Nitrogen addition promotes foliar litterfall and element return in a subtropical forest,southwestern China

Nitrogen deposition has a considerable impact on biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.However,how litter production and element return respond to N addition remains poorly understood in nitrogen-rich subtropical regions.In this study,a 4-year nitrogen addition experiment explored its eff ects on foliar litter production and carbon,nitrogen and phosphorus in a subtropical Michelia wilsonii forest.A clear seasonal pattern in foliar litterfall was observed,regardless of nitrogen treatments,with a peak in spring and a smaller one in autumn.Foliar litter increased with increasing nitrogen but did not aff ect litter carbon concentrations and often decreased nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations.The eff ect of nitrogen addition was dependent on time(month/year).Carbon,nitrogen and phosphorous return showed similar bimodal seasonal patterns.Nitrogen addition increased carbon and nitrogen return but did not aff ect phosphorous.Our results suggest that the addition of nitrogen stimulates carbon and nutrient return via litterfall.

Nutrients in litterfall,forest floor and mineral soils in two adjacent forest ecosystems in Greece

The fluxes of masses and the nutrients Ca,Mg,K,N,P and S were determined in the litterfall of two adjacent forest ecosystems of Hungarian oak(Quercus frainetto L.)and European beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)in a mountainous area of northeastern Greece in 2010–2015.The foliar litterfall for both species reached about 70%of the total litterfall,and was significantly higher from the other two fractions(woody and rest litterfall).The fluxes of masses and nutrients were compared between ecosystems for each fraction separately.Only one significant statistical difference was found,that of K in the woody litterfall.In addition,the stocks of masses and nutrients were calculated in the forest floors and mineral soils of the two ecosystems.Likewise,the stocks of nutrients in the forest floors and mineral soils were compared between ecosystems.In the L horizon of the forest floors,statistical differences,as a result of species effect,were found for the stocks of Ca and N.In the FH horizons,the masses and all the nutrient stocks differed significantly,as the beech plot had much higher quantities of organic matter and nutrients.These higher quantities were probably due to low soil temperatures(microclimate)and high acidity in the beech plot(species effect)that slowed down decomposition.In the mineral soils,the propagation of random error derived from random errors of the individual soil layers was an important factor in the statistical comparisons.Because of the soil acidity in the beech plot,the stocks of exchangeable base cations were significantly higher in the oak plot,whereas the other nutrient stocks did not differ.

Positive effects of tree species diversity on litterfall quantity and quality along a secondary successional chronosequence in a subtropical forest

Aims Litterfall,as an important link between aboveground and belowground processes,plays a key role in forest ecosystems.Here,we test for effects of tree species richness on litter production and litter quality in subtropical forest.The study further encompasses a factorial gradient of secondary succession that resulted from human exploitation.Given that a large percentage of subtropical forests are in secondary successional stages,understanding the role of biodiversity on forest re-growth after disturbance appears critical.Methods From January 2009 to December 2014,we monitored forest litterfall in 27 Comparative Study Plots that spanned a gradient of tree species richness(3-20 species)and secondary successional ages(~20 to 120 years)in Gutianshan Natural Nature Reserve,Zhejiang Province,China.The experiment is part of the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning research platform‘BEF-China’.Tree litterfall was collected in monthly intervals using litter traps.Samples were separated into leaf and non-leaf components.Leaf litter was further sorted into dominant and other species.Community level monthly leaf litter C and N contents were analysed through a full year.General linear mixed-effects models were applied to test for effects of tree species richness and successional age on litter quantity and leaf litter C/N.Important Findings Litterfall increased with species richness among and within successional age and this effect was consistent across years.Successionally older stands had higher litterfall and this effect was related to increased tree species richness.However,species richness did not change the intra-and inter-annual temporal stability of litterfall.Increasing tree species richness increased leaf litter quality(decreased C/N),while successional age had no effect.Our study indicates that more diverse forest stands produce more leaf litter and that this litter has higher N concentrations,which could promote forest growth through accelerated nutrient re-cycling.

田林老山中山两类森林凋落物研究

田林老山中山两类森林凋落物研究梁宏温（广西农学院林学分院，南宁５３０００１）ＳｔｕｄｉｅｓｏｎｔｈｅＬｉｔｔｅｒｆａｌｌｏｆＴｗｏＦｏｒｅｓｔＴｙｐｃｓｉｎＭｉｄ—ＡｌｔｉｔｕｄｅｏｆＬａｏｓｈａｎＭｏｕｎｔａｉｎｉｎＴｉａｎｌｉｎＣｏｕｎｔｙ．￥Ｌ...

