Chemical composition and carbon mineralisation potential of Scots pine needles at different stages of decomposition

Coûteaux, Marie‐Madeleine; McTiernan, Kevin B.; Berg, Björn; Szuberla, D.; Dardenne, Pierre; Bottner, P.

doi:10.1016/s0038-0717(97)00169-7

Cited by 117 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…As N concentration in soil (Table 1) and N return with litterfall (Table 2) were lower in NF, the higher N content of newly-shed leaves and forest floor in NF is likely to reflect the larger atmospheric deposition relative to the southern Apennines [52]. High N concentration in litter favors the formation of stable complexes that slow down decomposition at late stages [9,[53][54][55][56]. Michel and Matzner [57] found that respiration of samples from Oa layers of 15 different forest floors under Norway spruce decreased significantly with increasing N content under standardized laboratory conditions.…”

Section: Nutrientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

C Stocks in Forest Floor and Mineral Soil of Two Mediterranean Beech Forests

Marco

Fioretto

Giordano

et al. 2016

Forests

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This study focuses on two Mediterranean beech forests located in northern and southern Italy and therefore subjected to different environmental conditions. The research goal was to understand C storage in the forest floor and mineral soil and the major determinants. Relative to the northern forest (NF), the southern forest (SF) was found to produce higher amounts of litterfall (4.3 vs. 2.5 Mg·ha −1 ) and to store less C in the forest floor (~8 vs.~12 Mg·ha −1 ) but more C in the mineral soil (~148 vs.~72 Mg·ha −1 ). Newly-shed litter of NF had lower P (0.4 vs. 0.6 mg·g −1 ) but higher N concentration (13 vs. 10 mg·g −1 ) than SF. Despite its lower Mn concentration (0.06 vs. 0.18 mg·g −1 ), SF litter produces a Mn-richer humus (0.32 vs. 0.16 mg·g −1 ) that is less stable. The data suggest that decomposition in the NF forest floor is limited by the shorter growing season (178 days vs. 238 days) and the higher N concentrations in newly shed litter and forest floor. Differences in C stock in the mineral soil reflect differences in ecosystem productivity and long-term organic-matter accumulation. The vertical gradient of soluble and microbial fractions in the soil profile of SF was consistent with a faster turnover of organic matter in the forest floor and greater C accumulation in mineral soil relative to NF. With reference to regional-scale estimates from Italian National Forest Inventory data, the C stock in the mineral soil and the basal area of Italian beech forests were found to be significantly related, whereas C stock in the forest floor and C stock in the mineral soil were not.

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Section: Nutrientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

C Stocks in Forest Floor and Mineral Soil of Two Mediterranean Beech Forests

Marco

Fioretto

Giordano

et al. 2016

Forests

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“…However, the present data are limited to samples in a specific period (after 468 days of decomposition). There is evidence that early stage of decomposition is controlled primarily by concentrations of limiting nutrients, especially N, whereas lignin decomposition exerts dominant control in the later stages (Couteaux et al 1998, Berg andMcClaugherty 2007). It might be possible that response of R m to material water content be altered during decay.…”

Section: Wwwplantrootorg 80mentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of microbial respiration from fine root litter decomposition to root water content in a temperate broad-leaved forest

Kawamura¹,

Makita²,

Osawa³

2013

Plant Root

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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. Microbial respiration in both diameter classes and species decreased linearly with decreasing root water content. These changing patterns of microbial respiration did not differ significantly between the diameter classes of either species, indicating that microbial respiration was regulated by the moisture of root litter, and not by characteristics associated with diameter class or species. In contrast, the carbon to nitrogen ratio and mass loss of the root litter differed significantly between diameter classes in both species. These findings suggest that along with chemical and morphological properties of fine root litter, the changes in root water content should also be considered as a viable factor in microbial activity variations. Drying-wetting cycles of fine roots could lead to sensitive responses of microorganisms during the short term, leading to variation in the decomposition rate of fine root litter over the long term. This study provided insight into the potential impact of microbial physiological performance on heterotrophic respiration and fine root decomposition under the varying root water content.

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“…Further, relating the limit value to climate, litter properties, or other environmental factors could provide important insights into the decomposition process. Thus estimating limit values complements other approaches such as modeling the slow, late stages of decomposition using two-or threecompartment exponential decomposition models (Lousier and Parkinson 1976;Couteaux et al 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Factors influencing limit values for pine needle litter decomposition: a synthesis for boreal and temperate pine forest systems

Berg

Davey

Marco³

et al. 2010

Biogeochemistry

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164

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We synthesized available data for decomposition of pine (Pinus) needle litter in pine forests to determine the litter chemical characteristics and climate factors that explained variation in the limit value, i.e. the level of accumulated mass loss at which the decomposition process either continues at a very low rate or possibly stops. Our data base included 56 separate studies on decomposition of pine needle litter, spanning Scots pine, lodgepole pine, Aleppo pine, stone pine and white pine, mainly incubated at the site of collection. Studies had 5 to 19 samplings, on average 10, and the decomposition was followed to a mass loss ranging from 47 to 83%, on average 67%. The periods from 3.0 to 5.4 years, on average 3.9 years, were of sufficient duration to allow estimates of limit values of decomposition. We used a linear mixed model with regression effects to relate limit values to potential explanatory variables, namely the sites' long-term mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP) and to substrate-chemistry factors. Regarding the latter, we explored two models; one that included initial concentrations of water solubles, lignin, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and Mn and one that included only lignin, N, Ca, and Mn to focus on those nutrients known to influence lignin degradation. Using backward elimination significant explanatory variables were determined. For litter decomposed in its site of origin we found the limit value to depend mainly on the initial concentration of Mn, with higher Mn concentrations resulting in higher accumulated mass loss. Thus, litter with higher Mn reached a higher limit value and left a smaller stable fraction. This is likely due to the fact that Mn is an essential component of ligninolytic enzymes important for degrading litter in the later stages of decomposition. Manganese has received little attention in decomposition studies to date. Given its significance in this synthesis, the role of Mn in influencing variation in the late stages of decomposition among ecosystems and among litters of other genera besides Pinus deserves further attention

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Chemical composition and carbon mineralisation potential of Scots pine needles at different stages of decomposition

Cited by 117 publications

References 17 publications

C Stocks in Forest Floor and Mineral Soil of Two Mediterranean Beech Forests

C Stocks in Forest Floor and Mineral Soil of Two Mediterranean Beech Forests

Response of microbial respiration from fine root litter decomposition to root water content in a temperate broad-leaved forest

Factors influencing limit values for pine needle litter decomposition: a synthesis for boreal and temperate pine forest systems

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