Rainfall and decomposition in the chihuahuan desert

Summary We tested the hypotheses that rates of decomposition in a desert should be higher following single large rain events of 25 mm than evenly spaced 6 mm events and that supplemental rainfall should result in higher populations of soil biota. There were no significant differences in mass losses of creosotebush, Larrea tridentata, leaf litter on plots receiving water supplementation and no added water. On some sampling dates, there were higher mass losses in the 6 mm·week^-1 treatment. Weekly rainfall produced higher coefficients of variation in mass losses than the other rainfall regimes. A single event pulse compared with weekly pulses of rainfall during the normal dry period resulted in no differences in mass losses. Microarthropods and nematodes exhibited numerical responses to supplemental rainfall but the litter microflora did not. These studies provide direct experimental evidence that the conventional wisdom linking decomposition to rainfall in deserts is wrong. The studies also suggest that the effects of litter fauna on surface litter decomposition are minimal; therefore, future studies should focus on activites of the microflora.     

Changes in the nutritional quality of decaying leaf litter in a stream based on fatty acid content

We examined the nutritional quality of decaying leaf litter in a third-order forested stream, using measurements of fatty acid (FA) composition over time. We measured changes in concentrations of total, polyunsaturated, microalgal, and microbial marker FAs in mixed-species leaf packs in spring and autumn and effects of including/excluding macroinvertebrates. Initial concentrations of total FAs in litter were significantly less in spring (5.2 mg/g) than in autumn (6.9 mg/g; F = 6.3; P = 0.03), but total FA concentrations in litter placed in the stream declined significantly over 120 days in both spring (62%; F = 10.9; P < 0.001) and autumn (56%; F = 19.4; P = 0.0001). Quantities of most FAs declined at a greater rate than that of bulk leaf matter. The presence or absence of macroinvertebrates (5 mm vs. 250 μm mesh) had no effect on FA concentration or composition of decomposing litter. Omega-3 polyunsaturated FAs were either nearly absent (20:5ω3) or depleted preferentially over other FAs (18:3ω3). During decomposition the polyunsaturated FA linoleic acid (18:2ω6, common in fungi), declined in concentration more rapidly than other FAs in the spring, but in autumn declined at slower rates, perhaps suggesting greater fungal activity in autumn. Quantities of bacterial (e.g., 16:1ω7) and fungal (e.g., 18:1ω9) FA markers increased over time in autumn (and 16:1ω7 also in spring). Our data provide no evidence for increasing nutritional FA quality of litter during decay and microbial colonization, based on total and polyunsaturated FAs, despite measured increases in bacterial and fungal FA over time. Routine measurements of FA composition of litter could provide insights into the nutrition of allochthonous matter and the importance of fungi and bacteria during decomposition.     

六盘山华北落叶松林下穿透雨空间变异特征

受林冠截持影响后形成的林下穿透雨的数量和空间分布会影响林地的入渗、产流、蒸发等水文过程和林木生长及枯落物分解等生态过程,因而精细的森林水文功能评价和森林生态系统经营都需要准确描述林下穿透雨的空间变异规律。在宁夏六盘山香水河小流域设立了面积为30 m×30 m的华北落叶松人工林样地,均匀布设了40个截面面积230.58 cm2的雨量收集器,测定了2015年生长季(5—10月)34次降雨事件的穿透雨量。结果表明,研究期间林外总降雨量567.0 mm,林下总穿透雨量483.5 mm,占同期雨量的85.3%。随着次降雨量增加,林内次穿透雨率呈现先快速增加后趋于稳定的变化。穿透雨量在林内存在较大空间变异,其变异程度随次降雨量增加先快速下降后趋于稳定。林下穿透雨空间分布受树木特征(穿透雨收集器上方的林冠叶面积指数和冠层厚度、穿透雨测点离最近树干的距离)的影响,且其影响随次降雨量大小而变,当次降雨量10 mm时,穿透雨量与叶面积指数显著负相关;当次降雨量在10—20 mm时,穿透雨量与距最近树干距离显著正相关,与冠层厚度显著负相关;当次降雨量20 mm时,穿透雨量与3个树木特征均不显著相关。考虑到研究区次降雨量集中在0—10 mm,在95%或90%的置信区间下,若将测定的次穿透雨数值误差控制在10%以内时,在30 m×30 m样地内至少需布设13或9个本研究所用大小的收集器;满足次穿透雨数值误差在5%以内时,至少需布设26或23个这样的收集器。     

Do soil organisms affect aboveground litter decomposition in the semiarid Patagonian steppe, Argentina?

