Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 471-485 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Plant and soil |
| Volume | 463 |
| Issue number | 1-2 |
| Early online date | 27 Mar 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2021 |
Abstract
Background: Atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition has impacted many regions across the Northern Hemisphere inducing acidification and eutrophication of terrestrial ecosystems. However, acidification and eutrophication processes may differently impact litter decomposition and thus soil carbon (C) dynamics. Methods: We performed a field soil chemistry manipulation in two mountainous temperate forest stands (Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica) historically affected by acid (S and N) deposition. In each stand, four treatments were established: control, acid addition (H2SO4 – 50 kg S·ha− 1·year− 1), N addition (NH4NO3 – 50 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1) and their combination. In fourth year of manipulation, we established litter decomposition experiment. Litter bags of contrasting quality and origin (green tea, rooibos tea, spruce needles and beech leaves), in total 1536 samples, were buried below the organic layer and left to decompose up to 24 months. Retrieved samples were analysed for mass loss, C/N, and concentration of CuO oxidation lignin. Data were complemented by monitoring soil water pH and soil CO2 efflux. Results: Acid additions decreased soil water pH, soil respiration and suppressed decomposition of the high-quality litter (green tea) in both stands, whereas mass loss of remaining litter was reduced only in the spruce stand. Nitrogen treatments, when coupled with decreasing soil water pH, constrained needle decomposition in the naturally more acidic spruce stand. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a suppressing effect of soil acidity on decomposition processes and soil C dynamics. The effect of N addition, as a nutrient, was insignificant, likely because of previous ecosystem adaptation to historical N loadings.
Keywords
- Acidity, European beech, Litter decomposition, Nitrogen addition, Norway spruce, Tea bag initiative
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Soil Science
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Plant Science
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Plant and soil, Vol. 463, No. 1-2, 06.2021, p. 471-485.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Litter decomposition in European coniferous and broadleaf forests under experimentally elevated acidity and nitrogen addition
AU - Růžek, Michal
AU - Tahovská, Karolina
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Oulehle, Filip
N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Kateřina Zajícová and Oldřich Myška for their help with the field work and Leopold Sauheitl for providing us access to the CuO oxidation method. We thank Fred Rooks for proofreading. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. This study was supported by the Grant Agency of Charles University [GAUK506718] and by the Faculty of Science foundation. Filip Oulehle and Karolina Tahovská acknowledge Czech Science Foundation project 20-19471 S for long-term support of biogeochemical research.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Background: Atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition has impacted many regions across the Northern Hemisphere inducing acidification and eutrophication of terrestrial ecosystems. However, acidification and eutrophication processes may differently impact litter decomposition and thus soil carbon (C) dynamics. Methods: We performed a field soil chemistry manipulation in two mountainous temperate forest stands (Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica) historically affected by acid (S and N) deposition. In each stand, four treatments were established: control, acid addition (H2SO4 – 50 kg S·ha− 1·year− 1), N addition (NH4NO3 – 50 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1) and their combination. In fourth year of manipulation, we established litter decomposition experiment. Litter bags of contrasting quality and origin (green tea, rooibos tea, spruce needles and beech leaves), in total 1536 samples, were buried below the organic layer and left to decompose up to 24 months. Retrieved samples were analysed for mass loss, C/N, and concentration of CuO oxidation lignin. Data were complemented by monitoring soil water pH and soil CO2 efflux. Results: Acid additions decreased soil water pH, soil respiration and suppressed decomposition of the high-quality litter (green tea) in both stands, whereas mass loss of remaining litter was reduced only in the spruce stand. Nitrogen treatments, when coupled with decreasing soil water pH, constrained needle decomposition in the naturally more acidic spruce stand. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a suppressing effect of soil acidity on decomposition processes and soil C dynamics. The effect of N addition, as a nutrient, was insignificant, likely because of previous ecosystem adaptation to historical N loadings.
AB - Background: Atmospheric sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition has impacted many regions across the Northern Hemisphere inducing acidification and eutrophication of terrestrial ecosystems. However, acidification and eutrophication processes may differently impact litter decomposition and thus soil carbon (C) dynamics. Methods: We performed a field soil chemistry manipulation in two mountainous temperate forest stands (Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica) historically affected by acid (S and N) deposition. In each stand, four treatments were established: control, acid addition (H2SO4 – 50 kg S·ha− 1·year− 1), N addition (NH4NO3 – 50 kg N·ha− 1·year− 1) and their combination. In fourth year of manipulation, we established litter decomposition experiment. Litter bags of contrasting quality and origin (green tea, rooibos tea, spruce needles and beech leaves), in total 1536 samples, were buried below the organic layer and left to decompose up to 24 months. Retrieved samples were analysed for mass loss, C/N, and concentration of CuO oxidation lignin. Data were complemented by monitoring soil water pH and soil CO2 efflux. Results: Acid additions decreased soil water pH, soil respiration and suppressed decomposition of the high-quality litter (green tea) in both stands, whereas mass loss of remaining litter was reduced only in the spruce stand. Nitrogen treatments, when coupled with decreasing soil water pH, constrained needle decomposition in the naturally more acidic spruce stand. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a suppressing effect of soil acidity on decomposition processes and soil C dynamics. The effect of N addition, as a nutrient, was insignificant, likely because of previous ecosystem adaptation to historical N loadings.
KW - Acidity
KW - European beech
KW - Litter decomposition
KW - Nitrogen addition
KW - Norway spruce
KW - Tea bag initiative
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103394550&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11104-021-04926-9
DO - 10.1007/s11104-021-04926-9
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85103394550
VL - 463
SP - 471
EP - 485
JO - Plant and soil
JF - Plant and soil
SN - 0032-079X
IS - 1-2
ER -