Litter stocks and chemical quality of natural birch forests along temperature and precipitation gradients in eastern Inner Mongolia, China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.09.001

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Forest litter is both a large source of CO₂ released from terrestrial ecosystems to the atmosphere and a critical sink of carbon and nutrients for plant growth. Studying dynamics of forest litter and its response to temperature and precipitation changes can improve our understanding of forest carbon and nutrient cycles and their interactions with projected climate change. Our objective was to examine the stocks and chemical quality of forest litter in natural birch (Betula platyphylla) forests that vary in both annual mean temperature (AMT) and annual mean precipitation (AMP).

Methods During July and August 2008, we measured the standing stocks and concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus and organic fractions (extractives, acid soluble fraction (AS) and acid insoluble fraction (AIF)) of three litter layers (L1: slightly decomposed layer, L2: half-decomposed layer and L3: humus layer) in the forest floor of 12 birch forests in Inner Mongolia, China.

Important findings Along the decomposition gradient (i.e., from L1 to L3), nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations increased, AS concentration decreased, AIF concentration increased but extractives did not show significant change. Temperature and precipitation did not have significant effects on carbon fractions but at sites where AMT was higher, carbon stocks in L3 layer were higher, probably because of greater accumulation at higher-temperature sites as a result of higher litter production but similar decomposition rate compared to lower-temperature sites. These findings indicate that the litter layer (particularly the L3 layer) is an important carbon and nutrient pool at the ecosystem scale and future increases in temperature without concurrent increases in precipitation may enhance litter accumulation in these natural birch forests.

Key words: Betula platyphylla, decomposition, litter, precipitation, temperature

CHEN Sha-Sha, LIU Hong-Yan, GUO Da-Li. Litter stocks and chemical quality of natural birch forests along temperature and precipitation gradients in eastern Inner Mongolia, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(9): 1007-1015.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.09.001

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I9/1007

Figures/Tables 7

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地点 Site	缩写 Abbreviation	经度 Longitude (°) (E)	纬度 Latitude (°) (N)	海拔 Altitude (m)	坡度 Slope (°)	温度梯度 Temperature gradient	降水梯度 Precipitation gradient	胸径 DBH (cm)	胸高断面积 Basal area (m²·hm^-2)	凋落物现存量 Litter stock (g·m^-2)
罕山 Hanshan	HS	118.71	44.19	1389.0	26	T4	Pre3	14.8	59.7	3 614.2
太本 Taiben	TB	118.64	44.57	1330.0	23	T4	Pre2	23.0	48.1	3 686.9
高力罕 Gaolihan	GLH	118.35	44.85	1214.0	17	T4	Pre1	18.2	10.6	3 194.5
海日罕 Hairihan	HRH	120.33	45.99	884.8	15	T3	Pre3	7.2	12.7	1 694.8
阿尔昆 A’erkun	AEK	119.82	45.33	962.8	28	T3	Pre2	7.6	20.0	614.5
宝日格斯台 Baorigesitai	BRG	118.92	44.99	1 176.0	16	T3	Pre1	15.1	58.4	3 881.0
阿尔山 A’ershan	AES	119.98	47.16	1 125.0	8	T2	Pre3	9.5	35.3	3 183.7
杜拉尔 Dula’er	DLE	119.69	47.34	940.0	13	T2	Pre2	10.8	42.8	1 520.3
罕达盖 Handagai	HDG	119.47	47.45	885.5	33	T2	Pre1	9.6	36.9	2 285.1
姑子庙 Guzimiao	GZM	120.69	50.40	662.7	14	T1	Pre3	12.3	64.6	2 760.8
小乌尔根 Xiaowu’ergen	XWEG	120.48	50.38	633.5	26	T1	Pre2	13.7	47.5	2 756.4
额尔古纳 E’erguna	EEGN	120.23	50.35	666.0	15	T1	Pre1	9.4	40.2	2 370.1

