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Helge Bruelheide - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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a tale of scale plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity increases Leaf Litter ant diversity
Journal of Animal Ecology, 2020Co-Authors: Carl J Skarbek, Helge Bruelheide, Merle Noack, Werner Hardtle, Goddert Von Oheimb, Thomas Scholten, Steffen Seitz, Michael StaabAbstract:Diversity of producers (e.g. plants) usually increases the diversity of associated organisms, but the scale (i.e. the spatial area of plant diversity considered) at which plant diversity acts on other taxa has rarely been studied. Most evidence for cross-taxon diversity relations come from above-ground consumers that directly interact with plants. Experimental tests of plant diversity effects on elusive organisms inhabiting the Leaf Litter layer, which are important for nutrient cycling and decomposition, are rare. Using a large tree diversity experiment, we tested whether tree diversity at the larger plot (i.e. community) or the smaller neighbourhood scale relates to the abundance, species richness, functional and phylogenetic diversity of Leaf Litter ants, which are dominant organisms in brown food webs. Contrary to our expectations of scale-independent positive tree diversity effects, ant diversity increased only with plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity. While the exact causal mechanisms are unclear, nest relocation or small-scale competition among ants may explain the stronger tree diversity effects at the plot scale. Our results indicate that even for small and less mobile organisms in the Leaf Litter, effects of tree diversity are stronger at relatively larger scales. The finding emphasizes the importance of diverse forest stands, in which mixing of tree species is not restricted to small patches, for supporting arthropod diversity in the Leaf Litter.
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soil macrofauna and Leaf functional traits drive the decomposition of secondary metabolites in Leaf Litter
Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 2019Co-Authors: Christian Ristok, Katrin N Leppert, Michael Schererlorenzen, Pascal A Niklaus, Helge BruelheideAbstract:Abstract Leaf Litter decomposition is closely linked to soil nutrient cycling. Both vary with environmental conditions, Leaf Litter diversity, faunal decomposer community and Leaf Litter chemistry. Polyphenols, i.e. phenolics and tannins, are important secondary metabolites in Leaf Litter and are considered a major impediment to whole-Leaf decomposition. While the function of polyphenols is well studied, the mechanisms and drivers of their decomposition are largely unknown. We reasoned that polyphenol decomposition is driven by the same factors as whole-Leaf decomposition. We hypothesized that polyphenol decomposition rates increase with Leaf Litter richness, decrease with macrofauna exclusion and are related to traits characterizing Leaf Litter quality. We measured decomposition rates of polyphenols in Leaf Litter of seven subtropical Chinese tree species, sampled at five dates and in a fully factorial design that manipulated Litter richness and macrofauna access. We further estimated Leaf carbon and nitrogen contents and Leaf toughness using near-infrared spectroscopy. We showed that 1) phenolics and tannin decomposition rates did not depend on Leaf Litter species richness, 2) the decomposition rates of phenolics and tannins were up to one magnitude higher than whole-Leaf decomposition rates, 3) the exclusion of macrofauna increased phenolics and tannin decomposition rates, 4) the Leaf nitrogen content positively affected the phenolics decomposition rates and 5) the tannin-to-nitrogen ratio was the best predictor of whole-Leaf decomposition. We conclude that the fast decomposition of phenolics and tannins in the early stages of whole-Leaf Litter decomposition is an essential ecological process. Low molecular weight phenolics that enter the soil can accelerate microbial growth, while potentially toxic tannins leave the Leaf tissue, and thus, enable the consecutive whole-Leaf decomposition. Our study is the first to show that macrofauna occurrence negatively affects the decomposition of ecological relevant secondary plant metabolites. This points to the importance of considering biotic interactions between different trophic levels to fully understand the mechanisms of Leaf Litter decomposition.
