Effects of streams on lignin degradation during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0163

Abstract

Abstract:

AimsStreams are widely distributed in alpine forests, and litter decomposition in which is an important component of material cycling across the forest landscape. The leaching and fragmenting effects as well as the unique environmental factors in streams may have significant impacts on lignin degradation during litter decomposition, but studies on this are lacking.
Methods Using litterbag methods, we investigated the dynamics of lignin mass remaining and concentration (percent litter mass, %) during the decomposition of four foliar litters, which varied significantly in the initial litter chemical traits, from the dominant species of Salix paraplesia, Rhododendron lapponicum, Sabina saltuaria, and Larix mastersiana under different habitats (forest floor, stream, and riparian zone) in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River.
Important findings After two year’s incubation, litter lignin mass remaining for a specific litter species varied significantly (p < 0.05) among habitats, with an order of stream < riparian zone < forest floor. Lignin was degraded substantially in the early stage of litter decomposition process, and the lignin concentration first decreased and then increased with the proceeding of litter decomposition, but varied significantly (p < 0.05) among different litter species. Lignin mass showed a general trend of decrease across the 2-year decomposition course. In addition, habitat type, decomposition period and microenvironmental factors (e.g., temperature, pH value and nutrient availability) showed substantial influences on lignin degradation rate. These results suggest that the traditional view that lignin was relatively recalcitrant with an increase of concentration in the early stage of litter decomposition is challenged, but the loss of lignin in the early phrase is in line with recent findings about the fate of lignin during litter decomposition. Moreover, the significant differences of lignin degradation rates among different decomposition period and habitat types indicated that local-scale environmental factors can play a significant role in litter decomposition and lignin degradation processes.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201609004

Key words: carbon cycling, forest floor, stream, riparian zone, degradation rate, species, environmental factor

Kai YUE, Wan-Qin YANG, Yan PENG, Chun-Ping HUANG, Chuan ZHANG, Fu-Zhong WU. Effects of streams on lignin degradation during foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2016, 40(9): 893-901.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2016.0163

