Dissecting the Effects of Diameter on Wood Decay Emphasizes the Importance of Cross-Stem Conductivity in Fraxinus americana

Oberle, Brad; Covey, Kristofer; Dunham, Kevin M.; Hernández, Edgar Javier; Walton, Maranda L.; Young, Darcy F.; Zanne, Amy E.

doi:10.1007/s10021-017-0136-x

Cited by 34 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 36 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, other studies have shown the opposite (Dossa et al, 2018; Ganjegunte et al, 2004; Tarasov & Birdsey, 2001). The effect of bark presence on underlying wood decomposition is also mixed, with either slower (Dossa et al, 2018) or faster (Ulyshen et al, 2016) wood decomposition, or no effect of bark removal (Oberle et al, 2017). Differences in bark and wood decomposition rates, and the impact of bark on wood decomposition are likely influenced by species identity (Dossa et al, 2016), wood diameter and bark attachment (Dossa et al, 2018), moisture (Ulyshen et al, 2016), plant defence compounds in bark (Ganjegunte et al, 2004), nutrient availability, access to the environment and susceptibility to fragmentation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We estimated the diameter of each stick by averaging the three diameter measurements taken with a caliper. Because larger diameter stems generally decay more slowly than smaller ones (Oberle et al, 2017), we accounted for differences in diameter between branches with and without bark, by removing bark from the larger diameter sticks. However, branches had small differences in diameters between bark present and removal treatments (Table S1).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Habitat‐specific effects of bark on wood decomposition: Influences of fragmentation, nitrogen concentration and microbial community composition

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Identifying the drivers of decomposition is critical for understanding carbon cycling dynamics in forest ecosystems. Woody biomass is an important pool of carbon, composed of bark and underlying wood which vary in structure, nutrient concentrations and exposure to the environment. We hypothesized that higher nutrient concentrations in bark would speed the decomposition of underlying wood, and that this effect would be greater in streams, where nutrients are less available to decomposers than on land.2. Replicate branches of three tree species, with and without bark, were placed in streams and on land in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. After 3 and 11 months of decomposition, we measured mass loss and nitrogen (N) concentrations and sequenced the fungal and bacterial communities of both wood and bark tissues.3. While bark decomposed faster than the underlying wood and had higher N concentrations, bark presence slowed wood mass loss. Nitrogen concentration could account for interspecific variation in wood mass loss, but not bark mass loss. In contrast, bark mass loss, but not wood mass loss, was faster in streams than on land, suggesting fragmentation is more important for bark mass loss in streams.Differences in fungal and bacterial community composition between bark and wood substrates were significant but small. 4.Our results indicate that bark can slow wood decomposition instead of promoting it, and that at least for branch wood, the primary drivers of decomposition differ between bark and wood. Differences in the factors driving decomposition rate between bark and wood suggest that the contribution of bark to the decomposition of woody biomass may depend on habitat. K E Y W O R D Saquatic, bacterial communities, decay, freshwater streams, fungal communities, tropical forest | INTRODUC TI ONA key goal of ecosystem ecology was to understand how carbon and nutrients cycle through ecosystems, and in turn influence ecosystem stability, productivity and diversity. Wood decomposition, which includes biotic decay processes, leaching and fragmentation

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat‐specific effects of bark on wood decomposition: Influences of fragmentation, nitrogen concentration and microbial community composition

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Uncertainty regarding wood decomposition exists in part because fine woody debris is chemically different from CWD and decomposition of entire boles occurs over long time scales (Harmon et al., ; Kimmey, ). Decomposition rates of larger boles are often slower than for smaller boles, but it remains unclear how this phenomenon is influenced by chemical composition and geometry (surface area‐to‐volume ratio; Oberle et al., ; reviewed in Harmon et al., ). Small woody debris is mostly composed of relatively labile sapwood, whereas a large portion of mature tree mass is recalcitrant heartwood that often contains complex compounds and lower nutrient content (Grubb & Edwards, ; Sellin, ; Meerts, ; Taylor, Gartner, & Morrell, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Decomposition of coarse woody debris in a long‐term litter manipulation experiment: A focus on nutrient availability

