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Water Table Regime Regulates Litter Decomposition in Restiad Peatlands, New Zealand

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Abstract

A 5-year litterbag study examined decomposition rates at four sites representing restiad peatland succession in Waikato, New Zealand. Early successional sites were dominated by Baumea rubiginosa, or Leptospermum scoparium, mid-successional by Empodisma robustum, and late successional by Sporadanthus ferrugineus. Leaf/culm materials from these species were placed on the surface, and roots of Empodisma and Sporadanthus buried at depths of 5, 25, and 55 cm to test the influence of succession on species and site decomposition rates. Typha latifolia leaves from a Canadian bog were placed at the surface and three depths to allow comparisons with northern peatlands. Litterbags were retrieved after 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, and mass remaining characterized by an exponential model k value. Surface litter k values (0.12–0.80 y−1) decreased from early to late successional species; however, decomposition was slower at more waterlogged early successional sites. Buried litter k values (0.04–0.24 y−1) decreased with depth and increased from early to late successional sites, with Empodisma roots having the slowest rates. Few strong relationships existed between litter quality and decomposition rates. In contrast, water table regime strongly influenced decomposition rates; k values for the “standard” Typha litter decreased exponentially as period of saturation increased, irrespective of site successional status, nutrients, or other factors. Lower water tables in the more aerated later successional sites have led to faster decomposition rates. Ongoing drainage combined with the potential impacts of climate change may increase organic matter decomposition and accelerate carbon release into the atmosphere.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (C09X1002 to BRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (to TRM). We thank Dr. Louis Schipper for helpful suggestions during the project, Lucy Bridgman for some initial analyses, and Bill Lee and Bruce Clarkson for comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Landcare Research, Private Bag 3127, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    Beverley R. Clarkson, Neil B. Fitzgerald, Danny Thornburrow & Corinne H. Watts

  2. Department of Geography and Global Environmental & Climate Change Centre, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke St. W., Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B9, Canada

    Tim R. Moore

  3. Department of Statistics, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand

    Steven Miller

Authors
  1. Beverley R. Clarkson
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  2. Tim R. Moore
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  3. Neil B. Fitzgerald
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  4. Danny Thornburrow
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  5. Corinne H. Watts
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  6. Steven Miller
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Correspondence to Tim R. Moore.

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Author Contributions

BC and TM conceived the study, all performed the research and analyzed the data and BC, TM, and SM wrote the paper.

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Clarkson, B.R., Moore, T.R., Fitzgerald, N.B. et al. Water Table Regime Regulates Litter Decomposition in Restiad Peatlands, New Zealand. Ecosystems 17, 317–326 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-013-9726-4

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