Effects of ultraviolet(UV) radiation and litter layer thickness on litter decomposition of two tree species in a semi-arid site of Northeast China

Forests and grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions receive high-intensity ultraviolet（UV） radiation year-round. However, how the UV radiation affects the litter decomposition on the forest floor remains unclear. Here, we conducted a field-based experiment in 2011 in the southeastern Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China, to investigate the effects of UV radiation, litter layer thickness, and their interaction on the mass loss and chemical properties of decomposing litter from Xiaozhuan poplar（Populus × xiaozhuanica） and Mongolian pine（Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica） plantation trees. We found that UV radiation accelerated the decomposition rates of both the Xiaozhuan poplar litter and Mongolian pine litter. For both species, the thick-layered litter had a lower mass loss than the thin-layered litter. The interaction between UV radiation and litter layer thickness significantly affected the litter mass loss of both tree species. However, the effects of UV radiation on the chemical properties of decomposing litter differed between the two species, which may be attributed to the contrasting initial leaf litter chemical properties and morphology. UV radiation mostly had positive effects on the lignin concentration and lignin/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter, while it had negative effects on the N concentration of Mongolian pine litter. Moreover, litter layer thickness and its interaction with UV radiation showed mostly positive effects on the N concentration and lignin/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter and the ratios of C/N and lignin/N of Mongolian pine litter, and mostly negative effects on the C/N ratio of Xiaozhuan poplar litter and the N concentration of Mongolian pine litter. Together, these results reveal the important roles played by UV radiation and litter layer thickness in the process of litter decomposition in this semi-arid region, and highlight how changes in the litter layer thickness can exert strong influences on the photodegradation of litter in tree plantations.

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in early stages of forest litter decomposition as affected by nitrogen addition

The effects of nitrogen （N） availability and tree species on the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen at early stage of decomposition of forest litter were studied in a 13-week laboratory incubation experiment. Fresh litter samples including needle litter （Pinus koraiensis） and two types of broadleaf litters （Quercus mongolica and Tilia amurensis） were collected from a broadleaf-korean pine mixed forest in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain （China）. Different doses of N （equal to 0, 30 and 50 kg.ha^-1yr^-1, respectively, as NH4NO3） were added to litter during the experiment period. The litter decomposition rate expressed as mass loss and respiration rate increased significantly with increasing N availability. The mass loss and cumulative CO2-C emission were higher in leaf litter compared to that in needle litter. The dis- solved organic Carbon （DOC） concentrations in litter leachate varied widely between the species, but were not greatly affected by N treatments. Regardless of the N addition rate, both N treatments and species had no significant effect on dissolved organic N （DON） concentrations in litter leachate. About 52-78% of added N was retained in the litter. The percentage of N retention was positively correlated （R^2=0.9 1, p〈0.05） with the litter mass loss. This suggested that a forest floor with easily decomposed litter might have higher potential N sink strength than that with more slowly decomposed litter.

Study of the Amount of Forest Litter and Litter Decomposition

Based on the introduction of concept of forest litter, changes in the amount of forest litter with climate zone, elevation, forest type and age of stand were analyzed, and then the decomposition of forest litter was discussed.

Long-term Decomposition Process of the Leaf Litter, Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics under Different Forest Management in the Sierra de Francia, Salamanca, Spain

The dynamics of organic matter, carbon and nitrogen were studied during leaf decomposition over a three annual cycles period using the litterbag method at three permanently untilled and unfertilised plots. Our hypothesis is to determine if each litter type influences the decomposition and C and N releases from each other litter type （three plots and two species）. The main objective of this study is the comparison of decomposition dynamics in a climax forest with respect to that occurring in the chestnut managed plots on terrain suitable for oak to have further insight into the recycling of above ground organic matter and these two associated bioelements. As for the loss of dry matter, two-way analysis of variance, involving the treatment and year factors, revealed the existence of significant differences only for year, while no differences were observed for either treatment or interaction. At the end of the 2.4 years of the study, most of the treatment assays higher nitrogen concentrations than the initial ones were recorded. These three treatments the samplings prior to the last one revealed nitrogen concentrations higher than the initial ones, such that it may be concluded that the trend was towards an increase in concentration.

