Canopy composition as a measure to identify patterns of nutrient input in a mixed European beech and Norway spruce forest in central Europe

Abstract

The influence of canopy composition on litterfall and throughfall was investigated in a mixed spruce beech forest in central Germany. We hypothesised that different parts of the mixed canopy created distinct patterns of element inputs via litterfall and throughfall. The investigation was carried out in two plots, representing the most contrasting cases of mixed forests: a stand greatly dominated by spruce (SDP) and a stand greatly dominated by beech (BDP). The canopies of the two plots were classified in four categories: pure beech, pure spruce, mixed canopy and gap. Amounts of throughfall water were lower and major element fluxes were higher under spruce than under beech in both plots, indicating that the nutrient inputs under the canopies of individual trees are driven by speciesspecific properties of the canopies and are quite independent of the degree of admixture. With the exception of K ? , mixed canopies showed intermediate element inputs via throughfall, compared with pure canopy classes. The K ? input was significantly greater under mixed canopies, and these differences were more pronounced in the SDP than in the BDP. Results suggest that individual spruce trees in the BDP induce greater spatial heterogeneity of throughfall input than individual beech trees in the SDP. Nutrient inputs via foliar litterfall were similar among the different canopy classes, but the Mg input was lower under spruce canopy. This effect was balanced by higher Mg input via spruce throughfall. In our study, throughfall was the main source of heterogeneity in nutrient inputs, while foliar litterfall had a homogenising effect.

Seasonal variations of throughfall chemistry in pure and mixed stands of Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) in Hyrcanian forests (Iran)

“…Even though our estimated throughfall flux of Ca 2+ was rather low in comparison to other findings in the literature, Berger et al (2009b) found similar low values. The estimated throughfall flux of K + , on the other hand, was rather high in comparison to values in Parker (1983), Thimonier et al (2005) and Hojjati et al (2009). We cannot exclude the possibility that we over-or underestimated throughfall fluxes for some of the nutrients.…”

“…Tree species with different foliage properties exhibit different patterns of throughfall water and ion fluxes (Beier et al 1993;Hansen 1995;Raat et al 2002;Whelan et al 1998). Furthermore, as dry deposition is also a function of foliage properties (Lovett 1994), it may cause species-related differences (Hojjati et al 2009;Rothe et al 2002).…”

Effects of beech and ash on small‐scale variation of soil acidity and nutrient stocks in a mixed deciduous forest

“…Other factors, which were found to contribute to differences in deciduous tree species, are, e.g., canopy interception (throughfall), canopy-precipitation interaction, stem flow, rooting patterns, root litter (Falkengren-Grerup, 1989;Nordén, 1991;Dijkstra and Smits, 2002;Dijkstra, 2003;Meinen, 2009). Horizontal ranges of litter fall have been studied (Ferrari and Sugita, 1996;Staelens et al, 2003Staelens et al, , 2004, but horizontal ranges of tree effects on soils properties have been investigated less (Zinke, 1962;Rothe, 1997;Rothe et al, 2002;Hojjati et al, 2009). Guckland et al (2009) analyzed mixed deciduous forests on a plot basis indicating differences in species-specific tree-soil interactions, as well as clay content in the soil being an important covariable.…”

Effect of canopy composition on soil CO2 emission in a mixed sprucebeech forest at Solling, Central Germany

“…In addition an external N via throughfall under the spruce canopy can suppress CO 2 formation (Berg and Matzner 1997). Hojjati et al (2009) reported higher fluxes of inorganic nitrogen in throughfall under the canopy of spruce in the same experimental area.…”