Effects of Litter Leachate on Plant Community Characteristics of Alpine Grassland in Qinghai Tibetan Plateau

Litter decomposition is a key component of global biogeochemical cycles that affects the availability of soil nutrients for plant productivity. Significant variations in litter decomposability between plant taxa are attributed to diverse functional traits including litter quality, plant nutrient production, and nutrient resorption efficiency which should influence the ecological fitness of plants in the community. However, no reports to date have explored the relationships between litter decomposition and plant community dynamics, that is, plant succession and interspecific competition. We conducted a litter decomposition experiment that focused on 21 plant species in an alpine meadow. The litter decomposition rates of these species were compared with their initial litter quality and nutrient use efficiencies to examine whether the plant litter indicators of the community structures were altered following grazing exclusion. We found that among these 21 plant species, those with higher nutrient use efficiencies had a lower litter decomposition rate. Meanwhile, lower decomposition rates were correlated with higher plant importance values, and this correlation became stronger over time in plant communities following grazing exclusion, except for dominant species. Our results suggested that litter decomposability can be used to predict the changing trajectories of plant communities following grazing exclusion, except for dominant species.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Litter plays a key role in the changes of plant community structures (Cornwell et al, 2008; Lamb, 2008; Ma et al, 2019; Strickland et al, 2009; Xiong & Nilsson, 1999). Berendse (1994) developed a model to show that species replacements, which might initiate a succession, were triggered by the differences in litter type and decomposability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plant litter predicts the changing trajectories of plant communities following grazing exclusion

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Several studies have shown that leachates can have strong allelopathic activity from one plant species to another (Fernandez et al, 2013(Fernandez et al, , 2006Rice, 1984) and can have strong effects on plant community diversity and composition (Ma et al, 2020); however, studies on the effect of leachates on soil fauna communities are rare. Leaching of leaves and litter is an important process in ecosystems since a large quantity of compounds can quickly be released by a rainfall event, or gradually released during the litter decomposition process.…”

Section: Effects Of Leachates Vs Littermentioning

confidence: 99%

Litter leachates have stronger impact than leaf litter on Folsomia candida fitness

Chomel

Baldy

Guittonny

et al. 2020

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tree litter leachates have stronger influence than litter itself on Folsomia candida fitness  Tree litter leachates have stronger effect on F. candida fitness than grass litter due to their content in secondary metabolites  Soluble phenolic compounds released by litter leaching can drive F. candida fitness  Litter compounds leaching appears to be an important process in abovegroundbelowground interactions *Highlights (for review)

show abstract

“…Similar to soil, leaf litter could also affect plant growth, species diversity and community structure (Liu et al, 2017; Ma et al, 2020; Olson & Wallander, 2002), thus playing important roles in population establishment and community dynamics (Jessen et al, 2023; Lamb, 2008; Xiong & Nilsson, 1999). However, related research has focused mainly on physical (e.g., maintaining soil moisture and temperature, increasing nutrition and reducing light) or chemical effects (e.g., releasing allelochemicals) (Demey et al, 2013; Jessen et al, 2023; Möhler et al, 2018; Zhang et al, 2017) but has rarely focused on leaf microbial effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct effects of phyllosphere and rhizosphere microbes on invaderAgeratina adenophoraduring its early life stages

Zeng,

Huang,

Liu

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Microbes strongly affect invasive plant growth. Interactions between soil microbes and invasive plants have received widespread attention; however, it remains to be determined how phyllosphere and rhizosphere soil microbes affect seedling mortality and the growth of invasive plants across ontogeny under varying soil nutrition levels. In this study, we used the invaderAgeratina adenophorato evaluate these effects in plant growth chambers. We found that leaf litter harboured more potential pathogens and thus had more adverse effects on seed germination and seedling survival than soil inoculation. Microbial inoculation at different growth stages altered the microbial community and functions enriched in seedlings, and earlier inoculation had a more adverse effect on seedling survival and growth. In most cases, the soil nutrient level did not affect microbe-mediated seedling growth and the relative abundance of the microbial community and functions involved in seedling growth. Some microbial genera have distinct effects on seedling survival from those on growth. Moreover, fungal strains isolated from dead seedlings inoculated with litter exhibited significant phylogenetic signals to seedling mortality, in which strains ofAllophomaandAlternariacaused high seedling mortality. Our study stresses the essential role ofA. adenophoralitter microbes in population establishment by regulating seedling density and growth.

show abstract

Effects of Litter Leachate on Plant Community Characteristics of Alpine Grassland in Qinghai Tibetan Plateau

Cited by 10 publications

References 50 publications

Plant litter predicts the changing trajectories of plant communities following grazing exclusion

Plant litter predicts the changing trajectories of plant communities following grazing exclusion

Litter leachates have stronger impact than leaf litter on Folsomia candida fitness

Distinct effects of phyllosphere and rhizosphere microbes on invaderAgeratina adenophoraduring its early life stages

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About