Control of pitch pine seed germination and initial growth exerted by leaf litters and polyphenolic compounds

We investigated the influence of three concentrations of water extracts of three leaf litter species (pitch pine, huckleberry and white oak) and a mixture of all litters on the germination of pitch pine seeds and initial seedling growth in a microcosm experiment. All three plant species are important components of the pine barrens ecosystems in New Jersey, where it has been seen that pine seedling recruitment occurs only after stand replacing fire or in disturbed sites, where surface organic soil horizons and leaf litter have been removed. Leaf litter extracts did not influence seed germination, but significantly reduced seedling growth at high concentrations. There was little difference between the leaf litter species in growth suppression. As charcoal is a natural residue on the forest floor following fire, its influence on growth suppression was examined; it has been shown to immobilize polyphenols. Charcoal removed the inhibitory effect of leaf litter extracts and allowed the fertilizer effect of nutrients leached from the leaves to enhance seedling growth, particularly at the higher concentration of litter extract used. Responses to litter extracts were compared to four pure phenolic compounds, catchecol, p-coumaric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and tannic acid. None of these compounds suppressed pine seedling growth, suggesting that these phenolics are not allelopathic to pine seedlings. The results are discussed in the context of fire as a driving factor in these oligotrophic and seasonally dry ecosystems and the interactions between nutrient supply and allelopathic chemistry of different leaf litters.     

Immobilization of avian excreta-derived nutrients and reduced lignin decomposition in needle and twig litter in a temperate coniferous forest

The possible effects of excreta of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo on decomposition processes and dynamics of nutrients (N, P, Ca, K, Mg) and organic chemical components (lignin, total carbohydrates) were investigated in a temperate evergreen coniferous forest near Lake Biwa in central Japan. Two-year decomposition processes of needles and twigs of Chamaecyparis obtusa were examined at two sites, control site never colonized by the cormorants (site C) and colonizing site (site 2). Mass loss was faster in needles than in twigs. Mass loss of these litter types was faster at site C than at site 2, which was ascribed to the decreased mass loss rate of acid-insoluble ‘lignin’ at site 2. Net immobilization of N, P, and Ca occurred in needles and twigs at site 2; whereas at site C, mass of these elements decreased without immobilization during decomposition. Duration of immobilization phase of these nutrients at site 2 was estimated to be 1.6 to 2.5 years in needles and 19.6 to 23.5 years in twigs. Immobilization potential (maximum amount of exogenous nutrient immobilized per gram initial material) was similar between needles and twigs for N and Ca but was about 10 times higher in twigs than in needles for P. δ¹³C in needles was relatively constant during the first year and then increased during the second year, whereas δ¹³C in twigs was variable during decomposition. Acid-insoluble fraction was depleted in ¹³C compared to whole needles (1.6-2.1‰) and twigs (2.0-2.5‰). δ¹⁵N of needles and twigs and their acid-insoluble fractions approached to δ¹⁵N of excreta during decomposition at site 2. This result demonstrated the immobilization of excreta-derived N into litter due to the formation of acid-insoluble lignin-like substances complexed with excreta-derived N. No immobilization occurred in K and Mg and their mass decreased during decomposition at both sites. Based on these results of nutrient immobilization during decomposition and on the data of litter fall and excreta amount at site 2, we tentatively calculated stand-level immobilization potential of litter fall and its contribution to total amount of N and P deposited as excreta. Thus, the potential maximum amount immobilized into litter fall (needles and twigs) was estimated to account for 5-7% of total excreta-derived N and P.     