Surface litter decomposition in arid and semiarid ecosystems is often faster than predicted by climatic parameters such as annual precipitation or evapotranspiration, or based on standard indices of litter quality such as lignin or nitrogen concentrations. Abiotic photodegradation has been demonstrated to be an important factor controlling aboveground litter decomposition in aridland ecosystems, but soil fauna, particularly macrofauna such as termites and ants, have also been identified as key players affecting litter mass loss in warm deserts. Our objective was to quantify the importance of soil organisms on surface litter decomposition in the Patagonian steppe in the absence of photodegradative effects, to establish the relative importance of soil organisms on rates of mass loss and nitrogen release. We estimated the relative contribution of soil fauna and microbes to litter decomposition of a dominant grass using litterboxes with variable mesh sizes that excluded groups of soil fauna based on size class (10, 2, and 0.01 mm), which were placed beneath shrub canopies. We also employed chemical repellents (naphthalene and fungicide). The exclusion of macro- and mesofauna had no effect on litter mass loss over 3 years (P = 0.36), as litter decomposition was similar in all soil fauna exclusions and naphthalene-treated litter. In contrast, reduction of fungal activity significantly inhibited litter decomposition (P < 0.001). Although soil fauna have been mentioned as a key control of litter decomposition in warm deserts, biogeographic legacies and temperature limitation may constrain the importance of these organisms in temperate aridlands, particularly in the southern hemisphere.     

Aggregation of Lepidostomatidae in small mesh size litter-bags: implication to the leaf litter decomposition process

Invertebrate colonization during leaf litter decomposition was studied at the 2nd order of Yanase River, Iruma city, Saitama, Japan from November 13, 2002 to May 20, 2003. Two different mesh sizes (1 and 5 mm) of litter-bags were used to evaluate the decomposition of leaf litter of Sakura (Prunus lannesiana), bags were placed equally in riffle (water flow velocity: 0.2–0.6 m s⁻¹) and pool (water flow velocity: 0.04–0.06 m s⁻¹). Mass loss and invertebrates in the litter-bags were monitored at interval between 1 and 3 weeks, and the invertebrates were classified based on their functional feeding group. Among the invertebrates found inside the litter-bags, the case-bearing shredder Lepidostomatidae was the most dominant invertebrates and they were the early colonizer that appeared about 3 months after the litter-bags immersion. In absence or low number of leaf-shredders, the decomposition rates in 1 and 5 mm litter mesh bags followed the exponential (or first-order) decay kinetic (R ²: 0.72–0.92). However, the presence of a large number of leaf-shredders in 1 mm litter-bags caused an acceleration of decomposition process; that even resulted faster mass loss than the loss from the 5 mm mesh bags placed in riffle area (0.030 day⁻¹ vs. 0.011 day⁻¹). Our results shows the importance of using different mesh sizes of litter-bags in decomposition study, which is applicable to the experiment in lotic or lentic ecosystem. Using smaller mesh size of litter-bags can provide information on how significant the effect of detritus feeders on the decomposition process, while the bigger mesh size can represent better the natural decomposition process when a large number detritus feeders is present in the smaller mesh size of litter-bags.     

