The Role of Quantitative Traits of Leaf Litter on Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling of the Forest Ecosystems

Abstract

Decomposition of plant material is an important component in the study of forest ecosystem because of its critical role in nutrient cycling. Different tree species has different nutrient release patterns, which are related to leaf litter quantitative traits and seasonal environmental factors. The quantitative traits of leaf litter are important predictors of decomposition and decomposition rates increase with greater nutrient availability in the forest ecosystems. At the ecosystem level, litter quantitative traits are most often related to the physical and chemical characteristics of the litter, for example, leaf toughness and leaf mass per unit area, and lignin content tannin and total phenolics. Thus, the analysis of litter quantitative traits and decomposition are highly important for the understanding of nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. By studying the role of litter quantitative traits on decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems will provide a valuable insight to how quantitative traits influence ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Such knowledge will contribute to future forest management and conservation practices.

Effect of Litter Quality on Leaf-Litter Decomposition in the Context of Home-Field Advantage and Non-Additive Effects in Temperate Forests in China

“…Specifically, the rate of decomposition of litter was positively associated with its initial N concentration, but negatively with lignin concentration and C/N as well as lignin/N ratios [22,37,40]. In general, the rate of litter turnover is strongly controlled by the quality of the litter in temperate and boreal forests [41]. In short, the results of our study indicate Table 4.…”

Litter chemical structure is more important than species richness in affecting soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics including gas emissions from an alpine soil

“…Plant litters with chemical compounds that simulate decomposition may interact with plant litter with chemical components reducing decomposition (e.g., phenolic compounds) within litter mixtures, and this may cause synergistic, antagonistic, or additive effects. Additionally, the relative importance of litter chemical components in determining decomposition and soil processes may be altered due to their interactions (Rahman et al 2013). Understanding these interactions is essential, since litter does not segregate itself neatly into individual species types in ecosystems and since the composition of plant communities may shift due to the global climatic changes.…”

Elements of disease in a changing world: modelling feedbacks between infectious disease and ecosystems

“…While the ED model provides an important starting point for examining the intersection of disease and ecosystem dynamics, including other biologically realistic details, while outside the scope of the current work, will likely modify the predicted dynamics and lead to additional insights. For example, defensive compounds accumulated in response to infection while alive may substantially alter decomposition and nutrient recycling rates (Rahman et al ., 2013). At the scale of the forest, the ED model effectively described only a single species with ‘trait’ variation induced only by infection, yet inclusion of trait variation among individuals and species can alter dynamic predictions about ecosystem processes (Cianciaruso et al ., 2009).…”