Mineralization and volatile loss of nitrogen from soils treated with coal combustion byproducts

There is an increasing need to find a suitable means for disposal of coal combustion byproducts because of the increasing world-wide production of these byproducts. This need has prompted interest in the use of land disposal, but there are concerns that this use may degrade the quality of soil. To determine the influence of coal combustion byproducts on the transformation and fate of soil N and assess the potential impact of land disposal on soil quality, we studied the effects of two combustion byproducts (fly ash and bed ash) applied at rates of 22.5, 45, 90, and 180 Mg ha^-1 on mineralization and volatile loss of N from soil. Studies comparing the influence of the byproducts on these processes showed that whereas fly ash had little influence on the fate of soil N, bed ash caused substantial mineralization of organic soil N and volatile loss of this N as NH₃. Studies monitoring the pH of soils treated with bed ash showed that soil pH increased immediately after this treatment, with values reaching as high as 12.8. These studies indicated that such extreme alkaline conditions caused chemical degradation and volatile loss of as much as 10% of the organic N in soil, and they provide strong evidence that the improper disposal of bed ash on land can have a substantial negative impact on soil quality.     

Fungal colonization as affected by litter depth and decomposition stage of needle litter

The present study was designated to evaluate the relative effects of litter depth and decomposition stage of needles on fungal colonization of needle litter in field experiments. The experiment was carried out in coniferous temperate forests in central Japan. Needle litter of Chamaecyparis obtusa and Pinus pentaphylla var. himekomatsu at two decomposition stages (recently dead and partly decomposed) were placed into the organic layer at two depths (on the surface of and beneath the litter layer). Fungal colonization of needles after 1 year was examined in terms of hyphal abundance and frequency of fungal species. Total and live hyphal length on needles were affected by the litter depth and (or) the decomposition stage of needles. Length of darkly pigmented hyphae on needles was 1.7-2.6 times greater beneath the litter layer than on the litter surface regardless of the decomposition stage of needles. Length of clamp-bearing hyphae in Pinus pentaphylla was 5.0-5.2 times greater in partly decomposed needles than in recently dead needles regardless of the litter depth. Frequencies of Pestalotiopsis spp. and Cladosporium cladosporioides were higher on recently dead needles than on partly decomposed needles and (or) were higher on the litter surface than beneath the litter layer. Frequencies of Trichoderma, Penicillium, and Umbelopsis species generally were higher on partly decomposed needles than on recently dead needles and were higher beneath the litter layer than on the surface.     

Production of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes and degradation of leaf litter by saprotrophic basidiomycetes isolated from a Quercus petraea forest

Due to the production of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes, saprotrophic basidiomycetes can significantly contribute to the turnover of soil organic matter. The production of lignin- and polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and changes of the chemical composition of litter were studied with three isolates from a Quercus petraea forest. These isolates were capable of fresh litter degradation and were identified as Gymnopus sp., Hypholoma fasciculare and Rhodocollybia butyracea. Within 12 weeks of incubation, H. fasciculare decomposed 23%, R. butyracea 32% and Gymnopus sp. 38% of the substrate dry mass. All fungi produced laccase and Mn-peroxidase (MnP) and none of them produced lignin peroxidase or other Mn-independent peroxidases. There was a clear distinction in the enzyme production pattern between R. butyracea or H. fasciculare compared to Gymnopus sp. The two former species caused the fastest mass loss during the initial phase of litter degradation, accompanied by the temporary production of laccase (and MnP in H. fasciculare) and also high production of hydrolytic enzymes that later decreased. In contrast, Gymnopus sp. showed a stable rate of litter mass loss over the whole incubation period with a later onset of ligninolytic enzyme production and a longer lasting production of both lignin and cellulose-degrading enzymes. The activity of endo-cleaving polysaccharide hydrolases in this fungus was relatively low but it produced the most cellobiose hydrolase. All fungi decreased the C/N ratio of the litter from 24 to 15-19 and Gymnopus sp. also caused a substantial decrease in the lignin content. Analytical pyrolysis mass spectrometry of litter decomposed by this fungus showed changes in the litter composition similar to those caused by white-rot fungi during wood decay. These changes were less pronounced in the case of H. fasciculare and R. butyracea. All fungi also changed the mean masses of humic acid and fulvic acid fractions isolated from degraded litter. The humic acid fraction after degradation by all three fungi contained more lignin and less carbohydrates. Compared to the decomposition by saprotrophic basidiomycetes, litter degradation in situ on the site of fungal isolation resulted in the relative enrichment of lignin and differences in lignin composition revealed by analytical pyrolysis. It can most probably be explained by the participation of non-basidiomycetous fungi and bacteria during natural litter decomposition.     