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2016/V40/I9/893

Figures/Tables 8

References 25

1	Berg B (2014). Decomposition patterns for foliar litter—A theory for influencing factors.Soil Biology & Biochem- istry, 78, 222-232.
2	Berg B, Kjønaas O, Johansson M-B, Erhagen B, Åkerblom S (2015). Late stage pine litter decomposition: Relationship to litter N, Mn, and acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) concentrations and climatic factors.Forest Ecology and Management, 358, 41-47.
3	Berg B, McClaugherty C (2014). Plant Litter: Decomposition, Humus Formation, Carbon Sequestration. 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin.
4	Boyero L, Pearson RG, Gessner MO, Barmuta LA, Ferreira V, Graça MAS, Dudgeon D, Boulton AJ, Callisto M, Chauvet E, Helson JE, Bruder A, Albariño RJ, Yule CM, Arunachalam M, Davies JN, Figueroa R, Flecker AS, Ramírez A, Death RG, Iwata T, Mathooko JM, Mathuriau C, Gonçalves JF, Moretti MS, Jinggut T, Lamothe S, M’Erimba C, Ratnarajah L, Schindler MH, Castela J, Buria LM, Cornejo A, Villanueva VD, West DC (2011). A global experiment suggests climate warming will not accelerate litter decomposition in streams but might reduce carbon sequestration.Ecology Letters, 14, 289-294.
5	Bradford MA, Berg B, Maynard DS, Wieder WR, Wood SA (2016). Understanding the dominant controls on litter decomposition.Journal of Ecology, 104, 229-238.
6	Bradford MA, Warren II RJ, Baldrian P, Crowther TW, Maynard DS, Oldfield EE, Wieder WR, Wood SA, King JR (2014). Climate fails to predict wood decomposition at regional scales.Nature Climate Change, 4, 625-630.
7	Cornwell WK, Cornelissen JHC, Amatangelo K, Dorrepaal E, Eviner VT, Godoy O, Hobbie SE, Hoorens B, Kurokawa H, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Quested HM, Santiago LS, Wardle DA, Wright IJ, Aerts R, Allison SD, van Bodegom P, Brovkin V, Chatain A, Callaghan TV, Díaz S, Garnier E, Gurvich DE, Kazakou E, Klein JA, Read J, Reich PB, Soudzilovskaia NA, Vaieretti MV, Westoby M (2008). Plant species traits are the predominant control on litter decomposition rates within biomes worldwide.Ecology Letters, 11, 1065-1071.
8	Ferreira V, Raposeiro PM, Pereira A, Cruz AM, Costa AC, Graça MAS, Gonçalves V (2016). Leaf litter decomposi- tion in remote oceanic island streams is driven by microbes and depends on litter quality and environmental conditions.Freshwater Biology, 61, 783-799.
9	García-Palacios P, Prieto I, Ourcival J-M, Hättenschwiler S (2016a). Disentangling the litter quality and soil microbial contribution to leaf and fine root litter decomposition responses to reduced rainfall.Ecosystems, 19, 490-503.
10	García-Palacios P, Shaw EA, Wall DH, Hättenschwiler S (2016b). Temporal dynamics of biotic and abiotic drivers of litter decomposition.Ecology Letters, 19, 554-563.
11	Gessner MO, Chauvet E, Dobson M (1999). A perspective on leaf litter breakdown in streams.Oikos, 85, 377-384.
12	Graça MA, Ferreira V, Canhoto C, Encalada AC, Guerrero- Bolaño F, Wantzen KM, Boyero L (2015). A conceptual model of litter breakdown in low order streams.International Review of Hydrobiology, 100, 1-12.
13	He W, Wu FZ, Yang WQ, Tan B, Zhao YY, Wu QQ, He M (2016). Lignin degradation in foliar litter of two shrub species from the gap center to the closed canopy in an alpine fir forest.Ecosystems, 19, 115-128.
14	He W, Wu FZ, Yang WQ, Wu QQ, He M, Zhao YY (2013). Effect of snow patches on leaf litter mass loss of two shrubs in an alpine forest.Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 37, 306-316. (in Chinese with English abstract)[何伟, 吴福忠, 杨万勤, 武启骞, 何敏, 赵野逸 (2013). 雪被斑块对高山森林两种灌木凋落叶质量损失的影响. 植物生态学报, 37, 306-316.]
15	Klotzbücher T, Kaiser K, Guggenberger G, Gatzek C, Kalbitz K (2011). A new conceptual model for the fate of lignin in decomposing plant litter.Ecology, 92, 1052-1062.
16	Li H, Wu FZ, Yang WQ, Xu LY, Ni XY, He J, Tan B, Hu Y (2016). Effects of forest gaps on litter lignin and cellulose dynamics vary seasonally in an alpine forest.Forests, 7, 27.
17	Martínez A, Larrañaga A, Pérez J, Descals E, Pozo J (2014). Temperature affects leaf litter decomposition in low- order forest streams: Field and microcosm approaches.FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 87, 257-267.
18	Parton W, Silver WL, Burke IC, Grassens L, Harmon ME, Currie WS, King JY, Adair EC, Brandt LA, Hart SC (2007). Global-scale similarities in nitrogen release patterns during long-term decomposition.Science, 315, 361-364.
19	Prescott CE (2005). Do rates of litter decomposition tell us anything we really need to know?Forest Ecology and Management, 220, 66-74.
20	Wallace JB, Eggert S, Meyer JL, Webster J (1999). Effects of resource limitation on a detrital-based ecosystem.Ecological Monographs, 69, 409-442.
21	Yue K, Yang WQ, Peng CH, Peng Y, Zhang C, Huang CP, Tan Y, Wu FZ (2016). Foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest meta-ecosystem on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Science of the Total Environment, 566-567, 279-287.
22	Yue K, Yang WQ, Peng Y, Zhang C, Huang CP, Wu FZ (2015a). Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics during winter foliar litter decomposition in an alpine forest river in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River.Chinese Journal of Applied and Environmental Biology, 21, 301-307. (in Chinese with English abstract)[岳楷, 杨万勤, 彭艳, 张川, 黄春萍, 吴福忠 (2015a). 岷江上游高山森林冬季河流中凋落叶碳氮和磷元素动态特征. 应用与环境生物学报, 21, 301-307.]
23	Yue K, Yang WQ, Peng Y, Zhang C, Huang CP, Wu FZ (2015b). Foliar litter mass loss in winter in an alpine forest river in the upper reaches of the Minjiang River.Resources and Environment in the Yangtze Basin, 24, 1177-1184. (in Chinese with English abstract)[岳楷, 杨万勤, 彭艳, 张川, 黄春萍, 吴福忠 (2015b). 岷江上游高山森林凋落叶在冬季河流中的质量损失特征. 长江流域资源与环境, 24, 1177-1184.]
24	Zhang C, Yang WQ, Yue K, Huang CP, Peng Y, Wu FZ (2015). Soluble nitrogen and soluble phosphorus dynamics during foliar litter decomposition in winter in alpine forest streams.Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 26, 1601-1608. (in Chinese with English abstract)[张川, 杨万勤, 岳楷, 黄春萍, 彭艳, 吴福忠 (2015). 高山森林溪流冬季不同时期凋落物分解中水溶性氮和磷的动态特征. 应用生态学报, 26, 1601-1608.]
25	Zhu JX, He XH, Wu FZ, Yang WQ, Tan B (2012). Decomposi- tion of Abies faxoniana litter varies with freeze-thaw stages and altitudes in subalpine/alpine forests of southwest China.Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 27, 586-596.

