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Combined effects of litter features, UV radiation, and soil water on litter decomposition in denuded areas of the arid Patagonian Monte

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Abstract

Aims

We evaluated the combined effects of litter type, UV radiation, and soil water on litter decomposition processes in denuded areas of the arid Patagonian Monte.

Methods

We conducted a manipulative experiment with litterbags with litter dominated by evergreen shrubs (ES), and litter dominated by perennial grasses and evergreen shrubs (PG) placed on undisturbed upper soil blocks from denuded areas. We subjected soil blocks with litterbags to near ambient and attenuated UV radiation levels, and low and high soil water levels. We evaluated litter mass loss and changes in N, soluble phenolic and lignin contents during 420 days.

Results

PG litter decomposed faster than ES litter, and UV radiation and soil water enhanced decomposition of both litter types. PG litter immobilized N while ES litter released N. During decomposition, soluble phenolic content decreased while lignin content did not vary in both litter types.

Conclusions

Our results highlighted that abiotic and biotic controls differed between mass loss and N release/immobilization. We found additive effects of the studied factors on mass loss while litter chemistry controlled microbial N release or immobilization from decaying litter. Further studies should explore the effects of these factors on species or functional groups shifts in microorganism communities.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank MJ Mazzarino for her helpful comments and manuscript revision. This work was supported by the National Agency for Scientific, Technological Promotion (PICTs 1349, 1368) and the National Research Council of Argentina (PIPs 112-200801-01664 and 112-201301-00449-CONICET). T. Bosco fellowship is supported by CONICET. Samples processing and chemical analyses were performed in the Laboratorio de Ecología de Pastizales (LAEPA-IPEEC). Recognition is also given to Fundación Patagonia Natural who allowed access to the study area in Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Esperanza, and HM Carrera who allowed access to the study area in Estancia La Elvira. We also thank three anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC), CENPAT-CONICET, Boulevard Brown 2915, 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Tomás Bosco, Mónica Beatriz Bertiller & Analía Lorena Carrera

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales – UNPSJB, Boulevard Brown 3000, 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Mónica Beatriz Bertiller & Analía Lorena Carrera

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  1. Tomás Bosco
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  2. Mónica Beatriz Bertiller
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  3. Analía Lorena Carrera
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Correspondence to Tomás Bosco.

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Bosco, T., Bertiller, M.B. & Carrera, A.L. Combined effects of litter features, UV radiation, and soil water on litter decomposition in denuded areas of the arid Patagonian Monte. Plant Soil 406, 71–82 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2864-7

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