Decomposition of Forest Litter and Feces of Armadillidium vulgare (Isopoda: Oniscidea) Produced from the Same Litter Affected by Temperature and Litter Quality

To explore the question how litter and macrofauna feces respond to temperature and how respiration differs for litter with a different CN ratio, we compared the decomposition rates of leaf litter (Alnus glutinosa, Salix caprea, and Acer campestre) and isopod (Armadillidium vulgare) feces produced from the same litter in response to three constant (8, 16, and 24 °C) and one fluctuating (first week 8 °C, the other week 24 °C) temperatures in a 50 week laboratory experiment and in a field trial. Microbial respiration of litter with lower CN ratio (alder and willow) was significantly higher than respiration of feces, no significant difference was found for maple litter with higher CN ratio. This was supported by field litter bag experiments where alder and willow litter decomposed faster than feces but the opposite was true for maple litter. Litter respiration was significantly affected by temperature but feces respiration was not. Fluctuating temperature caused either lower or equal respiration as compared to mean constant temperature. The content of phenolics was significantly higher in intact litter in comparison with decomposed litter and feces, either fresh or decomposed. The CN ratio decreased as litter turned to feces in maple and alder litter but increased in willow litter. In conclusion, microbial respiration of both litter and feces were substantially affected by litter quality; the litter was more sensitive to temperature than feces.

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The effect of litter type and macrofauna community on litter decomposition and organic matter accumulation in post-mining sites

Biologia ◽

10.2478/s11756-008-0031-1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Jan Frouz

Keyword(s):

Litter Quality ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Mineral Soil ◽

Alnus Glutinosa ◽

Soil Macrofauna ◽

Salix Caprea ◽

Mining Sites ◽

Soil Mixing ◽

Fauna Composition ◽

One Year

AbstractField microcosms consisting of mineral soil (spoil substrate) and two types of litter taken either from an unreclaimed site with spontaneously developed vegetation (mostly Salix caprea) or from an alder plantation (a mixture of Alnus glutinosa and A. incana) were exposed in spontaneously developed or reclaimed sites at a post-mining heap near Sokolov (Czech Republic) for one year. The litter types differed remarkably in C:N ratio which was 29 for spontaneous litter and 14 for alder litter. The two microcosm types were either accessible or not accessible to soil macrofauna. The effect of macrofauna exclusion on soil mixing was complex and depended on litter quality and the site that determined soil fauna composition. In reclaimed sites where macrofauna was dominated by saprophags, mainly earthworms, the macrofauna access increased soil mixing. In sites where predators dominated, the macrofauna exclusion probably suppressed fragmentation and mixing activity of the mesofauna.

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A new approach to estimate fine root production, mortality, and decomposition using litter bag experiments and soil core techniques

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-011-1090-6 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 355 (1-2) ◽

pp. 167-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Akira Osawa ◽

Ryota Aizawa

Keyword(s):

Fine Root ◽

Root Production ◽

Soil Core ◽

Fine Root Production ◽

New Approach ◽

Litter Bag ◽

Bag Experiments

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Occurrence, biology and harmfulness of Galerucella lineola (F.) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) – Part 2. Larvae and this year’s beetles

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/2145-jfs ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 53 (No. 9) ◽

pp. 424-444

Author(s):

J. Urban

Keyword(s):

Alnus Glutinosa ◽

Salix Caprea ◽

Biological Form ◽

Lowland Area ◽

Salix Triandra

The second part of the paper deals with the development and harmfulness of larvae and maturation feeding of this year’s beetles of Galerucella lineola (F.) before leaving for winter habitats. Embryogenesis takes on average 12 (in the laboratory 9) days. In the area of Žďár situated at a higher and colder location, larvae of the alder biological form occur on Alnus glutinosa and A. incana from June to August. In the warmer lowland area of Brno, larvae of the willow form occur on Salix triandra, S. viminalis and S. caprea from the 3rd decade of May to the beginning of August. In the laboratory, larvae of the alder form developed on average 16 days and larvae of the willow form 13 days. Larvae of the alder form damage on average 9.7 cm2 leaves of A. glutinosa and larvae of the willow form 6.0 cm2 leaves of Salix caprea. This year’s imagoes occur in the area of Žďár on alders from mid-July to the end of October and during 3 weeks, they damage on average 16 cm2 leaves of A. glutinosa. This year’s imagoes occur on willows in the area of Brno from the end of June to the end of August. During 2 weeks, they damage on average 12 cm2 leaves of S. caprea. The chrysomelid development is univoltine (in southern parts of Moravia partly bivoltine). The alder biological form of G. lineola produced 2 (the willow form even 4) incomplete generations in the laboratory. This year’s imagoes damaged on average 36.6 cm2 of S. caprea and laid 122 to 887 (on average 528) eggs. In the area of Brno, imagoes of the willow form were up to 65% parasitized by Medina collaris (Fall.) (Tachinidae).Tachinidae).