Earthworm and microbe response to litter and soils of tropical forest plantations with contrasting C:N:P stoichiometric ratios

1

The stoichiometry of resources is increasingly acknowledged as a major control of consumer activity and abundance. Chemical properties of litter, the main source of food for decomposers, are likely to be important drivers of decomposer activity.

2

Theory predicts a high control of resource stoichiometry on the abundance of consumer organisms that maintain strict homeostasis, due to costs associated with the regulation of nutrient balance in their body tissue. Decomposer efforts in nutrient acquisition should be related to imbalances in resource stoichiometry.

3

A 21 year old experimental plantation of monospecific plots of trees with leaves of contrasting chemistry was used to test four hypotheses: (i) soil and litter nutrient stoichiometry (C, N, P) are linked; (ii); soil enzyme activity ratios and stoichiometry are linked; (iii) earthworms’ tissue stoichiometry does not depend on soil and litter stoichiometry (homeostasis); (iv) earthworm density is dependent upon phosphorus availability, the most limiting nutrient in soils at this site, and, to a lesser extent, to nitrogen availability.

4

We found (i) no relationship between litter and soil stoichiometry, (ii) microbial activity was linked to soil stoichiometry, (iii) earthworms showed strict homeostasis in their tissue and (iv) earthworm abundance increased with P availability.

5

We discuss the mechanisms that might lead to these patterns.

     

Lignin and cellulose degradation and nitrogen dynamics during decomposition of three leaf litter species in a Mediterranean ecosystem

Cellulose and lignin degradation dynamics was monitored during the leaf litter decomposition of three typical species of the Mediterranean area, Cistus incanus L., Myrtus communis L. and Quercus ilex L., using the litter bag method. Total N and its distribution among lignin, cellulose and acid-detergent-soluble fractions were measured and related to the overall decay process. The litter organic substance of Cistus and Myrtus decomposed more rapidly than that of Quercus. The decay constants were 0.47 year⁻¹, 0.75 year⁻¹ and 0.30 year⁻¹ for Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, respectively. Lignin and cellulose contents were different as were their relative amounts (34 and 18%, 15 and 37%, 37 and 39% of the overall litter organic matter before exposure, for Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, respectively). Lignin began to decrease after 6 and 8 months of exposure in Cistus and Myrtus, respectively, while it did not change significantly during the entire study period in Quercus. The holocellulose, in contrast, began to decompose in Cistus after 1 year, while in Quercus and Myrtus immediately. Nitrogen was strongly immobilized in all the litters in the early period of decay. Its release began after the first year in Cistus and Myrtus and after 2 years of decomposition in Quercus. These litters still contained about 60, 20 and 90% of the initial nitrogen at the end of the experiment (3 years). Prior to litter exposure nitrogen associated with the lignin fraction was 65, 54 and 37% in Cistus, Myrtus and Quercus, while that associated with the cellulose fraction was 30, 24 and 28%. Although most of the nitrogen was not lost from litters, its distribution among the litter components changed significantly during decomposition. In Cistus and Myrtus the nitrogen associated with lignin began to decrease just 4 months after exposure. In Quercus this process was slowed and after 3 years of decomposition 8% of the nitrogen remained associated with lignin or lignin-like substances. The nitrogen associated with cellulose or cellulose-like substances, in contrast, began to decrease from the beginning of cellulose decomposition in all three species. At the end of the study period most of the nitrogen was not associated to the lignocellulose fraction but to the acid-detergent-soluble substance (87, 88 and 84% of the remaining litter nitrogen).     