Litter decomposition promotes differential feedbacks in an oligotrophic southern Everglades wetland

The differential accumulation or loss of carbon and nutrients during decomposition can promote differentiation of wetland ecosystems, and contribute to landscape-scale heterogeneity. Tree islands are important ecosystems because they increase ecological heterogeneity in the Everglades landscape and in many tropical landscapes. Only slight differences in elevation due to peat accumulation allow the differentiation of these systems from the adjacent marsh. Hydrologic restoration of the Everglades landscape is currently underway, and increased nutrient supply that could occur with reintroduction of freshwater flow may alter these differentiation processes. In this study, we established a landscape-scale, ecosystem-level experiment to examine litter decomposition responses to increased freshwater flow in nine tree islands and adjacent marsh sites in the southern Everglades. We utilized a standard litterbag technique to quantify changes in mass loss, decay rates, and phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) dynamics of a common litter type, cocoplum (Chrysobalanus icaco L.) leaf litter over 64 weeks. Average C. icaco leaf degradation rates in tree islands were among the lowest reported for wetland ecosystems (0.23 ± 0.03 yr⁻¹). We found lower mass loss and decay rates but higher absolute mass C, N, and P in tree islands as compared to marsh ecosystems after 64 weeks. With increased freshwater flow, we found generally greater mass loss and significantly higher P concentrations in decomposing leaf litter of tree island and marsh sites. Overall, litter accumulated N and P when decomposing in tree islands, and released P when decomposing in the marsh. However, under conditions of increased freshwater flow, tree islands accumulated more P while the marsh accumulated P rather than mineralizing P. In tree islands, water level explained significant variation in P concentration and N:P molar ratio in leaf tissue. Absolute P mass increased strongly with total P load in tree islands (r ² = 0.81). In the marsh, we found strong, positive relationships with flow rate. Simultaneous C and P accumulation in tree island and mineralization in adjacent marsh ecosystems via leaf litter decomposition promotes landscape differentiation in this oligotrophic Everglades wetland. However, results of this study suggest that variation in flow rates, water levels and TP loads can shift differential P accumulation and loss leading to unidirectional processes among heterogeneous wetland ecosystems. Under sustained high P loading that could occur with increased freshwater flow, tree islands may shift to litter mineralization, further degrading landscape heterogeneity in this system, and signaling an altered ecosystem state.     

Increasing precipitation event size increases aboveground net primary productivity in a semi-arid grassland

Water availability is the primary constraint to aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) in many terrestrial biomes, and it is an ecosystem driver that will be strongly altered by future climate change. Global circulation models predict a shift in precipitation patterns to growing season rainfall events that are larger in size but fewer in number. This “repackaging” of rainfall into large events with long intervening dry intervals could be particularly important in semi-arid grasslands because it is in marked contrast to the frequent but small events that have historically defined this ecosystem. We investigated the effect of more extreme rainfall patterns on ANPP via the use of rainout shelters and paired this experimental manipulation with an investigation of long-term data for ANPP and precipitation. Experimental plots (n = 15) received the long-term (30-year) mean growing season precipitation quantity; however, this amount was distributed as 12, six, or four events applied manually according to seasonal patterns for May–September. The long-term mean (1940–2005) number of rain events in this shortgrass steppe was 14 events, with a minimum of nine events in years of average precipitation. Thus, our experimental treatments pushed this system beyond its recent historical range of variability. Plots receiving fewer, but larger rain events had the highest rates of ANPP (184 ± 38 g m⁻²), compared to plots receiving more frequent rainfall (105 ± 24 g m⁻²). ANPP in all experimental plots was greater than long-term mean ANPP for this system (97 g m⁻²), which may be explained in part by the more even distribution of applied rain events. Soil moisture data indicated that larger events led to greater soil water content and likely permitted moisture penetration to deeper in the soil profile. These results indicate that semi-arid grasslands are capable of responding immediately and substantially to forecast shifts to more extreme precipitation patterns.     

Rainforest fragmentation and the demography of the economically important palm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oenocarpus bacaba</Emphasis> in central Amazonia

We summarize a long-term study of the effects of edge creation on establishment of the economically important arboreal palm Oenocarpus bacaba in an experimentally fragmented landscape in central Amazonia. Recruitment and mortality of large individuals (≥10 cm diameter-at-breast-height) were recorded within 21 1-ha plots in fragmented and intact forests for periods of up to 22 years. In addition, 12 small (0.7 × 14 m) sub-plots within each 1-ha plot were used to enumerate the abundance of seedlings and saplings (5–400 cm tall). On average, the recruitment of large trees was over two times faster near forest edges, leading to a sharp (90%) increase in the mean population density of large individuals near forest edges, whereas the density of larger trees remained constant in the forest interior. Overall seedling and sapling density was significantly lower in edge than interior plots, but edge plots had a much higher proportion of larger (>100 cm tall) saplings. Our findings demonstrate that forest edges can have complex effects on tree demography and that one must consider all tree life stages in order to effectively assess their effects on plant populations.     