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Biotic and abiotic variables influencing plant litter breakdown in streams: a global study

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2015.2664 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 283 (1829) ◽

pp. 20152664 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Luz Boyero ◽

Richard G. Pearson ◽

Cang Hui ◽

Mark O. Gessner ◽

Javier Pérez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Litter Quality ◽

Alnus Glutinosa ◽

Global Scale ◽

Plant Litter ◽

Freshwater Ecosystems ◽

Litter Breakdown ◽

Litter Mixtures ◽

Litter Traits ◽

Breakdown Rates ◽

Local Species

Plant litter breakdown is a key ecological process in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Streams and rivers, in particular, contribute substantially to global carbon fluxes. However, there is little information available on the relative roles of different drivers of plant litter breakdown in fresh waters, particularly at large scales. We present a global-scale study of litter breakdown in streams to compare the roles of biotic, climatic and other environmental factors on breakdown rates. We conducted an experiment in 24 streams encompassing latitudes from 47.8° N to 42.8° S, using litter mixtures of local species differing in quality and phylogenetic diversity (PD), and alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) to control for variation in litter traits. Our models revealed that breakdown of alder was driven by climate, with some influence of pH, whereas variation in breakdown of litter mixtures was explained mainly by litter quality and PD. Effects of litter quality and PD and stream pH were more positive at higher temperatures, indicating that different mechanisms may operate at different latitudes. These results reflect global variability caused by multiple factors, but unexplained variance points to the need for expanded global-scale comparisons.

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Does variability in litter quality determine soil microbial respiration in an Amazonian rainforest?

Soil Biology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.01.018 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 43 (5) ◽

pp. 1014-1022 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Nicolas Fanin ◽

Stephan Hättenschwiler ◽

Sandra Barantal ◽

Heidy Schimann ◽

Nathalie Fromin

Keyword(s):

Litter Quality ◽

Microbial Respiration ◽

Soil Microbial ◽

Soil Microbial Respiration ◽

Amazonian Rainforest

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The Forest Vegetation of the Tolfa-Ceriti Mountains (Northern Latium - Central Italy)

Hacquetia ◽

10.2478/v10028-010-0002-2 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 91-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Romeo Pietro ◽

Mattia Azzella ◽

Laura Facioni

Keyword(s):

Central Italy ◽

Alnus Glutinosa ◽

Quercus Petraea ◽

Forest Vegetation ◽

Oak Forests ◽

Acer Campestre ◽

Turkey Oak ◽

Fraxinus Angustifolia ◽

New Association ◽

Woodland Communities

The Forest Vegetation of the Tolfa-Ceriti Mountains (Northern Latium - Central Italy)The forests of the Tolfa-Ceriti mountains (Latium, central Italy) were investigated through a phytosociological approach. 249 relevés were performed and treated with multivariate analysis. 13 woodland communities were identified, of which 7 belong toQuercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, 1 toFagetalia sylvaticae, 1 toPopuletaliaand 4 toQuercetalia ilicis. The thermophilous Turkey oak-forests occurring on the trachytic hills of the Ceriti Mountains and on the flysch substrates of the Tolfa Mountains were included inRubio peregrinae-Quercetum cerridisass. nova.Quercus cerrisandFraxinus angustifoliasubsp.oxycarpawoodland communities of the footslopes have been ascribed toFraxino oxycarpae-Quercetum cerridis, while the widespread mesophilus Turkey oak forests have been ascribed toMelico-Quercetum cerridis. Cephalantero longifoliae-Quercetum cerridishas been restricted to acid and oligotrophic soils.Quercus petraeawoodlands, occurring on trachytic substrates have been described as a new association namedCarici olbiensis-Quercetum petraeaeass. nova. All these mixed oak woods have been included in the allianceCrataego laevigatae-Quercion cerridisArrigoni 1997. The nomenclatural problems concerning the prior nameTeucrio siculi-Quercion cerridisUbaldi 1988 are also discussed. The beech forests of the higher altitudes have been included inFraxino orni-Fagetum sylvaticae, while theAlnus glutinosaravine woodlands have been described as belonging to the new associationPolysticho setiferi-Alnetum glutinosae. Secondary communities ofAcer monspessulanumandAcer campestredeveloped on flysch substrates, and ofErica arboreaandArbutus unedo(Erico-Arbutetum unedonis) developed on trachytic substrates, have also been identified. Finally two types ofQuercus ilexwood have been identified:Cyclamino repandi-Quercetum ilicis, on sandstones, and the new associationArbuto unedonis-Quercetum ilicisass. nova on volcanic soils. This latter community can be considered as a coenological and geographical vicariant in central Italy of the sicilianErico-Quercetum ilicis.

