Influence of climate and litter quality on litter decomposition and nutrient release in sub-tropical forest of Northeast India

Abstract

Leaf litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient return through litterfall of three dominant species, i.e. Quercus serrata, Schima wallichi and Lithocarpus dealbata were studied in different months throughout the year to assess the input and release of nutrient in the forest soil of a sub-tropical mixed oak forest of Manipur, northeastern India. Oaks in northeastern region of India are economically important species for the production of Tasar silk. The monthly litterfall ranged from 25.6 g·m⁻² (July) to 198.0 g·m⁻² (February) and annual litterfall was 1093.8g·m⁻² in the forest site. At initial month (on November 3), the concentrations of N and C were the highest in L. dealbata, followed by Q. serrata and lowest in S. wallichi, whereas lignin and cellulose concentrations at initial month were the highest in S. wallichi, followed by Q. serrata and L. dealbata. L. dealbata (k =0.54) exhibited a high rate of litter decomposition, coinciding with high concentrations of N and C and low cellulose in the litter at initial month. However, low rate of litter decomposition in S. wallichi (k = 0.33) coincided with low value of N and C and highest value of lignin and cellulose at initial month. The remaining biomass in different months was positively correlated with the lignin, C, C/N ratio and cellulose, but it negatively correlated with nitrogen concentrations at initial month. The rate of litter decomposition was the highest in rainy summer months, owing to congenial environmental conditions and lowest rate of litter decomposition in cool and dry winter months.

Keywords

nutrient use efficiency / Quercus serrata / nitrogen / lignin and litter quality

References

[1] Albers D., Migge S., Schaefer M., Scheu S.. Decomposition of beech (Fagus sylvatica) leaves and spruce (Picea abies) needles in pure and mixed stands of beech and spruce. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2004, 36: 155-164.

[2] Alexander M.. Soil Microbiology, 1977 Second edition New York, USA: John Wiley and Sons, 467.

[3] Arunachalam A., Arunachalam K., Pandey H.N., Tripathi R.S.. Fine lit terfall and nutrient dynamics during forest regrowth in the humid subtropics of north-eastern India. Forest Ecology and Management, 1998, 4409: 1-11.

[4] Arunachalam A., Arunachalam K., Pandey H.N., Tripathi R.S.. Leaf litter decomposition and nutrient mineralisation patterns in regrowing stands of a humid subtropical forest after tree cutting. Forest Ecology and Management, 1998, 4367: 1-11.

[5] Berg B., Tamm O.. Decomposition and nutrient dynamics of litter in long term optimum nutrition experiments. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 1991, 6: 305-321.

[6] Bocock K.L.. Changes in the amount of nitrogen in decomposing leaf litter of sessile Oak (Quercus Petraca). Journal of Ecology, 1963, 51: 555-566.

[7] Bray J.R., Gorham E.. Litter production in forests of world. Advances in Ecological Research, 1964, 2: 101-157.

[8] Bremner J.M., Mulvaney C.S.. A.L. Miller R.H., Keeney D.R.. Nitrogen total. Methods of Soil Analysis. 1982, USA: American Society of Agronomy and Soil Science Society of America, Madison, WI, 595 624

[9] Champion H.G., Seth S.K.. The forest type of India. 1968, Delhi: The Manager of Publications, 1 35

[10] Cooper A.. Litterfall and decomposition in tropical Xeromorphic woodland and Scrub. Tropical Ecology, 1982, 23: 193-207.

[11] Devi N.B., Yadava P.S.. Seasonal dynamics in soil microbial biomass C, N and P in a mixed-oak forest ecosystem of Manipur, North-east India. Applied Soil Ecology, 2006, 31: 220-227.

[12] Franken M., Irmler Klinge H.. Litterfall in inundation, Riverine and Terra firme forests of Central Amazonia. Tropical Ecology, 1979, 20: 225-235.

