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Retention of dead standing plant biomass (marcescence) increases subsequent litter decomposition in the soil organic layer

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Abstract

Aim

We evaluated the impact of retaining dead standing biomass (marcescence) on subsequent litter decomposition in the soil organic layer.

Methods

Litter of plants that naturally keep dead standing biomass in various extents, Calamagrostis epigeios (keeps most of its dead biomass standing), Quercus robur (keeps some dead leaves on the tree), and Alnus glutinosa (all litter falls to the ground after senescence), were either exposed to environmental climate (ambient) conditions for one year or kept in a dry dark place. After a year, both litter treatments were placed in the soil organic layer for another year. We monitored the mass loss and chemical changes during decomposition.

Results

Changes in the chemical composition of aromatic components in C. epigeios litter and decreasing amounts of aromatic compounds in Q. robur and C. epigeios litter during exposure to ambient conditions indicate an effect of photodegradation on these compounds. The litter of Q. robur also exhibited accelerated subsequent litter decomposition in the soil organic layer. In contrast, an increase of aliphatic and aromatic compounds and a decrease of carbohydrates in A. glutinosa litter during exposure to ambient conditions rather points to leaching or microbial decay of labile compounds than an effect of photodegradation. Moreover, the subsequent decomposition of A. glutinosa litter in the soil organic layer was decelerated as compared to the unexposed litter.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that litter with comparably low quality (Q. robur and C. epigeios), as compared to litter with a high quality (A. glutinosa), is prone to photodegradation. This process facilitates subsequent decomposition in soil.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

C:

Carbon

CP/MAS:

Cross polarization magic angle spinning

GC-MS:

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

N:

Nitrogen

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

OL:

Organic layer

OM:

Organic matter

PCA:

Principal component analysis

Py:

Pyrolysis

TMAH:

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide

UV:

Ultraviolet

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the grant No. P504/12/1288 from the Czech Science Foundation and funds from the team project GAJU/04-158/2016/P at the University of South Bohemia. We also thank Jitka Hubačová for help with conducting the experiment, Carsten W. Mueller from the Technical University Munich, Chair of Soil Science for the possibility to write the manuscript at his department, Veronika Jílková for reading the manuscript, and two anonymous reviewers, whose comments helped to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, CZ, Czech Republic

    Šárka Angst

  2. Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Soil Biology & SoWa RI, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, CZ, Czech Republic

    Šárka Angst, Gerrit Angst & Jan Frouz

  3. Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Benátská 2, 12800, Prague, CZ, Czech Republic

    Tomáš Cajthaml, Hana Šimáčková & Jan Frouz

  4. Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206, Prague, CZ, Czech Republic

    Jiří Brus

Authors
  1. Šárka Angst
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  2. Tomáš Cajthaml
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  3. Gerrit Angst
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  4. Hana Šimáčková
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Correspondence to Šárka Angst.

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Responsible Editor: Ingrid Koegel-Knabner.

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Angst, Š., Cajthaml, T., Angst, G. et al. Retention of dead standing plant biomass (marcescence) increases subsequent litter decomposition in the soil organic layer. Plant Soil 418, 571–579 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3318-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3318-6

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