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Climate change effects on macrofaunal litter decomposition: the interplay of temperature, body masses and stoichiometry

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2012.0240 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 367 (1605) ◽

pp. 3025-3032 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

David Ott ◽

Björn C. Rall ◽

Ulrich Brose

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Litter Quality ◽

Handling Time ◽

The Body ◽

Nutrient Ratios ◽

Functional Responses ◽

Decomposition Rates ◽

Litter Bag ◽

Climate Change Effects ◽

Compensatory Feeding

Macrofauna invertebrates of forest floors provide important functions in the decomposition process of soil organic matter, which is affected by the nutrient stoichiometry of the leaf litter. Climate change effects on forest ecosystems include warming and decreasing litter quality (e.g. higher C : nutrient ratios) induced by higher atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. While litter-bag experiments unravelled separate effects, a mechanistic understanding of how interactions between temperature and litter stoichiometry are driving decomposition rates is lacking. In a laboratory experiment, we filled this void by quantifying decomposer consumption rates analogous to predator–prey functional responses that include the mechanistic parameters handling time and attack rate. Systematically, we varied the body masses of isopods, the environmental temperature and the resource between poor (hornbeam) and good quality (ash). We found that attack rates increased and handling times decreased (i) with body masses and (ii) temperature. Interestingly, these relationships interacted with litter quality: small isopods possibly avoided the poorer resource, whereas large isopods exhibited increased, compensatory feeding of the poorer resource, which may be explained by their higher metabolic demands. The combination of metabolic theory and ecological stoichiometry provided critically important mechanistic insights into how warming and varying litter quality may modify macrofaunal decomposition rates.

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Decomposition disentangled: a test of the multiple mechanisms by which nitrogen enrichment alters litter decomposition

10.1101/671545 ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Noémie A. Pichon ◽

Seraina Cappelli ◽

Santiago Soliveres ◽

Norbert Hölzel ◽

Valentin H. Klaus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Litter Decomposition ◽

Plant Species ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Litter Quality ◽

List Type ◽

Dry Matter Content ◽

Functional Composition ◽

Litter Bag ◽

N Enrichment

SummaryNitrogen (N) enrichment has direct effects on ecosystem functioning by altering soil abiotic conditions and indirect effects by reducing plant diversity and shifting plant functional composition from dominance by slow to fast growing species. Litter decomposition is a key ecosystem function and is affected by N enrichment either by a change in litter quality (the recalcitrance of the plant material) or through a change in soil quality (the abiotic and biotic components of the soil that affect decomposition). The relative importance of soil and litter quality and how the direct and effects of N alter them remains poorly known.We designed a large grassland field experiment manipulating N enrichment, plant species richness and functional composition in a full factorial design. We used three complementary litter bag experiments and a novel structural equation modelling approach to quantify the relative effects of the treatments on litter and soil quality and their importance for total decomposition.Our results indicate that total decomposition was mostly driven by changes in litter quality rather than soil quality. Litter quality was affected by the nutrient contents (N and calcium) and structural components of the litter (leaf dry matter content, fibres). N enrichment increased litter decomposition mostly indirectly through a shift in functional composition toward faster growing plant species producing higher quality litter. N enrichment also had effects on soil, by directly and indirectly affected vegetation cover, but this had relatively few consequences for the total decomposition rate.Synthesis. Our approach provides a mechanistic tool to test the drivers of litter decomposition across different ecosystems. Our results show that functional composition is more important than richness or soil quality in determining litter decomposition and that N enrichment effects mainly occur via above- rather than belowground processes. This highlights the importance of considering shifts in plant species composition when assessing the effects of N enrichment on decomposition.

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