生境 Habitat	AT (℃)	C (g·kg^-1)	N (g·kg^-1)	P (g·kg^-1)	pH
林下 Forest floor	2.0 ± 5.2	126 ± 26	5.8 ± 1.1	1.2 ± 0.2	6.6 ± 0.02
生境 Habitat	AT (°C)	HCO₃^- (mg·L^-1)	NH₄⁺ (mg·L^-1)	NO₃^-(mg·L^-1)	PO₄^3- (μg·L^-1)	pH	FV (m·s^-1)
溪流 Stream	5.1 ± 2.6	13.9 ± 1.96	0.10 ± 0.05	0.29 ± 0.07	7.85 ± 0.38	6.6 ± 0.4	0.53 ± 0.15
河岸带 Riparian zone	4.8 ± 3.4	19.7 ± 1.33	0.04 ± 0.02	0.34 ± 0.08	7.84 ± 0.41	6.9 ± 0.3	0.05 ± 0.01

生境 Habitat	AT (℃)	C (g·kg^-1)	N (g·kg^-1)	P (g·kg^-1)	pH
林下 Forest floor	2.0 ± 5.2	126 ± 26	5.8 ± 1.1	1.2 ± 0.2	6.6 ± 0.02
生境 Habitat	AT (°C)	HCO₃^- (mg·L^-1)	NH₄⁺ (mg·L^-1)	NO₃^-(mg·L^-1)	PO₄^3- (μg·L^-1)	pH	FV (m·s^-1)
溪流 Stream	5.1 ± 2.6	13.9 ± 1.96	0.10 ± 0.05	0.29 ± 0.07	7.85 ± 0.38	6.6 ± 0.4	0.53 ± 0.15
河岸带 Riparian zone	4.8 ± 3.4	19.7 ± 1.33	0.04 ± 0.02	0.34 ± 0.08	7.84 ± 0.41	6.9 ± 0.3	0.05 ± 0.01

物种 Species	C (%)	N (%)	P (%)	木质素 Lignin (%)	C:N	C:P	N:P	Lignin:N
康定柳 S. paraplesia	34.8 ± 0.9^c	2.64 ± 0.15^a	0.17 ± 0.01^a	24.7 ± 1.3^d	13.2 ± 0.8^d	207 ± 19.7^c	15.7 ± 1.7^a	9.38 ± 0.8^c
高山杜鹃 R. lapponicum	38.6 ± 1.1^b	0.69 ± 0.10^d	0.10 ± 0.02^d	29.8 ± 0.8^b	57.2 ± 10.2^a	375 ± 53.6^a	6.75 ± 1.5^c	44.3 ± 8.3^a
方枝柏 S. saltuaria	46.9 ± 1.8^a	1.05 ± 0.06^c	0.15 ± 0.01^b	28.1 ± 0.8^c	45.1 ± 3.9^b	304 ± 12.6^b	6.79 ± 0.7^c	26.9 ± 1.8^b
四川红杉 L. mastersiana	37.5 ± 0.5^b	1.59 ± 0.11^b	0.12 ± 0.01^c	37.8 ± 1.0^a	23.6 ± 1.8^c	320 ± 24.6^b	13.6 ± 0.8^b	30.1 ± 2.1^b

物种 Species	C (%)	N (%)	P (%)	木质素 Lignin (%)	C:N	C:P	N:P	Lignin:N
康定柳 S. paraplesia	34.8 ± 0.9^c	2.64 ± 0.15^a	0.17 ± 0.01^a	24.7 ± 1.3^d	13.2 ± 0.8^d	207 ± 19.7^c	15.7 ± 1.7^a	9.38 ± 0.8^c
高山杜鹃 R. lapponicum	38.6 ± 1.1^b	0.69 ± 0.10^d	0.10 ± 0.02^d	29.8 ± 0.8^b	57.2 ± 10.2^a	375 ± 53.6^a	6.75 ± 1.5^c	44.3 ± 8.3^a
方枝柏 S. saltuaria	46.9 ± 1.8^a	1.05 ± 0.06^c	0.15 ± 0.01^b	28.1 ± 0.8^c	45.1 ± 3.9^b	304 ± 12.6^b	6.79 ± 0.7^c	26.9 ± 1.8^b
四川红杉 L. mastersiana	37.5 ± 0.5^b	1.59 ± 0.11^b	0.12 ± 0.01^c	37.8 ± 1.0^a	23.6 ± 1.8^c	320 ± 24.6^b	13.6 ± 0.8^b	30.1 ± 2.1^b

影响因子 Influence factor	自由度 Degree of freedom	F	p
物种 Species	3	165.753	< 0.001
生境 Habitat	2	75.197	< 0.001
时期 Period	9	504.141	< 0.001
物种×生境 Species × habitat	6	40.353	< 0.001
物种×时期 Species × period	27	17.003	< 0.001
生境×时期 Habitat × period	18	18.317	< 0.001
物种×生境×时期 Species × habitat × period	54	12.020	< 0.001