Insights into seasonal variation of litter decomposition and related soil degradative enzyme activities in subtropical forest in China

We used a litterbag method to investigate litter decomposition and related soil degradative enzyme activities across four seasons in a broad-leaved forest and a coniferous forest on Zijin Mountain in sub-tropical China. Across four seasons, we quantified litter mass losses, soil pH values, and related soil degradative enzyme activities. Litter decomposition rates differed significantly by season. Litter decomposi- tion rates of broadleaf forest leaves were higher than for coniferous for- ests needles across four seasons, and maximal differences in litter de- composition rates between the two litter types were found in spring.

Decomposition patterns of leaf litter of seven common canopy species in a subtropical forest： dynamics of mineral nutrients

Dynamical patterns of mineral elements during decomposition processes were investigated for seven common canopy species in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest by means of litterbag technique over 2 years. The species studied are representative for the vegetation in the study area and differed significantly in chemical qualities of their litter. No significant relationships were found between decomposition rate （percentage dry mass remaining and decomposition constant k） and initial element cuncentrations.However, there were significant correlations betweeu the percentage of dry mass remaining and the mineral element concentrations in the remaining litter for most cases. The rank of the element mobility in decomposition process was as follows： Na = K 〉 Mg ≥ Ca 〉 N ≥ Mn ≥ Zn ≥ P 〉 Cu 〉〉 Al 〉〉 Fe. Concentrations of K and Na decreased in all species as decomposition proceeded. Calcium and Mg also decreased in concentrntion but with a temporal increase in the initial phase of decomposition, while the concentrations of other elements （Zn, Cu, AL and Fei increased for all species with exception of Mn which revealed a different pattern in different species. In most species, microelements （Cu, Al, and Fe） significantly increased in absolute amounts at the end of the litterbag incubation, which could be ascribed to a lange extent to the mechanism of abiotic fixation to humic substances rather than biological immobilization.

Contrasting effects of nitrogen addition on litter decomposition in forests and grasslands in China

Nitrogen(N)addition has profound impacts on litter-mediated nutrient cycling.Numerous studies have reported different effects of N addition on litter decomposition,exhibiting positive,negative,or neutral effects.Previous meta-analysis of litter decomposition under N addition was mainly based on a small number of samples to allow comparisons among ecosystem types.This study presents the results of a meta-analysis incorporating data from 53 published studies(including 617 observations)across forests,grasslands,wetlands,and croplands in China,to investigate how environmental and experimental factors impact the effects of N addition on litter decomposition.Averaged across all of the studies,N addition significantly slows litter decomposition by 7.02%.Considering ecosystem types,N addition significantly accelerates litter decomposition by 3.70%and 11.22%in grasslands and wetlands,respectively,clearly inhibits litter decomposition by 14.53%in forests,and has no significant effects on litter decomposition in croplands.Regarding the accelerated litter decomposition rate in grasslands due to N addition,litter decomposition rate increases slightly with increasing rates of N addition.However,N addition slows litter decomposition in forests,but litter decomposition is at a significantly increasing rate with increasing amounts of N addition.The responses of litter decomposition to N addition are also influenced by the forms of N addition,experiential duration of N addition,humidity index,litter quality,and soil pH.In summary,N addition alters litter decomposition rate,but the direction and magnitude of the response are affected by the forms of N addition,the rate of N addition,ambient N deposition,experimental duration,and climate factors.Our study highlights the contrasting effects of N addition on litter decomposition in forests and grasslands.This finding could be used in biogeochemical models to better evaluate ecosystem carbon cycling under increasing N deposition due to the differential responses of litter decomposition to N addition rates and ecosystem types.

Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in early stages of forest litter decomposition as affected by nitrogen addition

The effects of nitrogen(N) availability and tree species on the dynamics of carbon and nitrogen at early stage of decomposition of forest litter were studied in a 13-week laboratory incubation experiment.Fresh litter samples including needle litter(Pinus koraiensis) and two types of broadleaf litters(Quercus mongolica and Tilia amurensis) were collected from a broadleaf-korean pine mixed forest in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain(China).Different doses of N(equal to 0, 30 and 50 kg·ha-1yr-1, respectively, as NH4NO3) were added to litter during the experiment period.The litter decomposition rate expressed as mass loss and respiration rate increased significantly with increasing N availability.The mass loss and cumulative CO2-C emission were higher in leaf litter compared to that in needle litter.The dissolved organic Carbon(DOC) concentrations in litter leachate varied widely between the species, but were not greatly affected by N treatments.Regardless of the N addition rate, both N treatments and species had no significant effect on dissolved organic N(DON) concentrations in litter leachate.About 52?78% of added N was retained in the litter.The percentage of N retention was positively correlated(R2=0.91, p<0.05) with the litter mass loss.This suggested that a forest floor with easily decomposed litter might have higher potential N sink strength than that with more slowly decomposed litter.

