Effect of snow patches on leaf litter mass loss of two shrubs in an alpine forest

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00030

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Litter decomposition of understory species is one of the essential components in material cycling and other important processes in alpine/subalpine forest ecosystems. Natural snow patches with different snow depths in winter could play an important role in litter decomposition due to significantly different freeze-thaw characters, but little information has been available. Therefore, our objective was to understand the effects of snow patches on litter decomposition of dwarf bamboo (Fargesia nitida) and salix (Salix paraplesia), two representative understory shrubs in alpine forest.
Methods A field experiment using litterbags was conducted in an alpine forest in western Sichuan, China. Samples of air-dried leaf litter were placed in nylon litterbags, and the litterbags were placed on the forest floor along a snow depth gradient from forest gap to canopy cover. Five snow patches with different snow depths were selected: thickest snow cover patch (SP1), thicker snow cover patch (SP2), middle thick snow cover patch (SP3), thinner snow cover patch (SP4) and no snow cover patch (SP5). Mass loss was measured at five critical periods as decomposition proceeded (onset of soil freezing period, soil freezing period, soil thawing period, early growth period and later growth period) of the first year of decomposition.
Important findings Mass loss of dwarf bamboo and salix litters in the freeze-thaw season accounted for (48.78 ± 2.35)% and (46.60 ± 5.02)% of the first year of litter decomposition, respectively. Both litters displayed higher mass loss rate under the patches with snow cover compared with no snow patch in the freeze-thaw season, but showed higher mass loss rate under SP5 in the growth season. Over the first year of decomposition, although mass loss rate of bamboo litter increased with the increase of winter-snow depth, salix litter showed the highest value under SP4 and lowest value under SP5. In addition, correlation analysis indicated that mass loss rate in the freeze-thaw season was positively related to daily mean temperature and negative cumulative temperature, whereas mass loss rate in the growth season was not related to any investigated temperature factors. However, 1-year mass loss rate was significantly related to daily mean temperature and negative/positive cumulative temperature. These results indicated that change of snow pattern would have significant effects on understory litter decomposition in the alpine forest in the scenario of warmer winters, but the effects could be various in different kinds of litter.

Key words: alpine forest, shrub leaf litter decomposition, snow patches, warm winter

HE Wei, WU Fu-Zhong, YANG Wan-Qin, WU Qi-Qian, HE Min, ZHAO Ye-Yi. Effect of snow patches on leaf litter mass loss of two shrubs in an alpine forest[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2013, 37(4): 306-316.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2013.00030

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2013/V37/I4/306

Figures/Tables 8

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物种 Species	C (g·kg^-1)	N (g·kg^-1)	P (g·kg^-1)	C/N	C/P	N/P	木质素 Lignin (%)	纤维素 Cellulose (%)	木质素/ 纤维素 Lignin/ Cellulose	木质素/氮 Lignin/N
华西箭竹 Fargesia nitida	317.71 ± 16.60^a	9.02 ± 0.12^b	0.94 ± 0.07^b	35.23 ± 1.38^a	339.80 ± 9.11^a	9.66 ± 0.64^b	14.79 ± 0.62^b	12.97 ± 0.48^a	1.14 ± 0.00^b	16.40 ± 0.47^a
康定柳 Salix paraplesia	371.89 ± 31.55^a	14.33 ± 0.26^a	1.28 ± 0.06^a	25.93 ± 1.74^b	290.72 ± 10.31^b	11.23 ± 0.36^a	21.79 ± 1.02^a	10.60 ± 1.04^b	2.06 ± 1.11^a	15.20 ± 0.44^b

物种 Species	C (g·kg^-1)	N (g·kg^-1)	P (g·kg^-1)	C/N	C/P	N/P	木质素 Lignin (%)	纤维素 Cellulose (%)	木质素/ 纤维素 Lignin/ Cellulose	木质素/氮 Lignin/N
华西箭竹 Fargesia nitida	317.71 ± 16.60^a	9.02 ± 0.12^b	0.94 ± 0.07^b	35.23 ± 1.38^a	339.80 ± 9.11^a	9.66 ± 0.64^b	14.79 ± 0.62^b	12.97 ± 0.48^a	1.14 ± 0.00^b	16.40 ± 0.47^a
康定柳 Salix paraplesia	371.89 ± 31.55^a	14.33 ± 0.26^a	1.28 ± 0.06^a	25.93 ± 1.74^b	290.72 ± 10.31^b	11.23 ± 0.36^a	21.79 ± 1.02^a	10.60 ± 1.04^b	2.06 ± 1.11^a	15.20 ± 0.44^b

