Influence of the substrate and ecosystem attributes on the decomposition rates of coarse woody debris in European boreal forests

Shorohova, Ekaterina; Kapitsa, Ekaterina

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.12.025

Cited by 88 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…On south-facing sites, for instance, we found that the decay rates were slightly, but not significantly, higher than those on north-facing sites (Fig. 6), which is comparable to the observations of Shorohova and Kapitsa (2014).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…This might explain why our decay rate constants were lower than those in some other studies (Rock et al, 2008;Herrmann et al, 2015). Moreover, the decay rates are sensitive, at a regional scale, to climatic conditions such as temperature and precipitation (Shorohova and Kapitsa, 2014), although the decay rates for a mean annual temperature of 0-10 • C are, however, quite similar, and rates below 0.04 y −1 are often reported (Mackensen et al, 2003). Soil temperature was found to be the main explanatory variable for differences in the decay rates of standard wood, such as aspen and pine (Risch et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

“…5) and a lower nutrient content than spruce (Petrillo et al, 2015). Shorohova and Kapitsa (2014) also found that decay rates can strongly vary among tree species. The decay rate (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

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Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Due to the large size (e.g. sections of tree trunks) and highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of deadwood, the timescales involved in the coarse woody debris (CWD) decay of Picea abies (L.) Karst. and Larix decidua Mill. in Alpine forests are largely unknown. We investigated the CWD decay dynamics in an Alpine valley in Italy using the chronosequence approach and the five-decay class system that is based on a macromorphological assessment. For the decay classes 1-3, most of the dendrochronological samples were cross-dated to assess the time that had elapsed since tree death, but for decay classes 4 and 5 (poorly preserved tree rings) radiocarbon dating was used. In addition, density, cellulose, and lignin data were measured for the dated CWD. The decay rate constants for spruce and larch were estimated on the basis of the density loss using a single negative exponential model, a regression approach, and the stagebased matrix model. In the decay classes 1-3, the ages of the CWD were similar and varied between 1 and 54 years for spruce and 3 and 40 years for larch, with no significant differences between the classes; classes 1-3 are therefore not indicative of deadwood age. This seems to be due to a time lag between the death of a standing tree and its contact with the soil. We found distinct tree-species-specific differences in decay classes 4 and 5, with larch CWD reaching an average age of 210 years in class 5 and spruce only 77 years. The mean CWD rate constants were estimated to be in the range 0.018 to 0.022 y −1 for spruce and to about 0.012 y −1 for larch. Snapshot sampling (chronosequences) may overestimate the age and mean residence time of CWD. No sampling bias was, however, detectable using the stage-based matrix model. Cellulose and lignin time trends could be derived on the basis of the ages of the CWD. The half-lives for cellulose were 21 years for spruce and 50 years for larch. The half-life of lignin is considerably higher and may be more than 100 years in larch CWD. Consequently, the decay of Picea abies and Larix decidua is very low. Several uncertainties, however, remain: 14 C dating of CWD from decay classes 4 and 5 and having a pre-bomb age is often difficult (large age range due to methodological constraints) and fall rates of both European larch and Norway spruce are missing.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

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Time since death and decay rate constants of Norway spruce and European larch deadwood in subalpine forests determined using dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating

et al. 2016

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“…All these processes, both singly and in synergic combination, deeply influence other ecosystem processes, ranging from the performance of individual plants to landscape-scale biodiversity and even biogeochemical cycles [15][16][17][18][19][20]. Knowledge of the factors that determine the rate of wood decomposition is therefore relevant for understanding the residence time of logs, with broad implications for numerous ecosystem functions and services [20][21][22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The speed of decomposition depends on moisture and temperature [1,22,37,38], and hence it can be expected to vary across environmental gradients where these factors gradually change, such as elevational or latitudinal gradients [1,21,39]. Decomposition rates may also be affected by species identity and log diameter, as these factors determine the proportion between heartwood and sapwood [9], and heartwood resists decay for longer than sapwood [40].Trunk diameter can also determine the identity of detritivorous species that colonize the log, and these may, in turn, affect the species assemblages of decomposers [5,41,42].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deadwood Decay in a Burnt Mediterranean Pine Reforestation

Molinas-González

Castro

Leverkus

2017

Forests

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Dead wood remaining after wildfires represents a biological legacy for forest regeneration, and its decay is both cause and consequence of a large set of ecological processes. However, the rate of wood decomposition after fires is still poorly understood, particularly for Mediterranean-type ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed deadwood decomposition following a wildfire in a Mediterranean pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada Natural and National Park (southeast Spain). Three plots were established over an elevational/species gradient spanning from 1477 to 2053 m above sea level, in which burnt logs of three species of pines were experimentally laid out and wood densities were estimated five times over ten years. The logs lost an overall 23% of their density, although this value ranged from an average 11% at the highest-elevation plot (dominated by Pinus sylvestris) to 32% at an intermediate elevation (with P. nigra). Contrary to studies in other climates, large-diameter logs decomposed faster than small-diameter logs. Our results provide one of the longest time series for wood decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems and suggest that this process provides spatial variability in the post-fire ecosystem at the scale of stands due to variable speeds of decay. Common management practices such as salvage logging diminish burnt wood and influence the rich ecological processes related to its decay.

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