Manton Michael - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Effects of seasonality, tree species and urban green space on deciduous Leaf Litter decomposition in Lithuania
'MDPI AG', 2020Co-Authors: Vaidelys Tadas, Straigytė Lina, Manton MichaelAbstract:art. no. 2210Understanding ecological processes and environmental change in different urban green spaces is an important challenge to secure human well-being. The variety of urban green spaces provides a platform to generate knowledge on how urban environments affect tree Leaf decomposition and quality. We measured the Leaf Litter decomposition of four dominant native deciduous tree species from five different urban green spaces over three time periods in Kaunas, Lithuania. Using the modified Litter bag technique, we calculated the decomposition of 60 Leaf Litter samples for 4, 8, and 12 months respectively. For each Leaf Litter sample, we determined total N, total P, and organic C. Results indicated that the decomposition of Leaf Litter amongst tree species, urban green spaces and seasonality (time) were significantly different. The Leaf Litter of Betula pendula and Acer platanoides from street green spaces decomposed fastest during the spring-summer period. Quercus robur showed small but significant Leaf Litter loss differences between the green spaces, with the Leaf Litter from peri-urban forest decomposing the fastest. A decreased C:N ratio for Q. robur Leaf Litter showed accelerated Leaf Litter decay. In conclusion, our results show that the ecological processes of Leaf Litter decomposition, differs between tree species, type of urban green spaces and seasonality and thus must be considered in urban town planning to help maintain urban environmentsMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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Effects of seasonality, tree species and urban green space on deciduous Leaf Litter decomposition in Lithuania
2020Co-Authors: Vaidelys Tadas, Straigytė Lina, Manton MichaelAbstract:art. no. 2210Understanding ecological processes and environmental change in different urban green spaces is an important challenge to secure human well-being. The variety of urban green spaces provides a platform to generate knowledge on how urban environments affect tree Leaf decomposition and quality. We measured the Leaf Litter decomposition of four dominant native deciduous tree species from five different urban green spaces over three time periods in Kaunas, Lithuania. Using the modified Litter bag technique, we calculated the decomposition of 60 Leaf Litter samples for 4, 8, and 12 months respectively. For each Leaf Litter sample, we determined total N, total P, and organic C. Results indicated that the decomposition of Leaf Litter amongst tree species, urban green spaces and seasonality (time) were significantly different. The Leaf Litter of Betula pendula and Acer platanoides from street green spaces decomposed fastest during the spring-summer period. Quercus robur showed small but significant Leaf Litter loss differences between the green spaces, with the Leaf Litter from peri-urban forest decomposing the fastest. A decreased C:N ratio for Q. robur Leaf Litter showed accelerated Leaf Litter decay. In conclusion, our results show that the ecological processes of Leaf Litter decomposition, differs between tree species, type of urban green spaces and seasonality and thus must be considered in urban town planning to help maintain urban environmentsMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasProj. "Bukų žėlimo tyrimai"Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij
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A comparison of Leaf Litter decomposition intensity: peri-urban forests vs. urban green spaces
2020Co-Authors: Straigytė Lina, Vaidelys Tadas, Manton MichaelAbstract:XXV IUFRO World Congress: Forest Research and Cooperation for Sustainable Development, 29 sept - 5 October 2019, Curitiba, PR, Brazil: abstractsUrban green space environments are different from peri-urban forest environments. However, there are knowledge gaps on how urban environments and periurban forests affect tree Leaf decomposition intensity. To fulfill these gaps, we measured biomass loss of the Leaf Litters of four dominant native deciduous tree species: Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides, Betula pendula, and Quercus robur collected from peri-urban forests (control) and four different types of urban green spaces in Kaunas, Lithuania. We collected Leaf Litter samples from 60 sites and used the modified Litter bag technique. The results indicated that the decomposition of Leaf Litter among tree species as well as the five types of urban green spaces are different. We found the leaves of B. pendula and A. platanoides decayed faster in green street spaces. The composition rates of these species accelerated during summer. The Leaf Litter decomposition of T. cordata was not influenced by the types of green spaces, and the losses of Leaf Litter mass between green spaces were insignificant. Q. robur Leaf Litter decomposed faster in peri-urban forest than in urban green spaces but the Leaf Litter mass loss differences between green spaces were small but significant. In conclusion, environmental processes are different between green spaces and tree species, results showing that T. cordata and Q. robur were the least affected species in all types of green spaces and maybe the most suitable species to cope with the demands and change of urban green spaces. However, rapid decomposition of B. pendula and A. platanoides Leaf Litter from street greeneries indicates that these leaves can be left as fertilizerMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta
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A comparison of Leaf Litter decomposition intensity: peri-urban forests vs. urban green spaces
