forest floor by doubling the litter input and DOC concentrations averaged 82 mg C l⁻¹ in the Oe/Oa horizon. Properties of DOM did not suggest a change of the main DOM source towards fresh litter. In turn, increasing ratios of hexoses to pentoses and a larger content of lignin-derived phenols in the Oe/Oa horizon of the Double litter plots in comparison to the Control plots indicated a priming effect: Addition of fresh litter stimulated microbial activity resulting in increased microbial production of DOM from organic material already stored in Oe/Oa horizons. Exclusion of litter input resulted in an immediate decrease in DOC concentrations and fluxes in the thin Oi horizon. In the Oe/Oa horizon DOC concentrations started to decline in the third year and were significantly smaller than those in the Control after 5 years. Properties of DOM indicated an increased proportion of microbially and throughfall derived compounds after exclusion of litter inputs. Dissolved organic N did not decrease upon litter exclusion. We assume a microbial transformation of mineral N from throughfall and N mineralization to DON. Increased amounts of throughfall resulted in almost equivalently increased DOC fluxes in the Oe/Oa horizon. However, long-term additional throughfall inputs resulted in significantly declining DOC concentrations over time. We conclude that DOM leaving the forest floor derives mainly from decomposed organic material stored in Oe/Oa horizons. Leaching of organic matter from fresh litter is of less importance. Observed effects of litter manipulations strongly depend on time and the stocks of organic matter in forest floor horizons. Long-term experiments are particularly necessary in soils/horizons with large stocks of organic matter and in studies focusing on effects of declined substrate availability. The expected increased primary production upon climate change with subsequently enhanced litter input may result in an increased production of DOM from organic soil horizons.