Effects of ants on water and soil losses from organically-managed citrus orchards in eastern Spain

Ants can play a key role in the erosion processes on agriculture land by modifying soil properties and increasing macropore flow. Ants are abundant in organically-managed orchards in the Mediterranean region due to climate conditions, no-till practices, no pesticide use, and the resulting vegetation cover. In order to determine the effect of ants on soil and water losses from these orchards growing on moderately-sloped land (4–8%), forty 1.0 m² plots (20 with ants mounts and 20 without ants — controls) were established during the summer of 2007. A rainfall simulator was used to apply 78 mm of water to each plot over a one-hour period, equivalent to a 20-year return-period thunderstorm. Runoff was collected at 1-minute intervals and sediment concentration measured every 10 minutes. Sediment concentrations were 300% higher on plots with ant mounds, but runoff rates were similar to the plots without ants. Average soil erosion rates averaged 41 kg ha⁻¹ h⁻¹ on the ant plots and 13 kg ha⁻¹ h⁻¹ on the control plots. The low erosion rates are due to the effect of the vegetation and litter cover in this organically-managed soil, which were little impacted by ant activity at the pedon scale.     

Spatial Variability in Litterfall,Litter Standing Crop and Litter Quality in a Tropical Rain Forest Region

Understanding the spatial variability in plant litter processes is essential for accurate comprehension of biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem function. We assessed spatial patterns in litter processes from local to regional scales, at sites throughout the wet tropical rain forests of northern Australia. We aimed to determine the controls (e.g., climate, soil, plant community composition) on annual litter standing crop, annual litterfall rate and in situ leaf litter decomposability. The level of spatial variance in these components, and leaf litter N, P, Ca, lignin, α‐cellulose and total phenolics, was determined from within the scale of subregion, to site (1 km transects) to local/plot (~30 m²). Overall, standing crop was modeled with litterfall and its chemical composition, in situ decomposability, soil Na, and topography (r² = 0.69, 36 plots). Litterfall was most closely aligned with plant species richness and stem density (negative correlation); leaf decomposability with leaf‐P and lignin, soil Na, and dry season moisture (r² = 0.89, 40 plots). The predominant scale of variability in litterfall rates was local (plot), while litter standing crop and α‐cellulose variability was more evenly distributed across spatial scales. Litter decomposability, N, P and phenolics were more aligned with subregional differences. Leaf litter C, lignin and Ca varied most at the site level, suggesting more local controls. We show that variability in litter quality and decomposability are more easily accounted for spatially than litterfall rates, which vary widely over short distances possibly in response to idiosyncratic patterns of disturbance.     

Effects of mixing pine and broadleaved tree/shrub litter on decomposition and N dynamics in laboratory microcosms

This study was carried out to compare the ecological function of exotic pine (Pinus radiata—Pr) and native pine (Pinus tabulaeformis—Pt) in terms of litter decomposition and its related N dynamics and to evaluate if the presence of broad-leaved tree species (Cercidiphyllum japonicum—Cj) or shrub species (Ostryopsis davidiana—Od) litter would promote the decomposition of pine needles and N cycling. Mass remaining, N release of the four single-species litters and mixed-species (Pt + Cj; Pr + Cj; Pt + Od; Pr + Od) litters and soil N dynamics were measured at microcosm scale during an 84-day incubation period. The Pt and Pr litter, with poorer substrate quality, indicated slower decomposition rates than did the Cj and Od litter. Due to their high C/N ratios, the N mass of Pt and Pr litter continuously increased during the early stage of decomposition, which showed that Pt and Pr litter immobilized exogenous N by microbes. No significant differences of soil inorganic, dissolved organic and microbial biomass N were found between the Pt and Pr microcosm at each sampling. The results showed that the exotic Pr performed similar ecological function to the native Pt in terms of litter decomposition and N dynamics during the early stage. The presence of Cj or Od litter increased the decomposition rates of pine needle litter and also dramatically increased soil N availability. So it is feasible for plantation managers to consider the use of Cj as an ameliorative species or to retain Od in pine plantations to promote the decomposition of pine litter and increase nutrient circulation. The results also suggested that different species litters induced different soil dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). As a major soluble N pool in soil, DON developed a different changing tendency over time compared with inorganic N, and should be included into soil N dynamic under the condition of our study.     