Site of leaf origin affects how mixed litter decomposes

Recent studies have demonstrated that mass loss, nutrient dynamics, and decomposer associations in leaf litter from a given plant species can differ when leaves of that species decay alone compared to when they decay mixed with other species’ leaves. Results of litter-mix experiments have been variable, however, making predictions of decomposition in mixtures difficult. It is not known, for example, whether interactions among litter types in litter mixes are similar across sites, even for litter mixtures containing the same plant species. To address this issue, we used reciprocal transplants of litter in compartmentalized litterbags to study decomposition of equal-mass litter mixtures of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and red oak (Quercus rubra L.) at four forest sites in northwestern Connecticut. These species differ significantly in litter quality. Red oak always has higher lignin concentrations than maple, and here C:N is lower in oak leaves and litter, a pattern often observed when oak coexists with maple. Overall, we observed less mass loss and lower N accumulation in sugar maple and red oak litter mixtures than we predicted from observed dynamics in single-species litterbags. Whether these differences were significant or not depended on the site of origin of the leaves (P<0.02), but there was no significant interaction between sites of decay and the differences in observed and predicted decomposition (P>0.2) . Mixing of leaf litter types could have significant impacts on nutrient cycling in forests, but the extent of the impacts can vary among sites and depends on the origin of mixed leaves even when the species composition of mixes is constant.     

Annual dynamics of phosphatase activities in an evergreen oak litter: influence of biotic and abiotic factors

As part of a study of the processes involved in litter biodegradation, we considered the variations over 1 year of the phosphatase activities in sclerophyllous evergreen oak litter (Quercus ilex L.). Evergreen oak is representative of tree species in the forests of the French Mediterranean area. Acid (E.C. 3.1.3.2.) and alkaline (E.C. 3.1.3.1.) phosphatases, were measured over 13 months in the forest litter, along with several biotic and abiotic variables, potentially involved in the regulation of these enzymes. These comprised moisture, temperature, pH, water-extractable inorganic P (P_I), fungi, culturable heterotrophic bacteria and protein concentrations. Moisture considerably affected the production of proteins and acid phosphatases, probably formed by litter microorganisms. This result corroborated the study of Criquet et al. [Soil Biology and Biochemistry 34 (2002) 1111] which indicated that rainfall was the most important factor regulating the production and the activity of numerous enzymes in sclerophyllous forest litter. However, it appeared that moisture cannot alone predict all of the variations in phosphatase activities and the mineralisation rate of organic P (P_O). Indeed, principal component analyses (PCA) and multiple regressions showed that temperature and bacterial communities were also implicated in phosphatase dynamics and P_O mineralisation. Acid phosphatases were negatively correlated with the temperature, whilst alkaline phosphatases were positively correlated with this variable. The significant correlation obtained between bacteria and P_I concentrations, and the lack of correlation between bacteria and both acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterases, suggest that other important phosphatase types, such as phosphodiesterases, must be strongly implicated in P_O mineralisation of the litter and in the regulation of P microbial metabolism.     

FT-IR study of the changes in carbohydrate chemistry of three New Jersey pine barrens leaf litters during simulated control burning