[13] Gallardo A., Merino J.. Leaf decomposition in two Mediterranean ecosystems of Southwest Spain: influence of substrate quality. Ecology, 1993, 74(1): 152-161.

[14] Garkoti S.C., Singh S.P.. Forest floor mass, litterfall and nutrient return in Central Himalayan high altitude forest. Vegetatio, 1995, 120: 33-48.

[15] Gessel S.P., Turner J.. Litter production by Red Alder in Western Washington. Forest Science, 1974, 20: 325-330.

[16] Gillon D., Joffre R., Ibrahim A.. Initial litter properties and decay rate microcosm experiment on Mediterranean species. Canadian Journal of Botany, 1994, 72: 946-954.

[17] Guo L.B., Sims R.E.H.. Eucalypt litter decomposition and nutrient release under a short rotation forest regime and effluent irrigation treatments in New Zealand II. Internal effects. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2002, 34: 913-922.

[18] Harmon M., Franklin J.F., Swanson F.J., Sollins P., Gregory S., Lattin V.J.D.. Ecology of coarse woody debris in temperate ecosystems. Advances in Ecological Research, 1986, 15: 133-302.

[19] Hedges J.I., Mann D.C.. The characterization of plant tissue by their lignin oxidation products. Geochemica et cosmochemica Acta, 1979, 43: 1803-1807.

[20] Isaac S.R., Nair M.A.. Biodegradation of leaf litter in the warm humid tropics of Kerala, India. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2005, 37(9): 1656-1664.

[21] Jenson B.. Dickinson Ch., Pugh G.J.F.. Decomposition of Angiosperm tree leaf litter. Biology of Plant litter decomposition, Vol. I. 1974, London and New York: Academic Press London and New York, 69 104

[22] Jonsson L.M., Dighton J., Lussenhop J., Koide R.T.. The effect of mixing ground leaf litters to soil on the development of pitch pine ectomycorrhizal and soil arthropod communities in natural soil microcosm systems. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2006, 38(1): 134-144.

[23] Kurz C., Couteaux M.M., Thiery J.M.. Residence time and decomposition rate of Pinus pinaster needles in a forest floor from direct field measurements under a Mediterranean Climate. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2000, 3: 1197-1206.

[24] Laishram I.D., Yadava P.S.. Lignin and nitrogen in the decomposition of leaf litter in a subtropical forest ecosystem at Shiroy Hills in north-eastern India. Plant and Soil, 1988, 106: 59-64.

[25] Lugo A.E.. Comparison of tropical tree plantations with secondary forests of similar age. Ecological Monographs, 1992, 62: 1-41.

[26] Maheswaran J., Attiwill P.M.. Loss of organic matter, elements and organic fractions in decomposing Eucalyptus microcarpa leaf litter. Canadian Journal of Botany, 1987, 65: 2601-2606.

[27] Mc. Brayer J.F., Cromack K.. Effect of snow pack on oak-litter breakdown and nutrient release in a Minnesota forest. Pedobiologia, 1980, 20: 47-54.

[28] Meentenmeyer V.. Macroclimate and lignin control of decomposition rates. Ecology, 1979, 59: 465-472.

[29] Mellilo J.M., Aber J.D., Muratore J.M.. Nitrogen and lignin control of hardwood leaf litter decomposition dynamics. Ecology, 1982, 63: 621-626.

[30] Musvoto C., Campbell B.M., Kirchmann H.. Decomposition and nutrient release from mango and miombo woodland litter in Zimbabwe. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2000, 32: 1111-1119.

[31] O’Connell A.M., Grove T.S.. Attiwill P.M., Adams M.A.. Biomass Production, nutrient uptake and nutrient cycling in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) forests of South Western Australia. Nutrition of Eucalypts. 1996, Australia: CSIRO Australia, 155 189

[32] Okeke A.I., Omaliko C.P.E.. Leaf litter decomposition and carbon dioxide evolution of some agroforestry followed species in Southern Nigeria. Forest Ecology and Management, 1992, 50: 103-116.

