Dynamics of alpine plant litter decomposition in a changing climate

Abstract

Climatic changes resulting from anthropogenic activities over the passed century are repeatedly reported to alter the functioning of pristine ecosystems worldwide, and especially those in cold biomes. Available literature on the process of plant leaf litter decomposition in the temperate Alpine zone is reviewed here, with emphasis on both direct and indirect effects of climate change phenomena on rates of litter decay. Weighing the impact of biotic and abiotic processes governing litter mass loss, it appears that an immediate intensification of decomposition rates due to temperature rise can be retarded by decreased soil moisture, insufficient snow cover insulation, and shrub expansion in the Alpine zone. This tentative conclusion, remains speculative unless empirically tested, but it has profound implications for understanding the biogeochemical cycling in the Alpine vegetation belt, and its potential role as a buffering mechanism to climate change.

Changes in foliar litter decomposition of woody plants with elevation across an alpine forest–tundra ecotone in eastern Tibet Plateau

“…Thus, litter types with favorable chemical constituents could be rapidly decomposed in the early decomposition stage (Murphy et al 1998;Fierer et al 2005;Gavazov 2010). The litter traits of plant species are important factors that control the decomposition rate of organic matter in ecosystems (Cornelissen 1996;Cornwell et al 2008).…”

“…For example, graminoids and herbs have been gradually replaced by shrubs in alpine ecosystems (Cornelissen et al 2007;Baptist et al 2010), leading to alterations of plant community structure and species composition (Lenoir et al 2008), as well as plant litter decomposition (Gavazov 2010).…”

“…Climate change will directly alter environmental factors, such as soil temperature and moisture, snow cover, and soil freezing depth, which in turn affect litter decomposition (Sturm et al 2005). Additionally, it will alter plant species composition and community structure, leading to changes in plant litter quality and nutrient cycling (Gavazov 2010). For example, shifts in plant communities could affect nutrient release (Santonja et al 2015).…”

“…Litter decomposition in alpine ecosystems is generally determined by low-temperature conditions (Baptist et al 2010;Gavazov 2010). The pattern of foliar litter decomposition and its related releases of carbon (C) and nutrients at high elevations and latitudes are complicated during the long, snowcovered season (Baptist et al 2010).…”

Effect of altered snow conditions on decomposition in three subalpine plant communities

“…The physical parameters and spatio-temporal changes of snow cover are considered crucial for the structure and functioning of mountain ecosystems [1][2][3][4]. Variations in some parameters of snow cover in alpine areas result in large differences in micro-climatic and edaphic conditions influencing the phenology [5,6] and physiology of plants [7][8][9][10] and may also lead to consequent shifts in community composition [3,[11][12][13].…”