2020Co-Authors: Straigytė Lina, Vaidelys Tadas, Manton MichaelAbstract:XXV IUFRO World Congress: Forest Research and Cooperation for Sustainable Development, 29 sept - 5 October 2019, Curitiba, PR, Brazil: abstractsUrban green space environments are different from peri-urban forest environments. However, there are knowledge gaps on how urban environments and periurban forests affect tree Leaf decomposition intensity. To fulfill these gaps, we measured biomass loss of the Leaf Litters of four dominant native deciduous tree species: Tilia cordata, Acer platanoides, Betula pendula, and Quercus robur collected from peri-urban forests (control) and four different types of urban green spaces in Kaunas, Lithuania. We collected Leaf Litter samples from 60 sites and used the modified Litter bag technique. The results indicated that the decomposition of Leaf Litter among tree species as well as the five types of urban green spaces are different. We found the leaves of B. pendula and A. platanoides decayed faster in green street spaces. The composition rates of these species accelerated during summer. The Leaf Litter decomposition of T. cordata was not influenced by the types of green spaces, and the losses of Leaf Litter mass between green spaces were insignificant. Q. robur Leaf Litter decomposed faster in peri-urban forest than in urban green spaces but the Leaf Litter mass loss differences between green spaces were small but significant. In conclusion, environmental processes are different between green spaces and tree species, results showing that T. cordata and Q. robur were the least affected species in all types of green spaces and maybe the most suitable species to cope with the demands and change of urban green spaces. However, rapid decomposition of B. pendula and A. platanoides Leaf Litter from street greeneries indicates that these leaves can be left as fertilizerMiškų ir ekologijos fakultetasProj. "Bukų žėlimo tyrimai"Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij
Sarah E Hobbie - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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contrasting dynamics and trait controls in first order root compared with Leaf Litter decomposition
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2018Co-Authors: Bjorn Berg, Tao Sun, Sarah E Hobbie, Hongguang Zhang, Qingkui Wang, Zhengwen Wang, Stephan HattenschwilerAbstract:Decomposition is a key component of the global carbon (C) cycle, yet current ecosystem C models do not adequately represent the contributions of plant roots and their mycorrhizae to this process. The understanding of decomposition dynamics and their control by traits is particularly limited for the most distal first-order roots. Here we followed decomposition of first-order roots and Leaf Litter from 35 woody plant species differing in mycorrhizal type over 6 years in a Chinese temperate forest. First-order roots decomposed more slowly (k = 0.11 ± 0.01 years−1) than did Leaf Litter (0.35 ± 0.02 years−1), losing only 35% of initial mass on average after 6 years of exposure in the field. In contrast to Leaf Litter, nonlignin root C chemistry (nonstructural carbohydrates, polyphenols) accounted for 82% of the large interspecific variation in first-order root decomposition. Leaf Litter from ectomycorrhizal (EM) species decomposed more slowly than that from arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) species, whereas first-order roots of EM species switched, after 2 years, from having slower to faster decomposition compared with those from AM species. The fundamentally different dynamics and control mechanisms of first-order root decomposition compared with those of Leaf Litter challenge current ecosystem C models, the recently suggested dichotomy between EM and AM plants, and the idea that common traits can predict decomposition across roots and leaves. Aspects of C chemistry unrelated to lignin or nitrogen, and not presently considered in decomposition models, controlled first-order root decomposition; thus, current paradigms of ecosystem C dynamics and model parameterization require revision.
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decomposition of tree Leaf Litter on pavement implications for urban water quality
Urban Ecosystems, 2014Co-Authors: Sarah E Hobbie, Lawrence A Baker, Christopher R Buyarski, Daniel A Nidzgorski, Jacques C FinlayAbstract:Leaf Litter may be an important source of nutrients to stormwater and ultimately contribute to eutrophication of surface waters associated with urbanization. Thus, understanding decomposition and nutrient release from Leaf Litter that falls on impervious surfaces is important for stormwater management. However, few studies have examined Leaf Litter decomposition in the unique urban environment of the street gutter. We compared decomposition of Leaf Litter of five street tree species in a parking lot gutter in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. In contrast to our expectations, comparisons with past studies revealed that Litter decomposed more rapidly in the gutter than in nearby natural areas. And decomposition rates were as rapid as those measured in other urban settings (forests and streams), with most species losing 80 % of their initial mass after 1 year. Litter of most species had retained more than half of its initial N and P after 1 year. However, in contrast to N, Litter P dynamics largely were uncoupled from Litter mass dynamics, with Litter P increasing and decreasing unpredictably over the year. Short-term (24 h) laboratory studies revealed that Litter had the potential to lose a high fraction of its initial P, with high variation among species (from 27 to 88 %), and a smaller fraction of its initial N (<10 %) via leaching. Thus, street tree species may differ in their potential contributions to nutrients that are released during decomposition. Our results suggest that careful selection of street tree species and timely removal of Litterfall have significant potential to reduce nutrient fluxes from streets to storm drains, particularly for P.