Pulses of soil phosphorus availability in a Mexican tropical dry forest: effects of seasonality and level of wetting

Intact cores from the upper soil profile and surface litter were collected at the peak of the dry season and during the rainy period in the tropical deciduous forest of the Chamela region, Jalisco, México, to (1) analyze upper soil phosphorus (P) movement and retention, (2) compare soil P dynamic pools (soluble, bicarbonate, and microbial) in dry and rainy seasons, and (3) determine the response of these P pools to wetting. Unperturbed litter-soil cores were treated in the laboratory with either 10 mm or 30 mm of simulated rain with carrier-free ³²P and compared to a control (no water addition) to determine the fate and retention of added P. ³¹P concentrations and pools in most litter and soil fractions were higher in the dry than in the rainy season. Soluble P was 0.306 g/m² and microbial P was 0.923 g/m² in the dry season (litter plus soil) versus 0.041 (soluble) and 0.526 (microbial) g P/m² in the rainy season. After water addition, rainy-season cores retained 99.9 and 94% of ³²P in the 10- and 30-mm treatments, respectively. Dry-season samples retained 98.9 and 80% of inputs in the same treatments. Retention after wetting occurred mostly in soil (bicarbonate and microbial fractions). Simulated rainfall on rainy-season soils increased P immobilization. On the other hand, simulated rainfall on dry-season soils released P through mineralization. The P release represents between 46 and 99% of the annual litterfall return. Our results suggest that both soluble and microbial P constitute important sources for initiation of plant growth at the onset of the rainy season in tropical dry forest. Received: 23 September 1997 / Accepted: 2 February 1998     

Invasion by an exotic tree alters above and belowground ecosystem components

With the widespread introduction and invasion of exotic plants there is a need for studies that quantify alterations of basic ecosystem structure and function. Ecosystem invasion by Melaleuca quinquenervia significantly altered both above- and belowground ecosystem components in this study. We measured the quantity and nutrient concentration of the litterfall, litter layer, and soil; microbial biomass pools; and rates of potentially mineralizable nitrogen and soil oxygen demand. Annual litterfall was 4.9 times higher in the non-invaded sites and contained 1.9 times more phosphorus than invaded sites. Non-invaded plots contained a larger litter layer compared to invaded plots: 2.4 ± 1.2 kg m⁻² and 0.62 ± 0.3 kg m⁻² , respectively. Lower nutrient concentration and quantity of the litter layer in the invaded plots led to changes in the aboveground storage of nutrients. In the invaded plots there was four times less carbon, seven times less nitrogen, and ten times less phosphorus stored in the organic litter layer compared to the non-invaded plots. Microbial biomass nutrient pools were consistently lower at both the 0–5 cm and 5–15 cm depth in the invaded soils compared to non-invaded soils, indicating a plant mediated change. Although M. quinquenervia altered microbial community structure, microbial activities were not different between invaded and non-invaded plots at either depth as measured by rates of soil oxygen demand and potentially mineralizable nitrogen. These changes may affect both native plant growth and water quality, and may act to promote and maintain site dominance by M. quinquenervia.     