		土壤冻结初期 Onset of soil freezing period	土壤冻结期 Soil freezing period	土壤融化期 Soil thawing period	生长季节初期 Early growth period	生长季节后期 Later growth period	冻融季节 Freeze- thaw season	生长季节 Growth season	全年 Whole year
厚型雪被斑块 Thickest snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	0.38	-2.00	-0.14	12.33	6.10	-0.75	8.77	3.60
	正积温 PAT	35.35	–	1.08	1501.94	489.21	36.43	1 991.15	2 027.58
	负积温 NAT	-19.14	-139.23	-7.79	–	–	-166.16	–	-166.16
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	48.00	–	2.00	15.00	–	50.00	15.00	65.00
较厚型雪被斑块 Thicker snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.49	-2.40	1.00	10.80	6.74	-0.86	8.48	3.39
	正积温 PAT	19.19	6.70	49.97	1311.93	543.60	75.86	1 855.52	1 931.38
	负积温 NAT	-45.31	-173.65	-2.82	–	–	-221.79	–	-221.79
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	49.00	54.00	23.00	13.00	–	126.00	13.00	139.00
中型雪被斑块 Middle thick snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.66	-2.86	0.37	7.86	6.08	-1.28	6.84	2.43
	正积温 PAT	10.87	–	29.64	960.82	487.88	40.50	1 448.70	1 489.20
	负积温 NAT	-45.47	-199.81	-12.03	–	–	-257.31	–	-257.31
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	41.00	5.00	18.00	13.00	–	64.00	13.00	77.00
薄型雪被斑块 Thinner snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.61	-3.53	0.32	6.90	5.43	-1.56	6.06	1.92
	正积温 PAT	22.73	0.61	38.22	844.17	434.61	61.56	1 278.78	1 340.35
	负积温 NAT	-55.36	-246.35	-22.73	–	–	-324.44	–	-324.44
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	38.00	22.00	34.00	1.00	–	94.00	1.00	95.00
无雪被斑块 No snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-1.02	-3.47	0.50	7.67	5.19	-1.61	6.68	1.50
	正积温 PAT	10.60	–	41.56	938.53	421.46	52.16	1 359.99	1 412.15
	负积温 NAT	-64.84	-241.50	-17.49	–	-6.76	-323.82	-6.76	-330.58
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	39.00	15.00	38.00	–	27.00	92.00	27.00	119.00

		土壤冻结初期 Onset of soil freezing period	土壤冻结期 Soil freezing period	土壤融化期 Soil thawing period	生长季节初期 Early growth period	生长季节后期 Later growth period	冻融季节 Freeze- thaw season	生长季节 Growth season	全年 Whole year
厚型雪被斑块 Thickest snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	0.38	-2.00	-0.14	12.33	6.10	-0.75	8.77	3.60
	正积温 PAT	35.35	–	1.08	1501.94	489.21	36.43	1 991.15	2 027.58
	负积温 NAT	-19.14	-139.23	-7.79	–	–	-166.16	–	-166.16
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	48.00	–	2.00	15.00	–	50.00	15.00	65.00
较厚型雪被斑块 Thicker snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.49	-2.40	1.00	10.80	6.74	-0.86	8.48	3.39
	正积温 PAT	19.19	6.70	49.97	1311.93	543.60	75.86	1 855.52	1 931.38
	负积温 NAT	-45.31	-173.65	-2.82	–	–	-221.79	–	-221.79
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	49.00	54.00	23.00	13.00	–	126.00	13.00	139.00
中型雪被斑块 Middle thick snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.66	-2.86	0.37	7.86	6.08	-1.28	6.84	2.43
	正积温 PAT	10.87	–	29.64	960.82	487.88	40.50	1 448.70	1 489.20
	负积温 NAT	-45.47	-199.81	-12.03	–	–	-257.31	–	-257.31
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	41.00	5.00	18.00	13.00	–	64.00	13.00	77.00
薄型雪被斑块 Thinner snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-0.61	-3.53	0.32	6.90	5.43	-1.56	6.06	1.92
	正积温 PAT	22.73	0.61	38.22	844.17	434.61	61.56	1 278.78	1 340.35
	负积温 NAT	-55.36	-246.35	-22.73	–	–	-324.44	–	-324.44
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	38.00	22.00	34.00	1.00	–	94.00	1.00	95.00
无雪被斑块 No snow cover patch	平均温度 AT	-1.02	-3.47	0.50	7.67	5.19	-1.61	6.68	1.50
	正积温 PAT	10.60	–	41.56	938.53	421.46	52.16	1 359.99	1 412.15
	负积温 NAT	-64.84	-241.50	-17.49	–	-6.76	-323.82	-6.76	-330.58
	冻融循环次数 FSFC	39.00	15.00	38.00	–	27.00	92.00	27.00	119.00

物种 Species	雪被斑块 Snow patches	23 Dec. 2010 (58)	3 Mar. 2011 (70)	19 Apr. 2011 (47)	19 Aug. 2011 (122)	8 Nov. 2011 (81)
华西箭竹	SP1	3.80 ± 0.16^b	3.77 ± 0.37^b	1.67 ± 0.18^c	4.83 ± 0.25^a	3.91 ± 0.18^b
Fargesia nitida	SP2	4.24 ± 0.11a^b	2.74 ± 0.47^c	1.88 ± 0.52^d	4.60 ± 0.46^a	3.97 ± 0.41^b
	SP3	3.63 ± 0.17^d	2.00 ± 0.18^c	1.86 ± 0.34^c	4.62 ± 0.30^a	4.06 ± 0.37^b
	SP4	4.69 ± 0.28^a	1.78 ± 0.16^c	1.59 ± 0.36^c	4.83 ± 0.13^a	3.62 ± 0.26^b
	SP5	4.20 ± 0.12^b	1.74 ± 0.23^d	1.47 ± 0.20^d	5.38 ± 0.44^a	3.15 ± 0.33^c
康定柳	SP1	2.86 ± 0.28^d	6.77 ± 0.37^a	1.74 ± 0.40^e	5.11 ± 0.51^b	4.47 ± 0.22^c
Salix paraplesia	SP2	2.28 ± 0.26^c	5.93 ± 0.24^a	1.75 ± 0.41^d	5.50 ± 0.33^b	5.71 ± 0.15^ab
	SP3	2.71 ± 0.14^b	4.78 ± 0.61^a	0.90 ± 0.08^c	4.72 ± 0.12^a	4.89 ± 0.25^a
	SP4	2.15 ± 0.22^c	4.40 ± 0.20^b	1.37 ± 0.40^d	5.45 ± 0.26^a	4.37 ± 0.38^b
	SP5	2.28 ± 0.16^d	3.67 ± 0.36^c	0.84 ± 0.13^e	5.53 ± 0.25^a	4.47 ± 0.42^b