litter layer
Recently Published Documents


TOTAL DOCUMENTS

183
(FIVE YEARS 47)

H-INDEX

26
(FIVE YEARS 3)

2022 ◽  

<p>The concentrations and comparisons of total and available metals Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb and the metalloid As were examined in two adjacent acid forest soils in Greece under oak and beech together with the dependency of their availability. It was found that the soil in the beech plot had higher concentrations of total elements with the exception of the litter layer (L) where most metals did not differ. It is probable that the parent material of the beech soil contained some metamorphic mafic material. The surface soils for both stands were moderately enriched with Pb, Cd and As, whereas for Cr and Ni the enrichment was minimal. The concentrations of available elements (extracted with DTPA) were higher in the beech soil. The availability of most metals was affected by the pH, the organic C, the ratio of C/N and the total concentration of the metals. Through a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) analysis, it was found that 63-75% of the concentrations variance of the available metals was explained. The percentages of available metals with regard to their total concentrations in soils were higher in the beech plot in the FH layer but in the mineral layers, they did not differ apart from Pb. The concentrations of the metals in the leaves of both species in three consecutive years did not differ with the exception of Cd, the concentration of which was higher in the beech leaves.</p>


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1674
Author(s):  
Anna Ilek ◽  
Małgorzata Szostek ◽  
Anna Mikołajczyk ◽  
Marta Rajtar

During the last decade, tree species mixing has been widely supported as a silvicultural approach to reduce drought stress. However, little is known on the influence of tree species mixing on physical properties and the water storage capacity of forest soils (including the forest floor). Thus, the study aimed to analyze the effect of mixing pine needles and oak leaves and mixing fir needles and beech leaves on hydro-physical properties of the litter layer during laboratory tests. We used fir-beech and pine-oak litter containing various shares of conifer needles (i.e., 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100%) to determine the influence of the needle admixture on bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, water storage capacity, the amount of water stored in pores between organic debris and the degree of saturation of mixed litter compared to broadleaf litter (oak or beech). We found that the admixture of fir needles increased the bulk density of litter from 7.9% with a 5% share of needles to 55.5% with a 50% share (compared to pure beech litter), while the share of pine needles < 40% caused a decrease in bulk density by an average of 3.0–11.0% (compared to pure oak litter). Pine needles decreased the water storage capacity of litter by about 13–14% with the share of needles up to 10% and on average by 28% with the 40 and 50% shares of pine needles in the litter layer. Both conifer admixtures reduced the amount of water stored in the pores between organic debris (pine needles more than fir needles).


eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Álvarez-Parra ◽  
Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente ◽  
Enrique Peñalver ◽  
Eduardo Barrón ◽  
Luis Alcalá ◽  
...  

Dinosaur bonebeds with amber content, yet scarce, offer a superior wealth and quality of data on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. However, the preserved palaeodiversity and/or taphonomic characteristics of these exceptional localities had hitherto limited their palaeobiological potential. Here, we describe the amber from the Lower Cretaceous dinosaur bonebed of Ariño (Teruel, Spain) using a multidisciplinary approach. Amber is found in both a root layer with amber strictly in situ and a litter layer mainly composed of aerial pieces unusually rich in bioinclusions, encompassing 11 insect orders, arachnids, and a few plant and vertebrate remains, including a feather. Additional palaeontological data—charophytes, palynomorphs, ostracods— are provided. Ariño arguably represents the most prolific and palaeobiologically diverse locality in which fossiliferous amber and a dinosaur bonebed have been found in association, and the only one known where the vast majority of the palaeontological assemblage suffered no or low-grade pre-burial transport. This has unlocked unprecedentedly complete and reliable palaeoecological data out of two complementary windows of preservation—the bonebed and the amber—from the same site.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Álvarez-Parra ◽  
Ricardo Pérez-de la Fuente ◽  
Enrique Peñalver ◽  
Eduardo Barrón ◽  
Luis Alcalá ◽  
...  