Studies on Material Cycling in Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest Ecosystem in Hangzhou: Ⅱ . Dynamics and Decomposition Characteristics of Litter

Through the long-term plot study on the litter and its decomposition in the evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystem in Hangzhou for more than two years,it was resulted that the annual litter production was 5.85 t ha^-1,most of which was the fallen leave (79.5 percent) and the withered branches and fruits were far less (7.1 and 13.4 percents respectively).The dynamics of the fallen litter was shown as a curve of two-peak pattern which appeared in April and September each year.The half-life of the litter was 1.59 years.The decay rate of the litter attenuted as an exponential function.The annual amount of the nutrient returned to the ground through the litter was as large as 223.69kg ha^-1.The total current amount of the litter on the ground was 7.47t ha^-1.The decay rate in the first half of a year was 45.18 percent.This ecosystem remained in the stage of litter increasing with time.

Changes in Chemical Composition of Soluble Organic Chemical Compounds during Litters Decomposition into Tropical Forest of Milletia laurentii De Wild

Recent publication attested that in the urban forest of Brazzaville, litter decomposition is faster with almost 45% of initial weight loss than in the dry season, where an average loss of 26% in initial litter weight is noted (Ifo et al., 2018). This study was carried out in the urban forest of Brazzaville to follow the decomposition of some organic compounds/secondary metabolites (reducing Sugars, total Flavonoid and Polyphenols) of the leaves litters of two tropical species Antiaris toxicaria Lesch and Millettia laurentii De Wild. Thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric assay of these metabolites were used on the samples of litters collected in the field on various dates of follow-up of the decomposition (0 d, 14 d, 28 d, 42 d, 56 d, 72 d and 84 d). The chromatographic profile of initial litters shows a series of spots on yellow florescence materializing presence of flavonoids, green fluorescence revealing the presence of the acids phenols derived from the cinnamic acid. But the chromatographic profile of the two litters in decomposition after two weeks remains without structural information, being able to characterize the decomposition of the chemical families highlighted in the initial litters. Also, the analysis of quantitative total reducing sugar in the initial litters, gives average concentrations of 64.4, 58.6, 57.5 g EG/kg Ms respectively for the litters of Millettia laurentii De Wild, Antiaris toxicaria Lesch and the mixed litters (Millettia laurentii and Antiaris toxicaria). Comparatively with the other types of litters, the initial average concentrations in phenolic compounds (polyphenols and flavonoids totals) were the highest for the litters of Antiaris toxicaria Lesch (27.3 g EAG/kg Ms and 13.07 g EC/kg Ms) (P = 0.001). The losses of organic chemical compounds are more significant during the first two weeks of experiment than after this period. Antiaris toxicaria Lesch loses on average 43.8 g EG/kg Ms of reducing Sugars, 12.21 g EC/kg Ms of totals flavonoids and 26.4 g EAG/kg Ms of total polyphenols, equivalent to 30% of loss of the initial weight. Average losses of 45.7 g EG/kg Ms were obtained for reducing sugars, 1.5 g EC/kg Ms for totals flavonoids and 8.72 g EAG/kg Ms for totally phenols in for the litters of Millettia laurentii, comparable to 24% in initial weight loss. This study showed on the one hand, the direct link between rainfall and litters decomposition and the losses in weight of the litters resulted in dissolution in the water of the studied compounds.