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract1. The majority of above-ground carbon in tropical forests is stored in wood, which is returned to the atmosphere during decomposition of coarse woody debris.However, the factors controlling wood decomposition have not been experimentally manipulated over time scales comparable to the length of this process.2. We hypothesized that wood decomposition is limited by nutrient availability and tested this hypothesis in a long-term litter addition and removal experiment in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Specifically, we quantified decomposition using a 15-year chronosequence of decaying boles, and measured respiration rates and nutrient limitation of wood decomposer communities.3. The long-term probability that a dead tree completely decomposed was decreased in plots where litter was removed, but did not differ between litter addition and control treatments. Similarly, respiration rates of wood decomposer communities were greater in control treatments relative to litter removal plots; litter addition treatments did not differ from either of the other treatments. Respiration rates increased in response to nutrient addition (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) in the litter removal and addition treatments, but not in the controls. Established decreases in concentrations of soil nutrients in litter removal plots andincreased respiration rates in response to nutrient addition suggest that reduced rates of wood decomposition after litter removal were caused by decreased nutrient availability. The effects of litter manipulations differed directionally from a previous short-term decomposition study in the same plots, and reduced rates of bole decomposition in litter removal plots did not emerge until after more than 6 years of decomposition. These differences suggest that litter-mediated effects on nutrient dynamics have complex interactions with decomposition over time. K E Y W O R D Scarbon cycling, coarse woody debris, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, respiration, tropical forest | 1129Functional Ecology GORA et Al. (Chambers et al., 2004;Palace, Keller, & Silva, 2008;Rice et al., 2004).To understand and accurately predict changes in tropical forest carbon cycling, it is therefore necessary to determine what factors control the decomposition of trees and large branches (cumulatively referred to as coarse woody debris [CWD] or individually as "boles").Experiments investigating factors that control decomposition are generally restricted to leaf litter and fine woody debris. Substrate characteristics and microclimate are important to litter and fine woody decomposition rates (reviewed by Berg & Laskowski, 2005;Fasth, Harmon, Sexton, & White, 2011), and one or more nutrients typically limit litter decomposition rates in non-desert ecosystems (Austin & Vivanco, 2006;Hobbie & Vitousek, 2000;Kaspari et al., 2008). For small woody substrates (<20 cm 3 ), controlled experiments indicate that decomposer species composition, community assembly history, nitrogen (N) availability, and phosphorus (P) availability all in...

show abstract

“…Uncertainty regarding wood decomposition exists in part because fine woody debris is chemically different from CWD and decomposition of entire boles occurs over long time scales (Kimmey 1955, Harmon et al 1986). Decomposition rates of larger boles are often slower than for smaller boles, but it remains unclear how this phenomenon is influenced by chemical composition and geometry (surface area-tovolume ratio; Oberle et al 2017, reviewed in Harmon et al 1986). Small woody debris is mostly composed of relatively labile sapwood, whereas a large portion of mature tree mass is recalcitrant heartwood that often contains complex compounds and lower nutrient content (Grubb and Edwards 1984, Sellin 1994, Meerts 2002, Taylor et al 2002.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dead wood and decomposition in a tropical forest : vertical patterns, long-term processes, and the role of lightning.

Gora¹

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Dissecting the Effects of Diameter on Wood Decay Emphasizes the Importance of Cross-Stem Conductivity in Fraxinus americana

Cited by 34 publications

References 36 publications

Habitat‐specific effects of bark on wood decomposition: Influences of fragmentation, nitrogen concentration and microbial community composition

Habitat‐specific effects of bark on wood decomposition: Influences of fragmentation, nitrogen concentration and microbial community composition

Decomposition of coarse woody debris in a long‐term litter manipulation experiment: A focus on nutrient availability

Dead wood and decomposition in a tropical forest : vertical patterns, long-term processes, and the role of lightning.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About