Low intensity control burns are a standard fuel reduction management tool used in pine barrens ecosystems. Periodic disturbances through fire can be an important influence on the cycling of nutrients within the ecosystem. Previous studies have shown that the inorganic chemistry of leaf litter residues differs with increasing temperature. Our study compared chemical changes in white oak (Quercus alba), pitch pine (Pinus rigida) and black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), characteristic of the New Jersey pine barrens, during thermal decomposition using FT-IR spectroscopy. Three replicates of senescent leaf material were ground and separately heated for 2 h at: 100, 200, 300, 400 and 550 °C. These temperatures are representative of the range seen in fuel reducing prescribed burns in the pine barrens. Unburned litter of each species was used as a control. An optimization process using varying amounts of KBr and oak litter was performed to develop favorable FT-IR spectral conditions for a sample to KBr ratio of 0.75%. Chemometric analysis of the FT-IR spectra using principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze the changes in carbohydrate chemistry of each litter plant species (leaf litter species) at each temperature. In general, it appears that there is clear separation of leaf litter species at the different combustion temperatures. Infrared spectroscopy illustrated that all three species shared wavenumbers characteristic of the primary components of leaves such as cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose. Results from the PCA indicated separation of litter species and species by combustion temperature. PC axis 1 corresponds to the effects of temperature on leaf litter species and PC axis 2 separates the leaf litter species. At the low temperatures (control-200 °C), oak, pine and huckleberry litter species separated from each other. Wavenumbers that contributed to the separation of species at low temperatures belonged to functional group stretching frequencies of outer surface waxes, basic sugars, fatty acids and aldehydes. It appears that oak had more IR bands specific to suberin content. Convergence of these species occurs at 300 °C. Complexity of chemical composition decreases at this particular temperature as is shown by the decrease in wavenumber richness when compared to litters at low and high temperatures. Oak, pine and huckleberry had similar IR spectra showing bands belonging to outer surface wax content, pectin, lignin and hemicellulose. With increasing temperatures (400-550 °C), differences between litter species increased slightly. Plant material was reduced to similar composition due to thermal decomposition, which consisted of inorganic materials such as carbonate, phosphate and sulfate ions and possible fused aromatics.     

The biochemical transformation of oak (Quercus robur) leaf litter consumed by the pill millipede (Glomeris marginata)

Soil macrofauna play an essential role in the initial comminution and degradation of organic matter entering the soil environment and yet the chemical effects of digestion on leaf litter are poorly understood at the molecular level. This study was undertaken to assess the selective chemical transformations that saprophagous soil invertebrates mediate in consumed leaf litter. A number of pill millipedes (Glomeris marginata) were fed oak leaves (Quercus robur) after which the biomolecular compositions (lipids and macromolecular components) of the leaves and millipede faeces were compared using a series of wet chemical techniques and subsequent analysis by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). It was found that the concentrations of short chain (<C₂₀) n-alkanoic acids, sterols and triacylglycerols reduced dramatically in the millipede faeces relative to the leaf litter. Hydrolysable carbohydrates and proteins both decreased in concentration in the faeces, whereas similar yields of phenolic components were observed for the cupric oxidation products of lignin, although the oxygenated functionalities were affected by passage through the millipede gut, yielding a more highly condensed state for lignin. This shows that the chemical composition of fresh organic matter entering the soil is directly controlled by invertebrates feeding upon the leaf litter and as such that they are key contributors to the early stages of diagenesis in terrestrial soils.     

The fate of condensed tannins during litter consumption by soil animals

Condensed tannins (CT) can strongly affect litter decomposition, but their fate during the decomposition process, in particular as influenced by detritivore consumption, is not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that litter CT are reduced by the gut passage of two functionally distinct detritivores of Mediterranean forests, the millipede Glomeris marginata, and the land snail Pomatias elegans, as a fixed proportion of initial litter CT, but more so in Pomatias since snails are known to have a more efficient enzymatic capacity. Contrary to our hypothesis, both detritivore species reduced litter CT to near zero in their faecal pellets irrespective of the wide range in initial leaf litter CT concentrations of 9-188 mg g⁻¹ d m among three Mediterranean tree species (Pistacia terebinthus, Quercus ilex, Alnus glutinosa) and different decomposition stages of their litter. The almost complete disappearance of CT even from some litter types highly concentrated in CT, due to either degradation by gut microorganism or complexation of CT into insoluble high molecular weight structures, suggests a high “de-tanning” efficiency across functionally distinct detritivore species. The transformation of CT-rich litter into virtually CT-free faecal pellets by detritivores might be highly relevant for the subsequent decomposition process in ecosystems with a high macrofauna abundance and CT-rich plant species such as Mediterranean forests.     