Subtropical forest macro-decomposers rapidly transfer litter carbon and nitrogen into soil mineral-associated organic matter

Background:Forest soils in tropical and subtropical areas store a significant amount of carbon.Recent framework to assess soil organic matter(SOM)dynamics under evolving global conditions suggest that dividing bulk SOM into particulate and mineral-associated organic matter(POM vs.MAOM)is a promising method for identifying how SOM contributes to reducing global warming.Soil macrofauna,earthworms,and millipedes have been found to play an important role in facilitating SOM processes.However,how these two co-existing macrofaunae impac the litter decomposition process and directly impact the formation of POM and MAOM remains unclear.Methods:Here,we set up a microcosm experiment,which consisted of 20 microcosms with four treatments earthworm and litter addition(E),millipedes and litter addition(M),earthworm,millipedes,and litter addition(E+M),and control(only litter addition)in five replicates.The soil and litter were sterilized prior to beginning the incubation experiment to remove any existing microbes.After incubating the samples for 42 days,the litte properties(mass,C,and N contents),soil physicochemical properties,as well as the C and N contents,and POM and MAOM^(13)C abundance in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm soil layers were measured.Finally,the relative influences o soil physicochemical and microbial properties on the distribution of C and N in the soil fractions were analyzed Results:The litter mass,C,and N associated with all four treatments significantly decreased after incubation especially under treatment E+M(litter mass:-58.8%,litter C:-57.0%,litter N:-75.1%,respectively),while earthworm biomass significantly decreased under treatment E.Earthworm or millipede addition alone showed no significant effects on the organic carbon(OC)and total nitrogen(TN)content in the POM fraction,but join addition of both significantly increased OC and TN regardless of soil depth.Importantly,all three macrofauna treatments increased the OC and TN content and decreased the^(13)C abundance in the MAOM fraction.More than65%of the total variations in the distribution of OC and TN throughout the two fractions can be explained by a combination of soil physicochemical and microbial properties.Changes in the OC distribution in the 0–5 cm soi layer are likely due to a decrease in soil pH and an increase in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF),while those in the 5–10 cm layer are probably caused by increases in soil exchangeable Ca and Mg,in addition to fungi and gram-negative(GN)bacteria.The observed TN distribution changes in the 0–5 cm soil likely resulted from a decrease in soil pH and increases in AMF,GN,and gram-negative(GP)bacteria,while TN distribution changes in the 5–10 cm soil could be explained by increases in exchangeable Mg and GN bacteria.Conclusions:The results indicate that the coexistence of earthworms and millipedes can accelerate the litte decomposition process and store more C in the MAOM fractions.This novel finding helps to unlock the processe by which complex SOM systems serve as C sinks in tropical forests and addresses the importance of soil mac rofauna in maintaining C-neutral atmospheric conditions under global climate change.

EFFECTS OF SOIL FAUNA ON LITTER DECOMPOSITION

Forest l itter is the physical makeu p part of forest ecosystem．The rate o f decompositi on of forest litter is low in temperate and cool temperate zones．There is impor tant signific ance to search and utilize the functi on of soil animals，in order to probe the material circulation and energy flow in forest ecosystem．We selec ted three kin ds of mesh bag with different mesh size，in which，large pore mesh bag is large enough to permit the activities of all kinds of soil animals，medi um mesh bag is designed to exclude the function of soil macrofauna，while small mesh bag is small enough to exclude the effects o f any kind of soil animals as far as possible．The decomposition time is thr ee years．The studying results sh ow that：the decomposing speed of the bags with big meshes，under functions of a ll kinds of soil animals，faster than the bags with medium meshes，under functio ns of medium and small soil animals，as well as the bags with small meshes that exc luding all possibility of functions of soil animals；in the process of dec o mposition of litter，relationship of the litte r lost weight with number of soil anim als is not obvious clearly；the degre e of functions of soil animals to so ft litter higher than hard litter；according to the an alysis of diversity index ，no regula r changes will happen to the diversity of soil anima ls as the time of decomposing samples lengthen．

Litter Decomposition and Soluble Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Release in a Forest Ecosystem

