Roles of Diverse Fungi in Larch Needle-Litter Decomposition

Research Highlight: Forest disturbance by insects or disease can have a significant influence on nutrient return by litterfall and decomposition, but information regarding disturbance gradients is scarce. This study demonstrated that the disturbance intensity caused by pine wilt disease greatly altered the quality and quantity of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in litterfall components and decomposition processes. Background and Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the C and N status of litterfall and litter decomposition processes in a natural red pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) stand disturbed by pine wilt disease in southern Korea. Nine red pine plots with varying degrees of disturbance caused by pine wilt disease were established based on differences in the stand basal area. Litterfall and the decomposition of needle litter and branches under different degrees of disturbance were measured for three years. Results: There was a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between disturbance intensity and the C and N concentration of litterfall components depending on the time of sampling. The annual C and N inputs through litterfall components decreased linearly with decreasing disturbance intensities. The decomposition rates of branches were higher in slightly disturbed plots compared with severely disturbed plots for the late stage of branch decomposition, whereas the decomposition rates of needle litter were not affected by the disturbance intensity of pine wilt disease. Carbon and N concentrations from needle litter and branches were not linearly related to the intensities of disturbance, except for the initial stage (one year) of needle litter decomposition. Conclusions: The results indicated that the incidence of pine wilt disease was a major cause of C and N loss through litterfall and decomposition processes in pine wilt disease disturbed stands, but the magnitude of loss depended on the severity of the disease disturbance.

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The influence of experimental acidification on needle litter decomposition in a Picea abies L. forest

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1080/02827588609382423 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 1 (1-4) ◽

pp. 317-322 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

B. Berg

Keyword(s):

Picea Abies ◽

Litter Decomposition ◽

Needle Litter ◽

Experimental Acidification

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Effect of Litter Quality on Needle Decomposition for Four Pine Species in Korea

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10050371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 371

Author(s):

Hee Myung Chae ◽

Sung Hwan Choi ◽

Sang Hoon Lee ◽

Sangsub Cha ◽

Keum Chul Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Surface Area ◽

Litter Decomposition ◽

Decomposition Rate ◽

Litter Quality ◽

Pinus Koraiensis ◽

Cellulose Content ◽

Initial Surface ◽

Needle Litter ◽

Pine Species

Litter decomposition involves multiple complex processes, including interactions between the physicochemical characteristics of litter species and various environmental factors. We selected four representative pine species in South Korea (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc., Pinus thunbergii Parl., Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc., and Pinus rigida Miller) to investigate the decay rate and effects of the physicochemical properties on decomposition. Needle litters were incubated in microcosms at 23 °C for 280 days and retrieved four times in about 70-day intervals. The mass loss showed significant differences among the species and was higher in the order of P. densiflora (30.5%), P. koraiensis (27.8%), P. rigida (26.5%), and P. thunbergii (23.6%). The needle litter decomposition showed a negative relationship with the initial surface area, volume, density, cellulose content, and lignin/nitrogen of the litter, and a positive relationship with the initial specific leaf area (SLA), surface-area-to-volume ratio (SA/V), and water- and ethanol-soluble substances. The decomposition rate was highly affected by the physical properties of litter when compared with the initial chemical litter quality, and it was strongly influenced by SLA and SA/V. Accordingly, the physical properties of pine needle litter, especially SLA and SA/V, may be the key factors, and they could be used as predictive indices for the decomposition rate of pine tree litters.

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