Functional diversity of microbial communities in the mixed boreal plain forest of central Canada

This study was designed to examine whether or not specific tree species (Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Pinus banksiana, Populus tremuloides), their post-fire stand age, or their position in a successional pathway had any significant effect on the functional diversity of associated soil microbial communities in a typical mixed boreal forest ecosystem (Duck Mountain Provincial Forest, Manitoba, Canada). Multivariate analyses designed to identify significant biotic and/or abiotic variables associated with patterns of organic substrate utilization (assessed using the BIOLOG™ System) revealed the overall similarity in substrate utilization by the soil microbial communities. The five clusters identified differed mainly by their substrate-utilization value rather than by specific substrate utilization. Variability in community functional diversity was not strongly associated to tree species or post-fire stand age; however, redundancy analysis indicated a stronger association between substrate utilization and successional pathway and soil pH. For example, microbial communities associated with the relatively high pH soils of the P. tremuloides-P. glauca successional pathway, exhibited a greater degree of substrate utilization than those associated with the P. banksiana-P. mariana successional pathway and more acidic soils. Differences in functional diversity specific to tree species were not observed and this may have reflected the mixed nature of the forest stands and of their heterogeneous forest floor. In a densely treed, mixed boreal forest ecosystem, great overlap in tree and understory species occur making it difficult to assign a definitive microbial community to any particular tree species. The presence of P. tremuloides in all stand types and post fire stand ages has probably contributed to the large amount of overlap in utilization profiles among soil samples.     

Mineralization of soil organic nitrogen solubilized by aqua ammonia fertilizer

Organic N solubilized by NH_3(aq) was extracted from ¹⁵N-labelled or unlabelled soil, concentrated and added to non-extracted soil, which was incubated under aerobic conditions at 27±1°C. Gross N mineralization, gross N immobilization, and nitrification in soils with or without addition of unlabelled soluble organic N were estimated by models based on the dilution of the NH ₄ ⁺ or NO _inf3 ^sup- pools, which were labelled with ¹⁵N at the beginning of incubation. Mineralization of labelled organic N was measured by the appearance of label in the mineral N pool. Although gross N mineralization and gross N immobilization were increased in two soils between day 0 and day 7 following addition of unlabelled organic N solubilized by NH_3(aq), there was no increase in net N mineralization. Solubilization of ¹⁵N-labelled organic N increased and the ¹⁵N enrichment of the soluble organic N decereased as the concentration of NH_3(aq) added increased. A constant proportion of approximately one-quarter of the labelled organic N added at different rates to non-extracted soil was recovered in the mineral N pool after an incubation period of 14 days, and the availability ratios calculated from net N mineralization data were 1.1:1 and 2.1:1 for 111 and 186 mg added organic-N kg^-1 soil, respectively, indicating that the mineralization of organic N was increased by solubilization.     

Saprotrophic fungi transform organic phosphorus from spruce needle litter

Fungal decomposition of and phosphorus transformation from spruce litter needles (Picea abies) were simulated in systems containing litter needles inoculated with individual saprotrophic fungal strains and their mixtures. Fungal strains of Setulipes androsaceus (L.) Antonín, Chalara longipes (Preus) Cooke, Ceuthospora pinastri (Fr.) Höhn., Mollisia minutella (Sacc.) Rehm, Scleroconidioma sphagnicola Tsuneda, Currah & Thormann and an unknown strain NK11 were used as representatives of autochthonous mycoflora. Systems were incubated for 5.5 months in laboratory conditions. Fungal colonization in systems and competition among strains were assessed using the reisolation of fungi from individual needles. After incubation, needles were extracted with NaOH and extracts were analysed using ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Needle decomposition was determined based on the decrease in C:N ratio. Systems inoculated with the basidiomycete S. androsaceus revealed substantial decrease in C:N ratio (from 25.8 to 11.3) while the effect of ascomycetes on the C:N ratio was negligible. We suppose that tested strains of saprotrophic ascomycetes did not participate substantially in litter decomposition, but were directly involved in phosphorus transformation and together with S. androsaceus could transform orthophosphate monoesters and diesters from spruce litter needles into diphosphates, polyphosphates and phosphonates. These transformations seem to be typical for saprotrophic fungi involved in litter needle decomposition, although the proportion of individual phosphorus forms differed among studied fungal strains. Phosphonate presence in needles after fungal inoculation is of special interest because no previous investigation recorded phosphonate synthesis and accumulation by fungi. Our results confirmed that the ³¹P NMR spectroscopy is an excellent instrumental method for studying transformations of soil organic phosphorus during plant litter decomposition. We suggest that polyphosphate production by S. androsaceus may contribute to the phosphorus cycle in forest ecosystems because this fungus is a frequent litter colonizer that substantially participates in decomposition.     