Litter is an important source of easily mineralizable C, N, and P for microbial metabolism in forest ecosystems;however, its decomposition is dependent upon a variety of biotic and abiotic factors, including litter chemical composition and plant specie, soil properties, and climate. We investigated C, N, and P mineralization patterns of pine litter, oak and a mixture of various species commonly found in wetland landscape position. Litter species were incubated (alone and with soils) under laboratory conditions in the dark for 120 days. Samples were leached weekly and the leachates were analyzed for pH, E4:E6 ratio, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total N, NO3, NH4, soluble reactive P, and total P. CO2 effluxes during the 120-d incubation period were measure using NaOH traps. Carbon loss was calculated as the sum of DOC and CO2 effluxes. Results indicated that patterns of C and N release varied with litter species and soil type. Mix species treatment resulted in larger DOC and N pulses compared to pine and oak treatments. The majority of the DOC, N, and P leached was retained by the soils. When litters were added to the soils, a greater proportion of the C was lost as CO2, while litter incubated alone lost more C as DOC. This result demonstrated the importance of the soil microbial community affecting the patterns of litter mineralization. Total N concentration and C:N ratio of the litter species were significantly correlated to C loss.

Pool of Biological Resources for Potential Applications in Solid State Fermentation Obtained from a Forest Plantation of Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl, Mexico

A forest plantation, product of the reforestation of pine trees, represented a pool of biological resources for the implementation of a solid state fermentation process. The trees were identified as Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl from which lignocellulosic material in the form of pine needles was collected. Soil fungi, responsible for plant litter decomposition, were cultured at laboratory conditions and tested for their ability to grow on cellulose and hemicellulose as the sole carbon sources. A fungal strain, belonging to the genus Penicillium, was selected for growing it on pine needles as the substrate in a solid state culture. After following the culture for six days, the newly isolated strain exhibited a much higher capacity for spore production and holocellulose degradation, compared to a purchased strain of Penicillium chrysogenum and two control conditions. This work marks the beginning of future studies focused on commercial applications and represents the first report of a biotechnological process based on pine needles and their degradation by an ascomycetes species belonging to the genus Penicillium.

Insight into the temperature sensitivity of forest litter decomposition and soil enzymes in subtropical forest in China

Aims With the continuing increase in the impact of human activities on ecosystems,ecologists are increasingly interested in understanding the effects of high temperature on litter decomposition since litter decomposition and the accompanying release of nutrients and carbon dioxide are key processes in ecosystem nutrient cycling and carbon flux.This study was conducted to evaluate the temperature sensitivity of forest litter decomposition and soil enzymes during litter decomposition in subtropical forest in China.Methods Two dominant litter types were chosen from Zijin Mountain in China:Quercus acutissima leaves from a broadleaf forest(BF)and Pinus massoniana needles from a coniferous forest(CF).The litter samples were incubated in soil microcosms at ambient control temperature(20 C)and 10 C warmer.During a 5-month incubation,chemical composition of litter samples,litter mass losses,and related soil enzyme activities were determined.Important Findings Three main results were found:(i)high temperature accelerated decomposition rates of both litter types,and the temperature sensitivities of litter decomposition for BF leaves and that for CF needles are equivalent basically,(ii)high temperature enhanced soil enzyme activities in the two forest types,and the temperature sensitivities of polyphenol oxidase were significantly higher than those of the other soil enzymes and(iii)the temperature sensitivities of nitrate reductase were significantly higher in the CF soil than in the BF soil,while there was no significant difference in the temperature sensitivities of the other soil enzymes between BF and CF.As a long-term consequence,the high-temperature-induced acceleration of litter decomposition rates in these subtropical forests may cause carbon stored belowground to be transferred in the atmosphere,which may alter the balance between carbon uptake and release,and then alter the global carbon cycle in the coming decades.

Soil animal communities at five succession stages in the litter of the evergreen broad-leaved forest in Tiantong,China