[33] Olson J.S.. Energy storage and balance of producers and decomposers in ecological systems. Ecology, 1963, 44: 322-331.

[34] Pandey U., Singh J.S.. A quantitative study of forest floor, litterfall and nutrient return in an Oak conifer forest in Himalaya. II. Pattern of litterfall and nutrient. Oecologia, 1981, 2(2): 83-99.

[35] Pant S.C., Tiwari S.C.. Litterfall and litter decomposition in a Montane Oak forest of Garhwal Himalaya. Tropical Ecology, 1992, 33(1): 103-109.

[36] Parton W., Silver W.L., Burke I., Grassens L., Harmon M.E., Currie B., King J., Adair E.C., Brandt L., Hart S., Fasth B.. Global-scale similarities in nitrogen release patterns during long-term decomposition. Science, 2007, 315 361

[37] Quideau S.A., Graham R.C., Oh S.W., Hendrix P.F., Wasylishen R.E.. Leaf litter decomposition in a chaparral ecosystem, southern California. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 2005, 37(11): 1988-1998.

[38] Rapp M.. Repartition et flux de matiere organique dans un ecosysteme a Pinus pinea L. Annual Science Forestry, 1984, 41: 253-272.

[39] Rawat Y.S., Singh J.S.. Forest floor biomass, litterfall and nutrient return in Central Himalayan Oak forests. Vegetatio, 1989, 82: 113-125.

[40] Sanchez R.G., Alvarez-Sanchez J.. Litterfall in primary and secondary tropical forests of Mexico. Tropical Ecology, 1995, 36: 191-201.

[41] Santa Regina I., Rapp M., Martin A., Gallardo J.F.. Nutrient release dynamics in decomposing leaf litter in two Mediterranean deciduous Oak species. Annual Science Forestry, 1997, 54: 747-740.

[42] Santa Regina I., Tarazona T.. Dynamics of litter decomposition in two Mediterranean climatic zone forests of the Sierra de la Demanda, Burgos, Spain. Arid Soil Research Rehabitat, 1995, 9: 201-207.

[43] Santa Regina I.. Litterfall, decomposition and nutrient release in three semi-arid forests of the Duero basin, Spain. Forestry, 2001, 74: 347-358.

[44] Shanks R.E., Olson J.S.. First year breakdown of leaf litter in Southern Appalachian forests. Science, 1961, 134: 194-195.

[45] Sharma E., Ambasht R.S.. Litterfall, decomposition and nutrient release in an age sequence of Alnus nepalensis Plantation stands in the Eastern Himalaya. Journal of Ecology, 1987, 75: 997-1010.

[46] Singh J.S., Singh S.P.. Forests of Himalaya: Structure, functioning and Impact of Man. Nainital. 1992, India: Gyanodaya Prakashan

[47] Singh K.P., Singh P.K., Tripathi S.K.. Litterfall, litter decomposition and nutrient release patterns in four native tree species raised on coal mine spoil at Singrauli, India. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 1999, 29: 371-378.

[48] Swift M.J., Heal O.W., Anderson J.M.. Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. Vol. 5. 1979, Berkeley: University of California Press, 509.

[49] Taylor B.R., Parkinson D., Parson W.E.J.. Nitrogen and lignin contents as predictors of liter decay rates. A microsm test. Ecology, 1989, 70: 97-104.

[50] Upadhyaya V.P.. Effect of initial litter quality on decomposition rates of the tree leaf litter in Himalayan Forest Ecosystems. Tropical Ecology, 1993, 34(1): 44-50.

[51] Vitousek P.. Nutrient cycling and nutrient use efficiency. American Naturalist, 1982, 119: 553-572.

[52] Vitousek P.M., Sanford R.L.. Nutrient cycling in most tropical forest. Annual Review of Ecological System, 1986, 17: 137-167.

[53] Vitousek P.M.. Litterfall nutrient cycling, and nutrient limitation in tropical forests. Ecology, 1984, 65: 285-298.