AbstractDinosaur bonebeds with amber content, yet scarce, offer a superior wealth and quality of data on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. However, the preserved palaeodiversity and/or taphonomic characteristics of these exceptional localities had hitherto limited their palaeobiological potential. Here we describe the amber from the Lower Cretaceous dinosaur bonebed of Ariño (Teruel, Spain) using a multidisciplinary approach. Amber is found in both a root layer with amber strictly in situ and a litter layer namely composed of aerial pieces unusually rich in bioinclusions, encompassing 11 insect orders, arachnids, and a few plant and vertebrate remains, including a feather. Additional palaeontological data ‒ charophytes, palynomorphs, ostracods‒ are provided. Ariño arguably represents the most prolific and palaeobiologically diverse locality in which fossiliferous amber and a dinosaur bonebed have been found in association, and the only one known where the vast majority of the palaeontological assemblage suffered no or low-grade pre-burial transport. That has enabled unlocking unprecedentedly complete and reliable palaeoecological data out of two complementary windows of preservation from the same site.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (131) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Bruno Xavier Valadão ◽  
Karla Monique Silva Carneiro ◽  
Jonas Inkotte ◽  
Fabiana Piontekowski Ribeiro ◽  
Maísa Isabela Rodrigues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianli Zhang ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Lihua Pu ◽  
Lingbin Yan ◽  
Guojun Cai ◽  
...  

Abstract Taking the litter layer of three typical plant communities (broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, and shrubs) as the research object, this study analyzed the hydrological function characteristics of the litter layers of different typical plant communities using the indoor immersion method in order to reveal the effects of the traits of the litter layer on the hydrological functions of typical plant communities in the core area. The results showed that: (1) the litter reserve change trend decreased in order as follows: broad-leaved forest (13.31 ± 1.54 t/hm2) > shrubs (12.62 ± 2.34 t/hm2) > coniferous forest (11.36 ± 1.43 t/hm2). The coniferous forest and shrub litter reserves increased significantly with the increase of decomposition degree (F = 19.36, P < 0.01; and F = 9.19, P < 0.01, respectively), while the broad-leaved forest litter reserves decreased first and then increased significantly with the increase of decomposition degree (F = 25.70, P < 0.01); (2) the litter natural moisture content change trends were as follows: shrubs (34.09 ± 4.31 t/hm2) > broad-leaved forest (31.32 ± 1.76 t/hm2) > coniferous forest (29.48 ± 7.02 t/hm2). The change trends of the maximum water-holding capacity, maximum interception amount, maximum interception rate, effective interception amount, and effective interception rate were in descending order as follows: broad-leaved forest > shrubs > coniferous forest. The maximum water-holding capacity, maximum interception amount, and effective interception amount of litter rose with the increase of decomposition degree. The broad-leaved forest community litter layer had the strongest rainfall interception function and the best hydrological service functions. The interception function was stronger with the increase of the decomposition degree of the litter layer; (3) the water-holding and water-releasing capacity variation of the litter layers manifested as reversed “J” features for the three typical plant communities. The water-holding capacity of different plant community litter layers (Qct) was significantly positively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was Qct = b + alnt, whereas the water-releasing capacity of different plant community litter layers (Qst) was significantly positively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was Qst = a t b; and (4) the water absorption and release rates of the litter layers had four periods. The water absorption rate (v) was significantly negatively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was v = a t− b, while the water release rate was the same. The water absorption and release rates differed by one order of magnitude in the first 5 min, exhibiting the greatest regulation and storage function, while the rate differed by only 2.1–4.5 times during the last three periods. This shows that the litter layer has the strongest rainfall regulation and storage function for only a short period of time before declining.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuetai Weng ◽  
Guang Yang ◽  
Lixuan Wang ◽  
Xiankui Quan ◽  
Xueying Di ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Damszel ◽  
Sławomir Piętka ◽  
Andrzej Szczepkowski ◽  
Zbigniew Sierota