Soil animals are abundant in forest litter layer,but little attention has been paid to the vertical distribution of community structure of soil animals in the layers at different plant community succession stages.The forest litter layer can be divided into fresh litter layer(L),fermentation layer(F)and humus layer(H),which may represent different litter decomposition stages.The aim of the study is to ascertain the vertical distribution features of soil animal communities among the three litter layers and the change in the succession process of the Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest(EBLF)in Tiantong,Zhejiang Province,China.Soil animal communities in the five plant communities at different succession stages were investigated during the 2003 winter.Soil animals,which were collected by using Tullgren funnels,amounted to a total of 13381 individuals falling into 2 phyla,8 classes and 20 orders.The dominant groups were Acarina and Collembola,accounting for 94.24%of the total individuals,with the number of Acarina individuals 7.66 times than that of Collembola.The common group was Diptera.The results indicated that there was a distinctive vertical distribution of the soil animal communities in the forest litter layer,but it differed from that in soil below the litter layer.In contrast to those in the soil,the soil animals in the litter layer generally tended to increase in both group abundance and density from the top fresh litter layer to the bottom humus layer.Altogether 19 groups and 59.03%of total individuals were found in the bottom layer,while only 8 groups and 5.35%of the total individuals in the top.Moreover,there were some variations in the distribution of the soil animals at different plant succession stages.85.19%of Homoptera and 100%of Symphyla were found in the litter layer at the climax succession stage,while 75.61%of Thysanoptera at the intermediate succession stage.Therefore,these groups might be seen as indicative groups.The total numbers of soil animal groups and individuals in the litter layers greatly changed in the succession process of the EBLF.They both were greatest at the climax,moderate at the intermediate and smallest at the primary succession stage.However,the main soil animal groups in the litter at the different succession stages were essentially the same.They were Acarina,Collembola,Diptera and Lepidoptera.Although similarity analysis revealed that the soil animal communities in the litter at the intermediate succession stage were most similar to those at the climax succession stage,they differed greatly from each other in the Shannon-Wiener diversity index.The Shannon-Wiener index was highest at the climax succession stage and lowest at the intermediate succession stage.Finally,the paper discusses the following three questions:the role of soil animals as indicators for plant community succession;the role of different soil animal groups in the litter decomposition at different stages;and the major factors affecting the composition and distribution of soil animals in the litter.This paper provides a new perspective for the research on the succession mechanism of plant communities and the decomposition functions of soil animals.

去除凋落物和草毡层对寒温带典型森林土壤活性有机碳的短期影响

[目的]探究去除凋落物和草毡层对寒温带森林土壤活性有机碳的影响,为我国寒温带森林土壤碳循环的研究提供科学参考。[方法]以大兴安岭北部3种典型森林(白桦林、樟子松林和兴安落叶松林)为研究对象,在3种林型中设置对照、去除凋落物、去除草毡层以及去除凋落物和草毡层4种处理,于2021年9月对各处理不同土层(0—10 cm和10—20 cm)土壤进行取样,研究其土壤活性有机碳组分及其影响因子。[结果]在0—10 cm土层,与对照相比,去除凋落物后土壤可溶性有机碳和易氧化有机碳含量在白桦林和樟子松林中无显著变化,而在兴安落叶松林中显著降低了25.49%和39.40%;土壤微生物量碳含量在白桦林和兴安落叶松林中显著降低了19.26%和18.86%,而在樟子松林中无显著变化。去除草毡层后土壤可溶性有机碳和易氧化有机碳含量在白桦林和樟子松林中显著降低了16.08%,60.69%和17.38%,17.33%,而在兴安落叶松林中的变化不显著;土壤微生物量碳含量在3种林型中显著降低了19.47%~42.02%。同时去除凋落物和草毡层后3种林型土壤微生物量碳和易氧化有机碳含量极显著降低了22.03%~27.01%和52.22%~57.01%;土壤可溶性有机碳含量降低了11.25%~22.18%,其中白桦林和樟子松林达显著水平;在10—20 cm土层,不同去除处理对3种林型土壤可溶性有机碳和微生物量碳含量均无显著影响,白桦林和樟子松林土壤易氧化有机碳含量分别在去除草毡层以及同时去除凋落物和草毡层后显著降低,而兴安落叶松林土壤易氧化有机碳含量无明显变化。3种林型土壤活性有机碳各组分与土壤总有机碳、全氮、含水量呈显著正相关,与土壤pH则呈显著负相关。[结论]去除凋落物和草毡层降低了土壤活性有机碳含量,凋落物和草毡层的存在有利于土壤活性有机碳的形成与累积。