Soil carbon storage, litterfall and CO2 efflux in fertilized and unfertilized larch (Larix leptolepis) plantations

This study evaluated the effects of forest fertilization on the forest carbon (C) dynamics in a 36-year-old larch (Larix leptolepis) plantation in Korea. Above- and below-ground C storage, litterfall, root decomposition and soil CO₂ efflux rates after fertilization were measured for 2 years. Fertilizers were applied to the forest floor at rates of 112 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, 75 kg P ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 37 kg K ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for 2 years (May 2002, 2003). There was no significant difference in the above-ground C storage between fertilized (41.20 Mg C ha⁻¹) and unfertilized (42.25 Mg C ha⁻¹) plots, and the C increment was similar between the fertilized (1.65 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and unfertilized (1.52 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) plots. There was no significant difference in the soil C storage between the fertilized and unfertilized plots at each soil depth (0–15, 15–30 and 30–50 cm). The organic C inputs due to litterfall ranged from 1.57 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for fertilized to 1.68 Mg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for unfertilized plots. There was no significant difference in the needle litter decomposition rates between the fertilized and unfertilized plots, while the decomposition of roots with 1–2 mm diameters increased significantly with the fertilization relative to the unfertilized plots. The mean annual soil CO₂ efflux rates for the 2 years were similar between the fertilized (0.38 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹) and unfertilized (0.40 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹) plots, which corresponded with the similar fluctuation in the organic carbon (litterfall, needle and root decomposition) and soil environmental parameters (soil temperature and soil water content). These results indicate that little effect on the C dynamics of the larch plantation could be attributed to the 2-year short-term fertilization trials and/or the soil fertility in the mature coniferous plantation used in this study.     

荒漠草原不同放牧强度背景下添加氮水对凋落物分解的影响

凋落物分解是连接生态系统地上、地下过程的重要环节,决定了生态系统养分循环速率,但到目前为止对凋落物分解在荒漠草地生态系统受放牧以及外源资源补给影响的研究较少。本研究通过对不同放牧强度(对照、轻牧、中牧和重牧)短花针茅草原群落进行添加氮素(10.0 g N m~(-2) a~(-1))和增水(108 mm/a)处理,探讨群落水平凋落物分解速率的变化。研究结果显示,过去不同强度放牧历史对群落凋落物分解影响极显著(P0.0001)。凋落物前期分解(135 d)过程中,凋落物初始C∶N比与凋落物分解速率常数呈显著负相关关系,表明凋落物可降解性在凋落物前期分解中起主要作用。轻度放牧影响下凋落物分解速度最快,这与该条件下凋落物C∶N比显著低于其他放牧强度下的有关,说明适度放牧不仅有利于群落维持,也在一定程度上有利于生态系统养分循环。当凋落物分解更长时间(870 d)后,对照区凋落物分解速率显著低于放牧处理样地,但凋落物初始C∶N比对凋落物分解速率没有显著影响。进一步分析显示,不同放牧强度背景下长期凋落物分解速率与分解环境的土壤微生物多样性成正相关关系,与群落盖度呈极显著(P0.001)负相关关系。添加氮素显著(P0.05)降低凋落物分解速度,但对凋落物氮含量无显著影响。生长季加水未影响凋落物质量及凋落物分解速度。研究结果表明,凋落物前期分解受凋落物质量影响,但较长时间凋落物分解则与分解过程中接受到的太阳辐射量有关。     

Extracellular Enzyme Activities and Soil Organic Matter Dynamics for Northern Hardwood Forests receiving Simulated Nitrogen Deposition

Anthropogenic nitrogen enrichment alters decomposition processes that control the flux of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) from soil organic matter (SOM) pools. To link N-driven changes in SOM to microbial responses, we measured the potential activity of several extracellular enzymes involved in SOM degradation at nine experimental sites located in northern Michigan. Each site has three treatment plots (ambient, +30 and +80 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹). Litter and soil samples were collected on five dates over the third growing season of N treatment. Phenol oxidase, peroxidase and cellobiohydrolase activities showed significant responses to N additions. In the Acer saccharum–Tilia americana ecosystem, oxidative activity was 38% higher in the litter horizon of high N treatment plots, relative to ambient plots, while oxidative activity in mineral soil showed little change. In the A. saccharum–Quercus rubra and Q. velutina–Q. alba ecosystems, oxidative activities declined in both litter (15 and 23%, respectively) and soil (29 and 38%, respectively) in response to high N treatment while cellobiohydrolase activity increased (6 and 39% for litter, 29 and 18% for soil, respectively). Over 3 years, SOM content in the high N plots has decreased in the Acer–Tilia ecosystem and increased in the two Quercus ecosystems, relative to ambient plots. For all three ecosystems, differences in SOM content in relation to N treatment were directly related (r² = 0.92) to an enzyme activity factor that included both oxidative and hydrolytic enzyme responses.     