地点 Site	缩写 Abbreviation	经度 Longitude (°) (E)	纬度 Latitude (°) (N)	海拔 Altitude (m)	坡度 Slope (°)	温度梯度 Temperature gradient	降水梯度 Precipitation gradient	胸径 DBH (cm)	胸高断面积 Basal area (m²·hm^-2)	凋落物现存量 Litter stock (g·m^-2)
罕山 Hanshan	HS	118.71	44.19	1389.0	26	T4	Pre3	14.8	59.7	3 614.2
太本 Taiben	TB	118.64	44.57	1330.0	23	T4	Pre2	23.0	48.1	3 686.9
高力罕 Gaolihan	GLH	118.35	44.85	1214.0	17	T4	Pre1	18.2	10.6	3 194.5
海日罕 Hairihan	HRH	120.33	45.99	884.8	15	T3	Pre3	7.2	12.7	1 694.8
阿尔昆 A’erkun	AEK	119.82	45.33	962.8	28	T3	Pre2	7.6	20.0	614.5
宝日格斯台 Baorigesitai	BRG	118.92	44.99	1 176.0	16	T3	Pre1	15.1	58.4	3 881.0
阿尔山 A’ershan	AES	119.98	47.16	1 125.0	8	T2	Pre3	9.5	35.3	3 183.7
杜拉尔 Dula’er	DLE	119.69	47.34	940.0	13	T2	Pre2	10.8	42.8	1 520.3
罕达盖 Handagai	HDG	119.47	47.45	885.5	33	T2	Pre1	9.6	36.9	2 285.1
姑子庙 Guzimiao	GZM	120.69	50.40	662.7	14	T1	Pre3	12.3	64.6	2 760.8
小乌尔根 Xiaowu’ergen	XWEG	120.48	50.38	633.5	26	T1	Pre2	13.7	47.5	2 756.4
额尔古纳 E’erguna	EEGN	120.23	50.35	666.0	15	T1	Pre1	9.4	40.2	2 370.1

	L	L × T	L × Pre	L × T × Pre	T	Pre	T × Pre
碳浓度 C concentration	<0.001	0.327	0.746	0.885	0.000	0.136	0.037
氮浓度 N concentration	<0.001	0.006	0.929	0.006	0.018	0.065	0.021
磷浓度 P concentration	<0.001	0.004	0.397	0.002	<0.001	0.013	<0.001
可提取物浓度 Extractives concentration	0.010	0.242	0.623	0.105	0.412	0.772	0.021
酸溶性组分浓度 Acid soluble fraction concentration	<0.001	0.029	0.054	0.028	0.406	0.122	0.009
酸不溶性组分浓度 Acid insoluble fraction concentration	0.005	0.091	0.246	0.037	0.239	0.212	0.021
碳储量 C stock	<0.001	0.018	0.173	0.017	0.018	0.446	0.003
氮储量 N stock	<0.001	0.003	0.094	0.002	0.001	0.446	0.001
磷储量 P stock	<0.001	0.001	0.012	<0.001	<0.001	0.225	<0.001

	L	L × T	L × Pre	L × T × Pre	T	Pre	T × Pre
碳浓度 C concentration	<0.001	0.327	0.746	0.885	0.000	0.136	0.037
氮浓度 N concentration	<0.001	0.006	0.929	0.006	0.018	0.065	0.021
磷浓度 P concentration	<0.001	0.004	0.397	0.002	<0.001	0.013	<0.001
可提取物浓度 Extractives concentration	0.010	0.242	0.623	0.105	0.412	0.772	0.021
酸溶性组分浓度 Acid soluble fraction concentration	<0.001	0.029	0.054	0.028	0.406	0.122	0.009
酸不溶性组分浓度 Acid insoluble fraction concentration	0.005	0.091	0.246	0.037	0.239	0.212	0.021
碳储量 C stock	<0.001	0.018	0.173	0.017	0.018	0.446	0.003
氮储量 N stock	<0.001	0.003	0.094	0.002	0.001	0.446	0.001
磷储量 P stock	<0.001	0.001	0.012	<0.001	<0.001	0.225	<0.001

	L1			L2			L3
	T	Pre	T × Pre	T	Pre	T × Pre	T	Pre	T × Pre
碳浓度 C concentration	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	0.001	> 0.05	0.004	0.015	> 0.05	> 0.05
氮浓度 N concentration	0.014	0.017	0.002	< 0.001	0.022	0.004	> 0.05	0.021	> 0.05
磷浓度 P concentration	< 0.001	0.031	< 0.001	< 0.001	0.004	0.010	> 0.05	0.038	< 0.001
可提取物浓度 Extractives concentration	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	0.002	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05
酸溶性组分浓度 Acid soluble fraction concentration	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05
酸不溶性组分浓度 Acid insoluble fraction concentration	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05	0.045	0.002	> 0.05	> 0.05	> 0.05
碳储量 C stock	> 0.05	0.035	> 0.05	> 0.05	0.037	> 0.05	0.003	0.024	0.002
氮储量 N stock	0.044	> 0.05	0.011	> 0.05	0.026	> 0.05	< 0.001	0.009	< 0.001
磷储量 P stock	0.025	> 0.05	0.020	> 0.05	0.019	> 0.05	< 0.001	0.002	0.001