Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands
Leaf litter decomposition is a major pathway for nutrient recycling and a chief factor controlling ecosystem primary productivity. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of forest thinning on the early-stage foliar decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern in a mixed Quercus pyrenaica-Pinus pinaster forest growing in the western Mediterranean basin. Two thinning treatments, differing in the intensity of canopy reduction, were compared with a control (unthinned) situation. Oak leaves showed faster decomposition rates than pine needles in unthinned plots. Intense canopy reduction (40% of basal area removed) reduced decomposition rates in both species whereas intermediate reduction (25% of basal area removed) increased decomposition of needles to a rate similar to that of oak leaves. C and N transfer from N-rich to N-poor foliar litter was not detected, indicating a marginal role of canopy reduction in this process. A decoupling of the decomposition rate from immobilization-release pattern was found for mobile elements (K and Mg) at intermediate levels of canopy cover whereas Ca dynamics indicated that pine needles had not started the lignin-mediated degradation phase two years after incubation. We finally hypothesized that strong reductions of canopy cover in dry Mediterranean sites might have an aridification effect on litter decomposition. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
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dig-inia-es-20.500.12792-45742020-12-15T09:48:03Z Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands Bravo-Oviedo, A. Ruiz-Peinado, R. Onrubia, R. del Río, M. Leaf litter decomposition is a major pathway for nutrient recycling and a chief factor controlling ecosystem primary productivity. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of forest thinning on the early-stage foliar decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern in a mixed Quercus pyrenaica-Pinus pinaster forest growing in the western Mediterranean basin. Two thinning treatments, differing in the intensity of canopy reduction, were compared with a control (unthinned) situation. Oak leaves showed faster decomposition rates than pine needles in unthinned plots. Intense canopy reduction (40% of basal area removed) reduced decomposition rates in both species whereas intermediate reduction (25% of basal area removed) increased decomposition of needles to a rate similar to that of oak leaves. C and N transfer from N-rich to N-poor foliar litter was not detected, indicating a marginal role of canopy reduction in this process. A decoupling of the decomposition rate from immobilization-release pattern was found for mobile elements (K and Mg) at intermediate levels of canopy cover whereas Ca dynamics indicated that pine needles had not started the lignin-mediated degradation phase two years after incubation. We finally hypothesized that strong reductions of canopy cover in dry Mediterranean sites might have an aridification effect on litter decomposition. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. 2020-10-22T17:27:54Z 2020-10-22T17:27:54Z 2017 journal article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/4574 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.02.032 eng Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ open access |
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Leaf litter decomposition is a major pathway for nutrient recycling and a chief factor controlling ecosystem primary productivity. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of forest thinning on the early-stage foliar decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern in a mixed Quercus pyrenaica-Pinus pinaster forest growing in the western Mediterranean basin. Two thinning treatments, differing in the intensity of canopy reduction, were compared with a control (unthinned) situation. Oak leaves showed faster decomposition rates than pine needles in unthinned plots. Intense canopy reduction (40% of basal area removed) reduced decomposition rates in both species whereas intermediate reduction (25% of basal area removed) increased decomposition of needles to a rate similar to that of oak leaves. C and N transfer from N-rich to N-poor foliar litter was not detected, indicating a marginal role of canopy reduction in this process. A decoupling of the decomposition rate from immobilization-release pattern was found for mobile elements (K and Mg) at intermediate levels of canopy cover whereas Ca dynamics indicated that pine needles had not started the lignin-mediated degradation phase two years after incubation. We finally hypothesized that strong reductions of canopy cover in dry Mediterranean sites might have an aridification effect on litter decomposition. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. |
format |
journal article |
author |
Bravo-Oviedo, A. Ruiz-Peinado, R. Onrubia, R. del Río, M. |
spellingShingle |
Bravo-Oviedo, A. Ruiz-Peinado, R. Onrubia, R. del Río, M. Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
author_facet |
Bravo-Oviedo, A. Ruiz-Peinado, R. Onrubia, R. del Río, M. |
author_sort |
Bravo-Oviedo, A. |
title |
Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
title_short |
Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
title_full |
Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
title_fullStr |
Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in Mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
title_sort |
thinning alters the early-decomposition rate and nutrient immobilization-release pattern of foliar litter in mediterranean oak-pine mixed stands |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12792/4574 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT bravooviedoa thinningalterstheearlydecompositionrateandnutrientimmobilizationreleasepatternoffoliarlitterinmediterraneanoakpinemixedstands AT ruizpeinador thinningalterstheearlydecompositionrateandnutrientimmobilizationreleasepatternoffoliarlitterinmediterraneanoakpinemixedstands AT onrubiar thinningalterstheearlydecompositionrateandnutrientimmobilizationreleasepatternoffoliarlitterinmediterraneanoakpinemixedstands AT delriom thinningalterstheearlydecompositionrateandnutrientimmobilizationreleasepatternoffoliarlitterinmediterraneanoakpinemixedstands |
_version_ |
1758004973892796416 |