Structure and functioning of <i>Coriaria nepalensis</i> dominated shrublands in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya. I. Dry matter dynamics

Awasthi, Pankaj; Bargali, Surendra Singh; Jhariya, Manoj Kumar

doi:10.1002/ldr.4235

Cited by 42 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 59 publications

(100 reference statements)

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“…The detailed description of the litter fall estimation of the C. nepalensis dominated sites is given in Awasthi et al (2022b). For the assessment of the decomposition rate and nutrient dynamics of the different components of the same, litter bag technique, which is a direct method of measuring decomposition rate, was used to observe the litter decomposition (Awasthi et al, 2022c).…”

Section: Decomposition Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To protect the litter bags from washing out from the steep site, a boundary of large gravels around the litter bags had been created. Further details about the study site were given in Awasthi et al (2022b).…”

Section: Decomposition Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Lanuza et al (2019) reported that the litter decomposition of nitrogen-fixing plants improve the nutrient release and nutrient deposition to support vegetation development and recover soil properties signifying that C. nepalensis should be used for recovering nutrient cycling in retrieval of degraded hills. Most of the studies on decomposition of litter generally consider leaf component only because it represent 50-90% of the total litter fall (Farooq et al, 2022), but in an ecosystem where leaf litter represents only 50% of the total litter fall, it is very vital to consider rest 50% of the litter for decomposition as well (Awasthi et al, 2022b). This study was conducted with the hypothesis that (i) the responses of different litter components of same species differ in weight loss and nutrient release pattern due to differences in initial nutrient content and (ii) in relatively short periods of time C. nepalensis litter can improve soil nutrient (N, P, and K) availability through decomposition of nutrient rich litter and therefore, suitable for the restoration of degraded hills.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Nutrient return through decomposing Coriaria nepalensis litter in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya, India

Awasthi

Bargali

et al. 2022

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Coriaria nepalensis, a nitrogen-fixing actinorhizal shrub, is a prominent and successful colonizer of bare rocks and landslide affected degraded lands. Field experiments were conducted to determine the differences in biomass decomposition and nutrient release pattern of different plant parts of C. nepalensis using litter bag technique. Results showed that the leaves decomposed completely within 6 months while only 46.55% of the lateral roots were decomposed with slowest decomposition rate of 0.14% day–1. The decomposition rate was in the order: Leaves > Reproductive parts > Twigs (< 5 mm) > Twigs (> 5 mm) > Bark > Fine roots > Lateral roots. The decay rate coefficient was highest (0.003–0.014) for leaves and lowest (0.001–0.002) for lateral roots. During the decomposition cycle (364 days), overall increase was reported in nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, while potassium concentration decreased continuously in residual litters. The nutrient mobility was in the order: K > P > N. Climatic factors like temperature, relative humidity and rainfall significantly affected the decomposition process and among these factors, rainfall pattern emerged as a most effective environmental driver. Thus, taking into account initial nutrient content, nutrient release and decay rates, the leaves and reproductive parts of C. nepalensis proved to be more important as nutrient source than other components.

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Section: Decomposition Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Decomposition Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Nutrient return through decomposing Coriaria nepalensis litter in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya, India

Awasthi

Bargali

et al. 2022

Front. For. Glob. Change

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“…The definition of biomass temporal stability is the ratio of mean value to the standard deviation of biomass across time, which is an important indicator of ecological stability (Awasthi et al, 2022; Hautier et al, 2015; Morin et al, 2014). The insurance hypothesis, which postulates that biodiversity improves ecosystem stability, has been widely studied (García‐Palacios et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An exploration of sustainability versus productivity and ecological stability in planted and natural forests in Sichuan, China

Wang

Liu³

et al. 2022

Land Degrad Dev

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Implementation of the Natural Forest Protection Project and Grain‐for‐Green Program in China has promoted forest restoration, increased productivity, and enhanced carbon stocks. However, few studies have characterized temporal and spatial variation in productivity and ecological stability in planted and natural forests and evaluated the factors driving such variation. In this study, we used 1399 permanent forest plots to identify change patterns in the productivity and temporal stability of above‐ground biomass (AGB), and evaluate the factors driving these changes in planted and natural forests in Sichuan Province, China. The mean temporal stability of AGB was higher for natural forests than for planted forests from 1979 to 2017; While the productivity of planted forests was higher. The stability decreased at a rate of −0.013 yr−1 in entire natural forests and −0.011 yr−1 in planted forests, and the productivity of natural forests decreased significantly over time, with a slope of −0.0065 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Altitude, latitude, annual precipitation, and stand age dominated variability in the productivity and AGB stability of natural forests. Richness, tree density, and stand age were the determinants of productivity and stability in the planted forest. Our results suggest that selective thinning, enriching species richness, and forest stand age can effectively balance the productivity and biomass temporal stability of planted forests. Due to climate change, older natural forests should be strictly protected.

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“…We discovered the nurse plant Coriaria nepalensis Wall. (Coriariaceae) (Awasthi et al, 2022a), which may help to alleviate the heavy metal pollution problem in this mining area. C. nepalensis is a common native shrub species of Yunnan Province that grows between 1200 and 2500 m a.s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alleviation of heavy metal stress and enhanced plant complex functional restoration in abandoned Pb–Zn mining areas by the nurse plant Coriaria nepalensis

Yuan

Guo²,

Duan³

et al. 2022

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Heavy metal pollution caused by mining has been a topic of concern globally because it threatens ecological functions and human health. Nearly all current remediation strategies take into account only such short-term issues as how to reduce or stabilize the content of heavy metals in soil, how to reduce the toxicity of heavy metals, and how to preserve water, soil and nutrients. However, little attention is paid to such long-term issues as whether plants can survive, whether communities can be stabilized, and whether ecosystem functions can be restored. Therefore, improving plant diversity and community stability are key aspects of improved mine restoration. To explore the possibility of reconstructing plant complexes in mining areas, the local nurse plant Coriaria nepalensis was selected as the research object for a study in the Huize Pb–Zn mining area of southwest China. C. nepalensis could increase the contents of nutrient elements (C, N, and P), reduce the contents of heavy metals (Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb), and strengthen the plant complex functions (diversity, functional traits, and complex biomass) in its root zone. In general, C. nepalensis can form fertility islands (survival islands) in mining areas, which facilitate the colonization and success of additional less stress-resistant species. We propose C. nepalensis as a key species for use in restoration based on its ability to restore ecosystem functions under extremely stressful conditions. We encourage combination of C. nepalensis with other nurse plants to reinforce the rehabilitation of ecosystem functions.

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Structure and functioning of Coriaria nepalensis dominated shrublands in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya. I. Dry matter dynamics

Cited by 42 publications

References 59 publications

Nutrient return through decomposing Coriaria nepalensis litter in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya, India

Nutrient return through decomposing Coriaria nepalensis litter in degraded hills of Kumaun Himalaya, India

An exploration of sustainability versus productivity and ecological stability in planted and natural forests in Sichuan, China

Alleviation of heavy metal stress and enhanced plant complex functional restoration in abandoned Pb–Zn mining areas by the nurse plant Coriaria nepalensis

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