Soil enzyme inhibition by condensed litter tannins may drive ecosystem structure and processes: the case of Kalmia angustifolia

Kalmia angustifolia is an ericaceous shrub that can rapidly spread on recently harvested boreal forest sites, causing a slow-down in soil nutrient cycling and reduced growth of spruce seedlings. It has been hypothesized that tannins released from Kalmia litter suppress soil enzyme activity, and are thus important in controlling ecosystem structure and processes. Here the effects of different concentrations of tannins extracted from both Kalmia and black spruce (Picea mariana) foliage were tested on enzyme activities of soil extracts. Then the effects of various Kalmia-black spruce litter mixtures on soil enzyme activity were investigated. Lastly, the correlation between Kalmia cover in the field and soil enzyme activity was measured. Both tannin types suppressed beta-glucosidase and acid phosphatase activities, and the magnitude of these effects was concentration-dependent. beta-glucosidase and amidase activity decreased linearly with an increasing Kalmia : spruce litter ratio added to soil. A field survey of 24 sites revealed a negative relationship between percentage Kalmia cover and beta-glucosidase activity. Collectively, results of the three experiments converge to support the claim that enzyme inhibition by litter tannins has evolved as an important mechanism controlling ecosystem processes and structure following Kalmia invasion on recently disturbed forest sites.