Abstract
Aims
Litter decomposition is a complex process closely linked to terrestrial ecosystem dynamics. We examined how forest succession from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) to Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica Willd.) driven by global-change may influence litter decomposition in a Mediterranean ecotone forest.
Methods
We performed a reciprocal experiment using litterbags in pure Scots pine and Pyrenean oak forests to assess the litter decomposition process of pine (needles), oak (leaves) and a 1:1 mixture of needles and leaves over a two-year period.
Results
Home-field advantage was only found in the oak leaves, while needle decomposition rates were similar in both forests. There were synergistic effects of mixing litter that mainly increased the decomposition of needle litter. The litter mixing and the forest environment gained influence as drivers of litter decomposition over time by shaping the functional assembly of microbial communities and determining decomposition conditions. We found a staggered functional adjustment of the microbial community assembly driven by the litter type at early stages, followed by the convergence of colonizing microbial communities towards soil microbes and soil organic matter characteristics.
Conclusions
There were specific interlinks between the litter identity and stoichiometry, the aboveground phyllosphere communities and the forest environment (through soil microclimate and soil microbial communities) affecting the cycling of C and N. These ecological feedbacks are of special interest under the current changes in climate and forestry management that may foster the secondary succession of the forest.
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Data availability
Primary data of this study is openly available on Figshare: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19130213.v1 (Fernández-Alonso et al. 2022).
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Acknowledgements
We thank to Marta Rivas for her assistance in fieldwork, sample processing and laboratory analysis and Clara López Santuré for helping in the initial data exploration of PLFA biomarkers. We also acknowledge to the staff and facilities of the Austrian Research Centre for Forests where PLFA analysis were carried out and the Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales for the permission to work in the study area.
Funding
This research received financial support from the REMEDINAL-TE-CM Project (S2018-4338) of the Madrid Regional Government and the FORADMIT project (AGL2016-77863-R) of the Spanish Government. M.J. Fernández-Alonso was supported by a Short Term Scientific Mission grant from the COST Action FP 1206 EuMiXFOR of the EU Framework Programme Horizon 2020, and by the project UNDERCLIME (POCI-01–0145-FEDER-030231 | PTDC/BIA-ECO/30231/2017) co-financed by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Regional Development Fund.
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A. Rubio, B. Kitzler and M.J. Fernández-Alonso acquired the funds. M.J. Fernández-Alonso and A. Rubio conceptualized and designed the experiment. M.J. Fernández-Alonso performed the material preparation, data collection and analysis. M.J. Fernández-Alonso wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.
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Fernández-Alonso, M.J., Díaz-Pinés, E., Kitzler, B. et al. Tree species composition shapes the assembly of microbial decomposer communities during litter decomposition. Plant Soil 480, 457–472 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05593-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-022-05593-0