Nutrient utilization by pine seedlings and soil microbes in oligotrophic pine barrens forest soils subjected to prescribed fire treatment

The purpose of this greenhouse experiment was to examine the short-term effects of competition between pine seedlings and the soil microbial biomass in sandy oligotrophic pine barrens upland forest soils subjected to varying levels of prescribed fire severity. Pine seedling growth performance, microbial biomass nitrogen, extractable soil nutrients and leaching loss from the soil were determined, throughout a single growing season following fire treatment. Replicate soil cores exposed to three levels of fire severity were maintained in a greenhouse with or without a pine seedling. Throughout the following growing season replicate cores from each treatment were harvested and analyzed monthly. The data allowed testing for two main effects: soil fire treatment and tree presence/absence. In no instance was a significant fire treatment X tree presence/absence interaction found. Our results indicate that biological activity strongly influences soil conditions. Reduced microbial activity resulted from the interaction of soil microbial biomass and an individual pine seedling. Increased plant growth performance correlates with reduced soil mineral nitrogen concentration and decreased pH. At the levels of fire severity utilized in this experiment immobilization due to biological uptake and abiotic soil fixation prevented significant leaching losses above that of unburned control samples. In the oligotrophic, pine barrens soils, nitrogen and phosphorus mineralized by fire are largely conserved by biological processes. These results also suggest that plant growth is subject to limitation by phosphorus availability in these soils.     

Reduction of fungal growth and lignin decomposition in needle litter by avian excreta

The effects of excessive addition of excreta from the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, a colonial piscivorous bird, on the growth and the ability of fungi to decompose needle litter of Chamaecyparis obtusa were examined by a pure-culture test. Colony growth rate, mass loss of needle litter, and utilization patterns of lignin and carbohydrates were investigated and compared for 22 species in basidiomycetes, ascomycetes, and zygomycetes. Colony growth rate of basidiomycetes decreased on medium supplemented with excreta (excreta medium) as compared to control medium without excreta, whereas such a difference was not found for ascomycetes. Mass loss of needle litter caused by basidiomycetes was generally higher than those caused by ascomycetes and zygomycetes. Basidiomycetes decomposed both lignin and carbohydrates in various proportions, whereas ascomycetes and zygomycetes decomposed carbohydrates selectively. Mass loss of litter caused by basidiomycetes and ascomycetes was lower when incubated on excreta medium than on control medium. Mass loss of lignin and nitrogen caused by basidiomycetes was lower on excreta medium than on control medium, whereas such differences were not found for ascomycetes. Mass loss of carbohydrate was not different between the media for basidiomycetes or ascomycetes.     

Seasonal variation in trehalose contents of roots and nodules of leguminous trees in a tropical deciduous forest in Mexico

Seasonal variations of trehalose contents in roots and root-nodules of five legumes in a tropical deciduous forest in Jalisco, México, were determined. The tree species were: Lonchocarpus eriocarinalis and Erythrina lanata (sub-family Papilionoideae) and Piptadenia constricta, Albizia occidentalis and Lysiloma microphylum (sub-family Mimosoideae). Trehalose accumulation in nodules and roots varied seasonally and among species. For example, the Papilionoid-species retained nodules longer than those in the Mimosoideae (5 and 4 months, respectively), and accumulated the highest amounts of trehalose (average values of 178 vs. 2.88 mg g⁻¹ nodule (d. wt), respectively). Generally, maximum trehalose contents in nodules and roots were observed in November, at the beginning of the dry season.     