Invasion by a Perennial Herb Increases Decomposition Rate and Alters Nutrient Availability in Warm Temperate Lowland Forest Remnants

We determined the impact of the invasive herb, Tradescantia fluminensis Vell., on litter decomposition and nutrient availability in a remnant of New Zealand lowland podocarp–broadleaf forest. Using litter bags, we found that litter beneath mats of Tradescantia decomposed at almost twice the rate of litter placed outside the mat. Values of k (decomposition quotient) were 9.44±0.42 yrs for litter placed beneath Tradescantia and 5.42±0.42 yrs for litter placed in native, non-Tradescantia plots. The impact of Tradescantia on decomposition was evident through the smaller forest floor mass in Tradescantia plots (2.65±1.05 t ha⁻¹) compared with non-Tradescantia plots (5.05±1.05 t ha⁻¹), despite similar quantities of annual leaf litterfall into Tradescantia plots (6.85±0.85 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and non-Tradescantia plots (7.45±1.05 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). Moreover, there was increased plant nitrate available, as captured on resin bags, in Tradescantia plots (25.77 ± 8.32 cmol(−)/kg resin) compared with non-Tradescantia plots (9.55±3.72 cmol(−)/kg resin). Finally, the annual nutrient uptake by Tradescantia represented a large proportion of nutrients in litterfall (41% N, 61% P, 23% Ca, 46% Mg and 83% K), exceeded the nutrient content of the forest floor (except Ca), but was a small proportion of the topsoil nutrient pools. Taken together, our results show that Tradescantia increases litter decomposition and alters nutrient availability, effects that could influence the long-term viability of the majority of podocarp–broadleaf forest remnants affected with Tradescantia in New Zealand. These impacts are likely mostly due to Tradescantia's vegetation structure (i.e., tall, dense mats) and associated microclimate, compared with native ground covers. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A fungal endophyte slows litter decomposition in streams

1. Phyllosphere interactions are known to influence a variety of tree canopy community members, but less frequently have they been shown to affect processes across ecosystem boundaries. Here, we show that a fungal endophyte (Rhytisma punctatum) slows leaf litter decomposition of a dominant riparian tree species (Acer macrophyllum) in an adjacent stream ecosystem. 2. Patches of leaf tissue infected by R. punctatum show significantly slower decomposition compared to both nearby uninfected tissue from the same leaf, and completely uninfected leaves. These reduced rates of decomposition existed despite 50% greater nitrogen in infected tissues and may be driven by slower rates of decomposition for fungal tissues themselves or by endophyte–hyphomycete interactions. 3. Across a temperate forest in the Pacific Northwest, approximately 72% of all A. macrophyllum leaves were infected by R. punctatum. Since R. punctatum infection can influence leaf tissue on entire trees and large quantities of leaf litter at the landscape scale, this infection could potentially result in a mosaic of ‘cold spots’ of litter decomposition and altered nutrient cycling in riparian zones where this infection is prevalent.     

Carbon and nitrogen status of litterfall, litter decomposition and soil in even-aged larch, red pine and rigitaeda pine plantations

The carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) status in forest ecosystems can change upon establishment of plantations because different tree species have different nutrient cycling mechanisms. This study was carried out to evaluate C and N status of litterfall, litter decomposition and soil in three adjacent plantations consisting of one deciduous (larch: Larix leptolepis) and two evergreen (red pine: Pinus densiflora; rigitaeda pine: P. rigida × P. taeda) species planted in the same year (1963). Both the pine plantations showed comparatively higher C input from needle litter but significantly lower N concentration and input than the larch plantation (P < 0.05). During the decomposition process, the deciduous larch needle litter showed low C concentration and C remaining in soil, but high N concentration and N remaining in soil compared to the two evergreen pine needle litters. However, the soil C and N concentration and their content at a soil depth of 0–10 cm were not affected significantly (P > 0.05) by the plantation type. These results demonstrate the existence of considerable variation in C and N status resulting from needle litter input and litter decomposition in these three plantations grown at sites with similar environmental conditions.