Effects of drought-induced forest die-off on litter decomposition
Barba, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Lloret Maya, Francisco (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
Curiel Yuste, Jorge (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Madrid, Espanya))

Data:	2016
Resum:	Aims: drought-induced forest die-off and subsequent species replacement may modify environmental conditions and eventually affect litter decomposition. We aimed to disentangle the effects of tree species and die-off state on litter decomposition in a mixed forest where Pinus sylvestris populations experiencing severe drought-induced die-off are being replaced by Quercus ilex. - Methods: litter bags with leaves and fine roots from both species were placed under canopies representing three habitats of the die-off and replacement process (healthy and dead P. sylvestris and healthy Q. ilex). Mass was assessed over 3 years. - Results: species-specific chemistry of litter (C:N ratio) had a direct effect on mass loss, but also indirect effects, attributed to the decomposer microbial community associated with a given habitat-species. In their respective original habitats, oak leaves decomposed 44 % faster than pine needles, whereas oak roots decomposed 46 % slower than pine roots. - Conclusions: forest die-off and species replacement affected litter decomposition. This effect can have great implications in forest functioning, particularly if drought-induced die-off worsens in the next decades, according with the trend observed in the studied system.
Ajuts:	Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia CGL2009-08101 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CGL2010-16373 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CGL2012-32965 Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CGL2013-42271-P Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2009/SGR-00247 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2014/SGR-453
Drets:	Tots els drets reservats.
Llengua:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Matèria:	Carbon cycle ; Forest die-off ; Home field advantage ; Litter decomposition ; Mediterranean forest
Publicat a:	Plant and soil, Vol. 402 Issue 1 (May 2016) , p. 91-101, ISSN 0032-079X

DOI: 10.1007/s11104-015-2762-4

Post-print 30 p, 1.9 MB

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Documents de recerca > Documents dels grups de recerca de la UAB > Centres i grups de recerca (producció científica) > Ciències > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
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