Biomass and net primary productivity of mangrove communities along the Oligohaline zone of Sundarbans, Bangladesh

Background:The article presents the first estimates of biomass and productivity for mangrove forests along the Oligohaline zone of the Sundarbans Reserve Forest(SRF),Bangladesh.This study was conducted overone year from March 2016 to April 2017.Stand structure,above and below-ground biomass changes,and litterfall production were measured within a 2100 m^2 sample plot.Methods:All trees in the study plots were numbered and height(H) and diameter at breast height(DBH) were measured.Tree height(H) and DBH for each tree were measured in March 2016 and 2017.We apply the above and belowground biomass equation for estimating the biomass of the mangrove tree species(Chave et al.Oecologia145:87-99,2005; Komiyama et al.J Trop Ecol 21:471-477,2005).Litterfall was collected using 1-mm mesh litter traps with collection area of 0.42 m^2.Net Primary Production(NPP) was estimated by the summation method of Ogawa Primary productivity of Japanese forests:productivity of terrestrial communities,JIBP synthesis(1977) and Matsuura and Kajimoto Carbon dynamics of terrestrial ecosystem:Systems approach to global environment(2013).Results:Heritiera fomes has maintained its dominance of the stand and also suffered the highest tree mortality(2.4%) in the suppressed crown class.The total above-ground biomass(AGB) and below-ground biomass(BGB) of the studied stand was 154.8 and 84.2 Mg ha^(-1),respectively.Among the total biomass of the trees,64.8% was allocated to AGB and 35.2% to BGB.In case of species-wise contribution of biomass allocation,Avicennia officinalis showed the highest score and Aglaia cucullata the lowest.Mean annual total litterfall was 10.1 Mg ha^(-1)·yr^(-1),with the maximum litterfall in winter or dry season and late summer or rainy season.The mean AGB increment and above-ground net primary productivity(AGNPP) were 7.1 and 172 Mg·ha^(-1)·yr^(-1),respectively.Total net primary productivity(NPP) was estimated to be 21.0 Mg·ha^(-1)·yr^(-1) over the observed period.The results in the Sundarbans mangrove forests exhibited that mangrove communities with similar height and diameter produced different biomass production with the different basal area.The present analysis revealed that the root biomass was large enough and the mean ratio of above-/below-ground biomass was estimated to be 1.84.Conclusions:Mangrove communities growing at the oligohaline zone of the Sundarbans,Bangladesh showed high biomass and net primary production indicating their ecological and conservation significance that may be considered in future decision making process for the area as well as in understanding the role of Sundarbans mangrove forest on mitigating the effect of global warming.

Distribution and quantification of Pb in an evergreen broadleaved forest in three hydrological years

The distribution,quantification and fluxes of Pb were examined in an evergreen broadleaved forest in western Greece for three hydrological years.More specifically,concentrations and annual fluxes of Pb were determined in bulk and throughfall deposition as well as litterfall.The Pb concentrations were also measured in forest floor and mineral soil up to 80 cm and the isotopic ratios of 206Pb/207Pb were determined in soil layers and the parent rock material.High variability in the fluxes of the metal among the three hydrological years were found,evidence of the variability of Pb deposition in time.Litterfall fractions with a large surface area,like holm oak flowers,had high Pb concentrations.Applying a steady state model and considering the Pb amounts in throughfall and litterfall as inputs on the forest floor,the mean residence time of Pb in the forest floor was 94 years with a coefficient of variation equal to 41%.More observations are needed to lower the variability of the mean residence time.The isotopic ratio in the rock material was defined as the lithogenic ratio.The statistical tests showed that the petrol derived Pb migrated to the depth of 20 cm and its percentages in the soil pedon was in the range of 62%in the L horizon to 11%in the 10–20cm layer.In higher depths(>40 cm)preindustrial anthropogenic Pb affected the isotopic ratio.As the forest under consideration is remote from industrial activities,the results can serve as a baseline for future studies on Pb distribution and quantification.

Fluxes,stocks and availability of nitrogen in evergreen broadleaf and fir forests:similarities and differences

In this study,nitrogen fluxes or flows in litterfall,nitrogen stocks and available nitrogen in soils of two plots representing evergreen broadleaf and Bulgarian fir forests were assessed.Both plots are in good quality sites and for this reason,the litterfall quantities and nitrogen fluxes were relatively high.The woody litterfall flux of nitrogen was significantly higher in the fir forest than in the evergreen broadleaf one.The total nitrogen stock was higher in the soil under the fir forest.However,the percentage of the available nitrogen(ammonium+nitrates)was significantly higher in the upper 20 cm soil layer of the evergreen broadleaf forest in spite of the higher average C/N ratios in the foliar litterfall of the broadleaf forest and insignificant difference of the C/N ratios in all soil layers of the two ecosystems.The microclimatic conditions(higher soil temperatures in the evergreen broadleaf forest)is probable possible cause for this difference.The available nitrogen in the soils and its retranslocation from senescing leaves cover the nitrogen requirements of trees.It is hypothesized that trees may also take up nitrogen from deeper soil layers.