Jacques C Finlay - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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decomposition of tree Leaf Litter on pavement implications for urban water quality
Urban Ecosystems, 2014Co-Authors: Sarah E Hobbie, Lawrence A Baker, Christopher R Buyarski, Daniel A Nidzgorski, Jacques C FinlayAbstract:Leaf Litter may be an important source of nutrients to stormwater and ultimately contribute to eutrophication of surface waters associated with urbanization. Thus, understanding decomposition and nutrient release from Leaf Litter that falls on impervious surfaces is important for stormwater management. However, few studies have examined Leaf Litter decomposition in the unique urban environment of the street gutter. We compared decomposition of Leaf Litter of five street tree species in a parking lot gutter in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. In contrast to our expectations, comparisons with past studies revealed that Litter decomposed more rapidly in the gutter than in nearby natural areas. And decomposition rates were as rapid as those measured in other urban settings (forests and streams), with most species losing 80 % of their initial mass after 1 year. Litter of most species had retained more than half of its initial N and P after 1 year. However, in contrast to N, Litter P dynamics largely were uncoupled from Litter mass dynamics, with Litter P increasing and decreasing unpredictably over the year. Short-term (24 h) laboratory studies revealed that Litter had the potential to lose a high fraction of its initial P, with high variation among species (from 27 to 88 %), and a smaller fraction of its initial N (<10 %) via leaching. Thus, street tree species may differ in their potential contributions to nutrients that are released during decomposition. Our results suggest that careful selection of street tree species and timely removal of Litterfall have significant potential to reduce nutrient fluxes from streets to storm drains, particularly for P.
Christian Ristok - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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soil macrofauna and Leaf functional traits drive the decomposition of secondary metabolites in Leaf Litter
Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 2019Co-Authors: Christian Ristok, Katrin N Leppert, Michael Schererlorenzen, Pascal A Niklaus, Helge BruelheideAbstract:Abstract Leaf Litter decomposition is closely linked to soil nutrient cycling. Both vary with environmental conditions, Leaf Litter diversity, faunal decomposer community and Leaf Litter chemistry. Polyphenols, i.e. phenolics and tannins, are important secondary metabolites in Leaf Litter and are considered a major impediment to whole-Leaf decomposition. While the function of polyphenols is well studied, the mechanisms and drivers of their decomposition are largely unknown. We reasoned that polyphenol decomposition is driven by the same factors as whole-Leaf decomposition. We hypothesized that polyphenol decomposition rates increase with Leaf Litter richness, decrease with macrofauna exclusion and are related to traits characterizing Leaf Litter quality. We measured decomposition rates of polyphenols in Leaf Litter of seven subtropical Chinese tree species, sampled at five dates and in a fully factorial design that manipulated Litter richness and macrofauna access. We further estimated Leaf carbon and nitrogen contents and Leaf toughness using near-infrared spectroscopy. We showed that 1) phenolics and tannin decomposition rates did not depend on Leaf Litter species richness, 2) the decomposition rates of phenolics and tannins were up to one magnitude higher than whole-Leaf decomposition rates, 3) the exclusion of macrofauna increased phenolics and tannin decomposition rates, 4) the Leaf nitrogen content positively affected the phenolics decomposition rates and 5) the tannin-to-nitrogen ratio was the best predictor of whole-Leaf decomposition. We conclude that the fast decomposition of phenolics and tannins in the early stages of whole-Leaf Litter decomposition is an essential ecological process. Low molecular weight phenolics that enter the soil can accelerate microbial growth, while potentially toxic tannins leave the Leaf tissue, and thus, enable the consecutive whole-Leaf decomposition. Our study is the first to show that macrofauna occurrence negatively affects the decomposition of ecological relevant secondary plant metabolites. This points to the importance of considering biotic interactions between different trophic levels to fully understand the mechanisms of Leaf Litter decomposition.