Effects of mycorrhizal roots and extraradical hyphae on N uptake from vineyard cover crop litter and the soil microbial community

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal hyphae to ¹⁵N uptake from vineyard cover crop litter (Medicago polymorpha), and to examine the soil microbial community under the influence of mycorrhizal roots and extraradical hyphae. Mycorrhizal grapevines (Vitis vinifera) were grown in specially designed containers, within which a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) mesh core was inserted. Different sizes of mesh allowed mycorrhizal roots (mycorrhizosphere treatment) or extraradical hyphae (hyphosphere treatment) to access dual labeled ¹⁵N and ¹³C cover crop litter that was placed inside the cores after 4 months of grapevine growth. Mesh cores in the bulk soil treatment, which served as a negative control, had the same mesh size as the hyphosphere treatment, but frequent rotation prevented extraradical hyphae from accessing the litter. Grapevines and soils were harvested 0, 7, 14, and 28 days after addition of the cover crop litter and examined for the presence of ¹⁵N. Soil microbial biomass and the soil microbial community inside the mesh cores were examined using phospholipid fatty acid analysis. ¹⁵N concentrations in grapevines in the hyphosphere treatment were twice that of grapevines in the bulk soil treatment, suggesting that extraradical hyphae extending from mycorrhizal grapevine roots may have a role in nutrient utilization from decomposing vineyard cover crops in the field. Nonetheless, grapevines in the mycorrhizosphere treatment had the highest ¹⁵N concentrations, thus highlighting the importance of a healthy grapevine root system in nutrient uptake. We detected similar peaks in soil microbial biomass in the mycorrhizosphere and hyphosphere treatments after addition of the litter, despite significantly lower microbial biomass in the hyphosphere treatment initially. Our results suggest that although grapevine roots play a dominant role in the uptake of nutrients from a decomposing cover crop, AM hyphae may have a more important role in maintaining soil microbial communities associated with nutrient cycling.     

Impacts of extreme winter warming events on litter decomposition in a sub-Arctic heathland

Arctic climate change is expected to lead to a greater frequency of extreme winter warming events. During these events, temperatures rapidly increase to well above 0 °C for a number of days, which can lead to snow melt at the landscape scale, loss of insulating snow cover and warming of soils. However, upon return of cold ambient temperatures, soils can freeze deeper and may experience more freeze-thaw cycles due to the absence of a buffering snow layer. Such loss of snow cover and changes in soil temperatures may be critical for litter decomposition since a stable soil microclimate during winter (facilitated by snow cover) allows activity of soil organisms. Indeed, a substantial part of fresh litter decomposition may occur in winter. However, the impacts of extreme winter warming events on soil processes such as decomposition have never before been investigated. With this study we quantify the impacts of winter warming events on fresh litter decomposition using field simulations and lab studies.Winter warming events were simulated in sub-Arctic heathland using infrared heating lamps and soil warming cables during March (typically the period of maximum snow depth) in three consecutive years of 2007, 2008, and 2009. During the winters of 2008 and 2009, simulations were also run in January (typically a period of shallow snow cover) on separate plots. The lab study included soil cores with and without fresh litter subjected to winter-warming simulations in climate chambers.Litter decomposition of common plant species was unaffected by winter warming events simulated either in the lab (litter of Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii), or field (litter of Vaccinium vitis-idaea, and B. pubescens ssp. czerepanovii) with the exception of Vaccinium myrtillus (a common deciduous dwarf shrub) that showed less mass loss in response to winter warming events. Soil CO₂ efflux measured in the lab study was (as expected) highly responsive to winter warming events but surprisingly fresh litter decomposition was not. Most fresh litter mass loss in the lab occurred during the first 3-4 weeks (simulating the period after litter fall).In contrast to past understanding, this suggests that winter decomposition of fresh litter is almost non-existent and observations of substantial mass loss across the cold season seen here and in other studies may result from leaching in autumn, prior to the onset of “true” winter. Further, our findings surprisingly suggest that extreme winter warming events do not affect fresh litter decomposition.