Litter mass and nitrogen disappearance in year‐round nitrogen‐fertilized grass and legume‐grass forage systems

AbstractLife history, brain size and energy expenditure scale with body mass in mammals but there is little conclusive evidence for a correlated evolution between life history and energy expenditure (either basal/resting or daily) independent of body mass. We addressed this question by examining the relationship between primate free-living daily energy expenditure (DEE) measured by doubly labeled water method (n = 18 species), life history variables (maximum lifespan, gestation and lactation duration, interbirth interval, litter mass, age at first reproduction), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and brain size. We also analyzed whether the hypometabolic primates of Madagascar (lemurs) make distinct energy allocation tradeoffs compared to other primates (monkeys and apes) with different life history traits and ecological constraints. None of the life-history traits correlated with DEE after controlling for body mass and phylogeny. In contrast, a regression model showed that DEE increased with increasing RMR and decreasing reproductive output (i.e., litter mass/interbirth interval) independent of body mass. Despite their low RMR and smaller brains, lemurs had an average DEE remarkably similar to that of haplorhines. The data suggest that lemurs have evolved energy strategies that maximize energy investment to survive in the unusually harsh and unpredictable environments of Madagascar at the expense of reproduction.

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Linking plant litter microbial diversity to microhabitat conditions, environmental gradients and litter mass loss: Insights from a European study using standard litter bags

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2020.107778 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 144 ◽

pp. 107778

Author(s):

Silvia Pioli ◽

Judith Sarneel ◽

Haydn J.D. Thomas ◽

Xavier Domene ◽

Pilar Andrés ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Diversity ◽

Mass Loss ◽

Environmental Gradients ◽

Plant Litter ◽

European Study ◽

Litter Bags ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Litter Mass Loss

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Spatiotemporal variations in litter mass and their relationships with climate in temperate grassland: A case study from Xilingol grassland, Inner Mongolia (China)

Advances in Space Research ◽

10.1016/j.asr.2017.12.008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 1055-1065 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Hongrui Ren ◽

Bei Zhang

Keyword(s):

Inner Mongolia ◽

Temperate Grassland ◽

Spatiotemporal Variations ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Xilingol Grassland

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Scales of heterogeneity in prairie and forest

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b99-004 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 370-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Heather R Kleb ◽

Scott D Wilson

Keyword(s):

Species Composition ◽

Small Scale ◽

Light Penetration ◽

Pocket Gopher ◽

Available N ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Thomomys Talpoides ◽

Mixed Grass ◽

Below Ground ◽

Aspen Forest

Few studies have compared scales of heterogeneity among plant communities. We predicted that differences in the sizes of dominant species should allow us to detect small-scale (<256 cm) heterogeneity in mixed-grass prairie but not in adjacent aspen forest. We examined light penetration, soil moisture, available N, elevation, species composition, and plant mass at 10 locations in prairie and forest in both spring and summer. Variables were measured in 1-cm2 plots arranged in pairs separated by 0-256 cm. Several variables in prairie (elevation, litter mass, light penetration, and species composition) showed significant evidence for scale within the range examined. In contrast, only one variable in forest (light penetration in summer) showed evidence for scale in the same range. The scale of heterogeneity in prairie was consistent with the scale of two possible causes, species composition and elevation variability due to northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides Richardson) activity, both of which varied significantly in prairie but not in forest. Whereas some aboveground factors (light and litter mass) varied within the range examined, belowground factors (water and N) did not, suggesting that the scale of heterogeneity differs between above- and below-ground factors. In total, the results suggest that differences in the scale of heterogeneity between prairie and forest reflect the relative sizes of the dominant plants.Key words: aspen, forest, heterogeneity, light, nitrogen, prairie, scale, soil, water.