In fall 2018 and 2019, we assessed colonization by fungi on Douglas fir trees [<em>Pseudotsuga menziesii </em>(Mirb.) Franco], white pine (<em>Pinus strobus </em>L.), and red cedar (<em>Thuja plicata </em>D. Don.) on selected experimental plots of the former Prussian Experimental Station, where nonnative tree species were introduced from North America over a century ago. The presence of sporocarps on trunks, root collars, and stumps as well as the litter layer in the soil within a radius of 0.5 m around the trunk of the tree was determined. Additionally, the volume of dead wood on the forest floor of the entire plot was assessed. We recorded numerous fungi on trees and stumps as well as in the litter and soil. For the 31 plots in 12 forest districts, we determined 745 sporocarps of 48 taxa, with 335/19 on the wood of <em>P. menziesii </em>trees and stumps, 377/15 on <em>P. strobus</em>, and 33/6 on <em>T. plicata </em>trees. The highest share of trees with various trunk damage levels was found for <em>T. plicata </em>(70.3%) and the lowest for <em>P. menziesii </em>(6.2%). Among the root parasitic fungi, <em>Heterobasidion </em>sp. and <em>Armillaria </em>sp. were found, especially on the collars and stumps of <em>T. plicata </em>and <em>P. strobus</em>; we did not find basidiomata of both pathogens on <em>P. menziesii</em>. The volume of dead wood within the <em>P. menziesii </em>plots averaged 7.1 m3/ha, whereas in <em>T. plicata </em>plots, it was 56.3 m3/ha. We identified 10 taxa that have not been reported in association with <em>P. strobus </em>for Poland (<em>Cylindrobasidium laeve</em>, <em>Dacrymyces </em>sp., <em>Exidia pithya</em>, <em>E. saccharina</em>, <em>Gymnopilus pnetrans</em>, <em>Leptoporus mollis</em>, <em>Mycena sanguinolenta</em>, <em>Tapinella panuoides</em>, <em>Trametes versicolor</em>, and <em>Xylaria hypoxylon</em>) and three taxa (<em>Exidia pithya</em>, <em>Leptoporus mollis</em>, <em>Serpula himantioides</em>) associated with <em>T. plicata</em>.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Kohl ◽  
Allison Myers-Pigg ◽  
Kate A. Edwards ◽  
Sharon A. Billings ◽  
Jamie Warren ◽  
...  

&lt;p&gt;Plant litter chemistry is altered during decomposition but it remains unknown if these alterations, and thus the composition of residual litter, will change in response to climate. Selective microbial mineralization of litter components and the accumulation of microbial necromass can drive litter compositional change, but the extent to which these mechanisms respond to climate remains poorly understood. We addressed this knowledge gap by studying needle litter decomposition along a boreal forest climate transect. Specifically, we investigated how the composition and/or metabolism of the decomposer community varies with climate, and if that variation is associated with distinct modifications of litter chemistry during decomposition. We analyzed the composition of microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in the litter layer and measured natural abundance &amp;#948;&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C&lt;sub&gt;PLFA&lt;/sub&gt; values as an integrated measure of microbial metabolisms. Changes in litter chemistry and &amp;#948;&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values were measured in litterbag experiments conducted at each transect site. A warmer climate was associated with higher litter nitrogen concentrations as well as altered microbial community structure (lower fungi:bacteria ratios) and microbial metabolism (higher &amp;#948;&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C&lt;sub&gt;PLFA&lt;/sub&gt;). Litter in warmer transect regions accumulated less aliphatic&amp;#8208;C (lipids, waxes) and retained more O&amp;#8208;alkyl&amp;#8208;C (carbohydrates), consistent with enhanced &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C&amp;#8208;enrichment in residual litter, than in colder regions. These results suggest that chemical changes during litter decomposition will change with climate, driven primarily by indirect climate effects (e.g., greater nitrogen availability and decreased fungi:bacteria ratios) rather than direct temperature effects. A positive correlation between microbial biomass &amp;#948;&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values and &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C&amp;#8208;enrichment during decomposition suggests that change in litter chemistry is driven more by distinct microbial necromass inputs than differences in the selective removal of litter components. Our study highlights the role that microbial inputs during early litter decomposition can play in shaping surface litter contribution to soil organic matter as it responds to climate warming effects such as greater nitrogen availability.&lt;/p&gt;


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuetai Weng ◽  
Guang Yang ◽  
Lixuan Wang ◽  
Xiankui Quan ◽  
Xueying Di ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and aimBoreal forests account for one third of terrestrial carbon stock. Wildfires are an important perturbation of this carbon pool, affecting in particular the litter layer. After forest fires, the litter layers may possess shifting chemical property and decomposition dynamics due to the changes in post-fire vegetations succession and abiotic factors.MethodsWe measured water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) in the litter layers of Oi and Oe horizons in boreal forests along a gradient of fire history in northeastern China. ResultsWe found that WSOC and WSN concentrations in the Oi layer were higher than those in the Oe layer. The concentrations were markedly altered by fires and showed different responses to the ecological succession. The time since fire had significant positive correlations with WSOC in Oi and Oe layers. The distance-based redundancy analysis and the structural equation model analysis suggested that factors additional to the time since fire also influenced the litter water-soluble matter (WSM) properties. Biotic factors were more strongly correlated with the litter WSM properties in the Oe layer than in the Oi layer. Although biotic factors contributed less than abiotic factors to the WSM properties, they still play significant roles in litter WSM in burned area. ConclusionsOur results show that manipulating biotic factors can be an important management strategy for litter WSM restoration, which can assist the overall ecological restoration in burned forests faced with the increasing danger of wildfires in the changing global climate.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document