绒毛皂荚特定森林环境育苗技术组合与常规育苗对比试验

[目的]提高绒毛皂荚场地发芽率,加速种群回归。[方法]在特定的森林环境进行育苗技术组合试验,并以苗圃常规育苗为对照,研究不破坏林地环境的小铲破土和地表播种+死地被物多种覆盖方式技术组合对发芽率与苗木生长的影响。[结果]小铲破土播种或地表播种加4种不同死地被物覆盖方式技术组合的场地发芽率分别为(A_(1))61.67%、(A_(2))55.56%、(A_(3))61.11%、(A_(4))57.22%,均高于常规育苗(CK)的35.03%;A_(1)小铲破土播种后,盖1 cm厚表层有机土+3 cm厚粗腐殖质+未分解的枯枝落叶组合和A_(3)种子直播土壤地表后,盖3 cm厚的粗腐殖质+未分解枯枝落叶同为最佳组合;常规育苗的苗木成苗率(成苗数与发芽数之比×100%)与苗木生长量略高于其他处理;但从成苗数的绝对数比较,CK小于A_(1)、A_(2)、A_(3)、A_(4)处理的106、85、95和88株。[结论]特定的森林环境母树下小铲破土或地表播种后+林地死地被物覆盖组合育苗是提高场地发芽率和成苗数的有效方法。

亚热带森林转换对凋落叶分解过程中土壤无脊椎动物群落结构的影响

以地带性植被建群种米槠(Castanopsis carlesii)的凋落叶为研究对象,采用不同孔径凋落物袋排除土壤无脊椎动物的方法,分析常绿阔叶林转换为米槠人工林后凋落叶分解过程中土壤无脊椎动物群落结构、多样性和功能群。以米槠凋落叶完全分解为研究期间,共捕获土壤无脊椎动物6417头,隶属3门12纲27目114科,其中白蚁科为优势类群。2种林分凋落叶分解过程中总的、大型土壤无脊椎动物丰度均于30 d到达峰值,而中小型为15 d,类群数均在91 d达到峰值,整体的动态变化规律较为相似。常绿阔叶林转换为人工林后,土壤无脊椎动物丰度和类群数显著降低,其中中小型土壤无脊椎动物丰度的响应更为迅速,降低了33.67%;林型转换后,土壤无脊椎动物各功能群个体数量均有所减少,其中杂食性土壤无脊椎动物对林型转换最为敏感,降幅达37.85%;土壤无脊椎动物群落的多样性指数、丰富度指数、优势度指数和均匀度指数也均有所降低。冗余分析表明,土壤有机碳含量和土壤温度是调控凋落叶分解过程中土壤无脊椎动物群落结构的主要因子,总解释率达22.4%。可见,亚热带常绿阔叶林转换为人工林的森林林型转换会导致森林地表理化特征变化,使得米槠凋落叶分解过程中土壤无脊椎动物的群落结构更为简化,进而可能影响土壤无脊椎动物对凋落叶分解的贡献,最终深刻作用于亚热带森林物质循环和能量流动。

雪被减少对亚高山森林凋落叶酸不溶性组分动态特征的影响

【目的】凋落叶酸不溶性组分(acid-insoluble residue, AIR)是森林土壤有机质形成的重要前体,其降解过程可能受到全球气候变暖导致的雪被减少的影响,但具体机制仍不清晰。【方法】以川西亚高山森林落叶树种红桦(Betula albosinensis)和四川红杉(Larix mastersiana)凋落叶为研究对象,通过野外雪被控制(50%和100%雪被减少)和凋落物分解实验,探究雪被减少对凋落叶分解各关键时期AIR降解的影响。【结果】在2 a的分解过程中,红桦和四川红杉凋落叶AIR含量总体呈增加趋势,且分别增加了50.37%和39.63%。相较于自然雪被,雪被减少处理下凋落叶AIR的残留量更高,说明雪被减少促进了凋落叶分解过程中AIR的积累,但这种促进作用在分解1a后逐渐减弱。同时,与四川红杉凋落叶在整个分解过程中始终呈现AIR累积不同,初始N、P含量较高的红桦凋落叶在分解初期即表现出AIR净损失,表明AIR的降解存在物种差异。此外,相关性和回归分析结果表明,凋落叶AIR降解分别与pH、N和木质素含量呈正相关关系,与均温、P和纤维素含量以及微生物生物量碳呈负相关关系。【结论】雪被减少促进了亚高山森林凋落叶分解过程中AIR的累积,且受到环境因子、叶片养分和结构性碳含量以及微生物生物量的共同调控,研究结果为深入理解亚高山森林生态系统的物质循环过程提供了科学依据。