Cycling of Carbon and Other Elements in a Beech Forest Hestehave, Jutland, Denmark, in the Past 50 Years

Plant biomass, primary production and mineral cycling in the beech forest (Fagus sylvatica L.), Hestehave in Jutland, Denmark were studied over a 50-year period. The role of the forest as a carbon sink was also assessed. Aboveground tree biomass was 226 t·ha-1 in 1970 and after a 50-year 539 t·ha-1 in 2014, an unexpected increase with 313 t·ha-1. Annual production at those two points in time was 13.4 and 20.5 t·ha-1, respectively. It was apparent that the tree biomass was still acting as a sink for carbon, which was the dominant element in the aboveground parts. The concentration of other elements (N > K > Mg > P > S > Na > Mn > Zn > Fe > Cu) ranged from 495 to 0.4 kg·ha-1. Annual litterfall restored 3.2 t·ha-1 to the soil as organic matter or 1.6 t·ha-1 as carbon. Over the year 53% of the litterfall was decomposed. A pH decrease of 0.95 units in the soil was observed between 1968 and 1993. This was attributed to fallout from a neighbouring thermal heating station affecting sulfur deposition and increasing soil acidification. After 1993, when filters were fitted in the heating station, the pH decrease in the soil was smaller, only 0.09 pH-units up to 2011. The increased tree growth is an additional, likely explanation for the observed soil acidification. Deposition of the growth-limiting element nitrogen increased during later years and is now, most likely around 20 kg·ha-1 per annum, which may partly contribute to the increased production.

Plant Biomass, Primary Production and Mineral Cycling of a Mixed Oak Forest in Linnebjer, Sweden

Plant biomass, primary production and mineral cycling were studied in a mixed deciduous forest (Quercus robur L., Tilia cordata L. and Corylus avellana L.) in southern Sweden. Plant biomass amount above and below ground was 201 and 37 t&middotha-1, respectively. Primary production above and below ground was an estimated 13.3 and 2.3 t&middotha-1, respectively. Carbon was the dominant element in the forest ecosystem, comprising 133 t&middotha-1. Other major elements were: N > Ca > K > Si > Mg > S > Mn > P > Fe and Na (range 1123 to 18 kg&middotha-1), followed by some trace elements. Yearly litterfall restored 6.0 t&middotha-1 organic matter or 2.3 t&middotha-1 carbon. Approximately 45% decomposed and returned to the soil during the year. Monitoring of other elements revealed that the ecosystem received inputs through dry and wet deposition, in particular 34.4 kg&middotha-1 S and 9.4 kg&middotha-1 of N yearly as throughfall. Determination of yearly biomass increase showed that the oak forest ecosystem was still in an aggradation or accumulation phase.

Influence of the rainfall in the content of nutrients in litter in agroforestry systems managed with burning and without burning in Amazon

This study evaluated the nutrient content of the litter, testing different treatments with burning and no burning, of the vegetation, to identify which one provides better efficiency in operation and production of nutrients in different seasonal conditions. The study area is located on the property of the family farmer, initially selected by a diagnosis socioeconomic, community Benjamin Constant, in northeastern Para. Litter was collected during two periods: dry season (November) and rainy (March) in 2009. For the collection of litter samples, we used collectors measuring (0.25 × 0.25 m2), which were placed directly on the soil surface. The collected material was stored in paper bags and taken to the laboratory for Chemical Analysis of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), which was determined by analyses of macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na) and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn). The highest concentrations of macronutrients were found in N for agroforestry systems with and without burning in two seasons (wet and dry). All macronutrients showed influence of seasonality, which was verified by the wide variation in nutritional behavior. The decreasing concentration of nutrients was presented N > Ca > Mg > Na > K > P in agroforestry system with burning, with maximum values of all nutrients in the rainy season, and N, P, K, Ca, Na in higher concentrations in agroforestry system without burning, and showed only the Mg peak in agroforestry system with burning. The behavior of the concentration of nutrients was opposite to that observed one, for all elements analyzed showed a reduction in the concentrations of nutrients in the dry season. The decreasing concentration of nutrients was presented Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu.