Direct and legacy effects of plant-traits control litter decomposition in a deciduous oak forest in Mexico

Abstract

BackgroundLitter decomposition is a key process in the functioning of forest ecosystems, because it strongly controls nutrient recycling and soil fertility maintenance. The interaction between the litter chemical composition and the metabolism of the soil microbial community has been described as the main factor of the decomposition process based on three hypotheses: substrate-matrix interaction (SMI), functional breadth (FB) and home-field advantage (HFA). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of leaf litter quality (as a direct plant effect, SMI hypothesis), the metabolic capacity of the microbial community (as a legacy effect, FB hypothesis), and the coupling between the litter quality and microbial activity (HFA hypothesis) on the litter decomposition of two contiguous deciduous oak species at a local scale.MethodsTo accomplish this objective, we performed a litterbag experiment in the field for 270 days to evaluate mass loss, leaf litter quality and microbial activity in a complete factorial design for litter quality and species site.ResultsThe litter of Quercus deserticola had higher rate of decomposition independently of the site, while the site of Quercus castanea promoted a higher rate of decomposition independently of the litter quality, explained by the specialization of the soil microbial community in the use of recalcitrant organic compounds. The Home-Field Advantage Index was reduced with the decomposition date (22% and 4% for 30 and 270 days, respectively).DiscussionWe observed that the importance of the coupling of litter quality and microbial activity depends on decomposition stage. At the early decomposition stage, the home-advantage hypothesis explained the mass loss of litter; however, in the advanced decomposition stage, the litter quality and the metabolic capacity of the microbial community can be the key drivers.

Eficiencia de reabsorción de nitrógeno y fósforo y sus relaciones estequiométricas durante la senescencia en especies del Desierto Sonorense

“…Es claro que la eficiencia de reabsorción de nutrientes tiene implicaciones directas sobre la disponibilidad de nutrientes y la fisiología del individuo en las especies (Aerts 1996), mientras que la suficiencia y estequiometría de la reabsorción tendrá impactos en la tasa de descomposición del suelo (Killingbeck 1996, Chávez-Vergara et al 2018 O n l i n e f i r s t y los ciclos biogeoquímicos. Las especies más suficientes son aquellas que retienen las menores cantidades de nutrientes en sus hojas senescentes, comúnmente iguales o menores a 7 mgN g -1 para N y 0.5 mgP g -1 para P (Killingbeck 1996).…”

Stronger effects of litter origin on the processing of conifer than broadleaf leaves: A test of home‐field advantage of stream litter breakdown

“…Our findings therefore suggest that the litter‐processing capacity of stream microbial decomposers, and not that of shredders, could depend on their past exposure to litter in the home region (see Jackrel & Wootton, ; Kominoski et al., ; Lidman et al., ), which could indirectly control the relative difference in k f between home‐derived and foreign litter. It is important to note that these effects of HFA were determined based on measurements in the initial stages of decomposition (particularly for cedar litter), which might vary with the temporal dynamics of microbial and shredder communities during later stages of litter decay (see Chávez‐Vergara, Merino, González‐Rodríguez, Oyama, & García‐Oliva, ; García, Richardson, & Pardo, ; Wallenstein et al., ).…”

Tree stratum alteration decreases C use efficiency and the stability of litter decomposition in a sacred fir ( Abies religiosa ) forest

“…Moisture content and mass in litter samples.-Following transportation to the laboratory, the complete fresh samples were weighed. An aliquot of 5 g of each sample was taken and dried in an oven at 70 °C for 72 h to obtain constant weight dry material and to determine the moisture content for correct calculations of microbial activity and litter mass content (Chávez-Vergara et al 2018).…”

“…Litter decomposition modi ication in an Abies religiosa forest Total nutrient concentration, stoichiometric ratios and nutrient contents.-The dried material was pulverized in a ball mill (Retsch model MM 400) for 30 seconds at 30 strokes s -1 . From the dried and ground material, the total C concentration (Ct, mg C g -1 ) was quantified in each sample by dry combustion and coulometric detection (Huffman 1977in Chávez-Vergara et al 2018) in a coulometric total carbon analyzer (UIC model CM5012). The total N and P (mg g -1 ) (Nt and Pt) concentration was determined colorimetrically after acid digestion in an autoanalyzer (SEAL AA3).…”

“…Enzymatic activity.-The activity of dehydrogenase (DH) and the extracellular enzymes β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), butyrate lipase (LP), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was determined in each fresh litter sample. Determination of the DH activity was performed following a modification to the method described by Alef (1995) and modified by Chávez-Vergara et al (2018), which is based on the reduction of 2, 3, 5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) for the development of triphenyl tetrazolium formazan red (TFF). The results are expressed in mg TFF g -1 d -1 .…”