Getting to the root of the problem: litter decomposition and peat formation in lowland Neotropical peatlands

Hoyos‐Santillan, Jorge; Lomax, Barry H.; Large, David J.; Turner, Benjamín L.; Boom, Arnoud; López, Omar R.; Sjögersten, Sofie

doi:10.1007/s10533-015-0147-7

Cited by 46 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Instead, microbial C:N ratios were clearly related to the C:N ratios in the extractable dissolved fraction, suggesting a decoupling between bulk litter chemistry and microbial stoichiometric ratios in line with Fanin, Fromin, Buatois, and Hättenschwiler (), although the slope of the relationship shown in this study is steeper. Furthermore, decomposition of leaf litters, which has the lowest lignin:N ratios of the different tissue types (Hoyos‐Santillan et al., ), was most responsive to N addition. These somewhat contrasting findings suggest that although nutrient availability clearly affects some of the processes controlling litter decomposition in line with stoichiometric theory (Sterner & Elser, ), low nutrient availability does not seem to exert a strong control of litter decomposition in these two peat swamp forest communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…between roots and leaves; Hoyos‐Santillan et al., ; Yule & Gomez, ). Furthermore, the degree of waterlogging and nutrient availability, as well as microbial community composition, pH, and concentrations of dissolved oxygen and phenolic compounds, vary within peat profiles (Freeman, Ostle, & Kang, ; Hoyos‐Santillan et al., , ; Jackson, Liew, & Yule, ). Therefore, decomposition rates of the same litter material differ depending on its position within the peat profile (Hoyos‐Santillan et al., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nutrient limitation or home field advantage: Does microbial community adaptation overcome nutrient limitation of litter decomposition in a tropical peatland?

et al. 2018

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Litter decomposition is an important control on carbon accumulation in tropical peatlands. Stoichiometric theory suggests that decomposition is regulated by elemental ratios in litter while the home field advantage (HFA) hypothesis predicts that decomposer communities are adapted to local conditions. To date, the relative importance of these contrasting theories for litter decomposition and therefore the carbon balance of tropical peatlands remain poorly understood. We conducted two in situ litter decomposition experiments in a lowland tropical peatland. The first experiment tested the importance of the stoichiometric theory using a factorial nutrient addition experiment at two sites with contrasting vegetation (Raphia taedigera and Campnosperma panamensis) to assess how nutrient addition affected microbial enzyme activity and litter mass loss at the peat surface and at 50 cm depth. The second experiment tested the importance of HFA by reciprocal translocation of leaf litter from R. taedigera and C. panamensis forests, which differed in both litter chemistry and soil nutrient availability, to separate the influence of litter chemistry and soil/site properties on litter mass loss. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes involved in the decomposition of large plant polymers were stimulated by nitrogen addition only where nitrogen availability was low relative to phosphorus, and were stimulated by phosphorus addition where phosphorus availability was low. The addition of nitrogen, but not phosphorus, increased leaf litter decomposition under waterlogged conditions at 50 cm depth, but not at the peat surface. Decomposition was greatest for autochthonous litter irrespective of site nutrient status, indicating that adaptation of the microbial community to low nutrients can partly overcome nutrient limitation, and suggesting that HFA can influence litter decomposition rates. Synthesis. Our study shows that leaf litter decomposition and the activity of microbial enzymes in tropical peatlands are constrained in part by nutrient availability. However, such nutrient limitation of litter decomposition can be overcome by adaptation of the microbial community.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrient limitation or home field advantage: Does microbial community adaptation overcome nutrient limitation of litter decomposition in a tropical peatland?

et al. 2018

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“…The magnitude of this effect is difficult to assess, as forest clearance would also dramatically reduce root exudation, which would limit substrate supply (Bhullar et al 2014;Ding et al 2005). In addition, litter and roots decay slowly under waterlogged conditions (Hoyos-Santillan et al 2015;Wright et al 2013a), suggesting that the strong immediate effect on CH 4 and N 2 O emissions following the palm forest clearance is linked to the lower oxygen levels in the peat matrix in the deforested area.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These sites included the Changuinola peat deposit (CPD, ≈ 80 km 2 ) in the San San Pond Sak wetland and peatlands along the Cricamola River shore (Table 1). Extensive palm forests are among the main forest types that can be found in the region (Hoyos-Santillan et al 2015;Myers 1981;Phillips et al 1997 (Schoeneberger et al 2012), and bulk densities were around 0.1 g cm −3 , reflecting the high organic matter content ( Table 2). The Cricamola sites had seasonal mineral inputs from flooding events from the nearby river.…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Root oxygen loss from Raphia taedigera palms mediates greenhouse gas emissions in lowland neotropical peatlands

et al. 2016

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Aims Little is known about the influence of vegetation on the timing and quantities of greenhouse gas fluxes from lowland Neotropical peatlands to the atmosphere. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated if palm forests moderate greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical peatlands due to radial oxygen loss from roots into the peat matrix. Methods We compared the diurnal pattern of greenhouse gas fluxes from peat monoliths with and without seedlings of Raphia taedigera palm, and monitored the effect of land use change on greenhouse gas fluxes from R. taedigera palm swamps in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Results CH 4 fluxes from peat monoliths with R. taedigera seedlings varied diurnally, with the greatest emissions during daytime. Radial oxygen loss from the roots of R. taedigera seedlings partially supressed CH 4 emissions at midday; this suppression increased as seedlings grew. On a larger scale, removal of R. taedigera palms for agriculture increased CH 4 and N 2 O fluxes, but decreased CO 2 fluxes when compared to nearby intact palm forest. The net impact of forest clearance was a doubling of the radiative forcing. Conclusions R. taedigera palm forest influences the emission of greenhouse gases from lowland tropical peatlands through radial oxygen loss into the rhizosphere.

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“…However, in tropical peatlands, root material represents one of the dominant peat components (Hoyos-Santillan et al 2015), and the highly acidic and anoxic conditions will prevent the immediate decomposition of recent root necromass (Hoyos-Santillan et al 2016b). These unique conditions allow for the measurement of CO 2 efflux during a relatively short window immediately following trenching.…”

Section: In Situ Trenchingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Root-derived CO2 flux from a tropical peatland

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Turner

Ostle

et al. 2018

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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Tropical peatlands release significant quantities of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, yet the relative contributions of heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration to net CO 2 fluxes remains sparsely quantified. We used a combination of in situ trenching and vegetation removal in ex situ pots to quantify rootderived CO 2 under two plant functional types within a mixed species forest. Trenching significantly reduced surface CO 2 flux, indicating that approximately twothirds of the released CO 2 was derived from roots. In contrast, ex situ vegetation removal in pots indicated that root-derived CO 2 accounted for 27% of the total CO 2 flux for Campnosperma panamensis, a broadleaved evergreen tree, and 49% for Raphia taedigera, a canopy palm. The results show that root-derived CO 2 is a major contribution to net CO 2 emissions in tropical peatlands, and that the magnitude of the emissions is affected by plant species composition. This is important in the context of land use change driving alterations in vegetation cover.

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Getting to the root of the problem: litter decomposition and peat formation in lowland Neotropical peatlands

Cited by 46 publications

References 73 publications

Nutrient limitation or home field advantage: Does microbial community adaptation overcome nutrient limitation of litter decomposition in a tropical peatland?

Nutrient limitation or home field advantage: Does microbial community adaptation overcome nutrient limitation of litter decomposition in a tropical peatland?

Root oxygen loss from Raphia taedigera palms mediates greenhouse gas emissions in lowland neotropical peatlands

Root-derived CO2 flux from a tropical peatland

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