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Experimental test of water, nutrients, and microclimate on leaf litter mass loss in headwater riparian forests

Ecosphere ◽

10.1002/ecs2.2478 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. e02478 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tonya L. Ramey ◽

John S. Richardson

Keyword(s):

Mass Loss ◽

Leaf Litter ◽

Experimental Test ◽

Riparian Forests ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Litter Mass Loss ◽

Water Nutrients

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Effects of large aboveground biomass loss events on the deadwood and litter mass dynamics of seasonal tropical forests in Cambodia

Tropics ◽

10.3759/tropics.ms18-05 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 33-48

Author(s):

Yoshiyuki Kiyono ◽

Eriko Ito ◽

Yukako Monda ◽

Jumpei Toriyama ◽

Thy Sum

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forests ◽

Aboveground Biomass ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Biomass Loss

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Manganese dynamics in decomposing needle and leaf litter — a synthesis

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2013-0097 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 43 (12) ◽

pp. 1127-1136 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Björn Berg ◽

Björn Erhagen ◽

Maj-Britt Johansson ◽

Lars Vesterdal ◽

Mikaeel Faituri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mass Loss ◽

Norway Spruce ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Deciduous Species ◽

Limit Values ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Litter Mass Loss ◽

Species Groups ◽

Mn Concentration ◽

Mn Concentrations

The aim of the present synthesis paper was to determine whether concentration changes and net release of manganese (Mn), as related to accumulated litter mass loss, are related to initial Mn concentration, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and tree genus or species. We also examined whether limit values for decomposition are related to initial litter Mn concentration, MAT, and MAP. We compiled 84 foliar litter decomposition studies, conducted mainly in boreal and temperate forest ecosystems, for which Mn dynamics had been well documented. Manganese concentration and amount were related to accumulated litter mass loss at each sampling time for each single study, as well as for (i) all studies combined (n = 748) and (ii) for species groups viz. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) (n = 284), pine (Pinus) species (n = 330), and deciduous species (n = 214). The changes in Mn concentration with accumulated mass loss followed quadratic functions showing significantly higher Mn concentrations for Norway spruce vs. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) (p < 0.0001) and vs. deciduous species (p < 0.01), as well as significantly higher for deciduous species vs. Scots pine (p < 0.0001). Manganese release rates were different among the three species groups (p < 0.001). Still, rates were related to initial Mn concentrations (p < 0.001) for all litter types combined and for the three species groups. Norway spruce released Mn more slowly than pine and deciduous species. Rates were related to climatic factors for litter of Norway spruce and deciduous species. Limit values for all litter and for pine species separately were related to Mn (p < 0.001) and MAT (p < 0.001). For Norway spruce, limit values were related to MAT (p < 0.001) and MAP (p < 0.01). It appears that Norway spruce litter retains Mn more strongly in the litter structure, producing humus richer in Mn than does litter of pine and deciduous species.

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Ground based operation effects on soil disturbance by steel tracked skidder in a steep slope of forest

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/93/2009-jfs ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 56 (No. 6) ◽

pp. 278-284 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

B. Agherkakli ◽

A. Najafi ◽

S.H. Sadeghi

Keyword(s):

Soil Compaction ◽

Forest Floor ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Steep Slope ◽

Traffic Density ◽

Traffic Intensity ◽

Litter Mass ◽

Mass Removal ◽

Significant Difference ◽

North Of Iran

In this study, the effects of slope and traffic intensity on soil compaction, rutting and forest floor removal was evaluated on a skid trail in the natural forest of north of Iran. Combination of two levels of slope < 20% (SC1) and > 20% (SC2) and three levels of traffic (one, five and nine traffics) were studied. Treatment plots, with three replications, were established on the skid trail prior to skidding. The results of this study showed that all bulk densities were considerably higher in SC2 than in SC1 and average soil bulk densities were measured from 1.07 (g∙cm–3) to 1.23 (g∙cm–3) on skid trail and 0.91 (g∙cm–3) in undisturbed areas. With the increment of traffic, soil compaction increased but there was no significant difference among the three levels of traffic frequency in SC1 whereas it was significant between one and five cycles in SC2. Greatest rut depth was measured as 12 cm at nine traffics in SC2, although increase of traffic density caused deeper rut depth at all slope treatments, but it was higher at the SC2 in comparison to SC1. Litter mass decreased considerably on the skid trail with the increasing in slope and traffic. No important difference has been detected between SC1 and SC2 in terms of Litter mass removal. These results provide clear evidence that soil disturbance on steep trail is intensified.

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