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Understanding the enhanced litter decomposition of mixed-species plantations of Eucalyptus and Acacia mangium

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Abstract

Background and aims

Soil microbial-derived litter decomposition represents an important step in the global carbon and nutrient cycling and, at the local level, is primarily driven by litter chemistry. Here, we assessed how mixed-species plantations with Eucalyptus urograndis and Acacia mangium could be a key to enhancing litter production, decomposition, and soil microbial activity.

Methods

The relationships between litter decomposition and litter quality and quantity were compared among 6-year-old monocultures of E. urograndis and A. mangium (E100+N and A100, respectively) and a mixed plantation of both species (E50A50). Additionally, we evaluated soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), soil basal respiration (SBR), soil enzymes and the N mineralization potential.

Results

The return to soil of N via litterfall in E50A50 was greater than E100+N, while the return of P in E100+N and E50A50 were higher than A100. The decomposition rate in A100 was slower than in the E50A50 and E100+N. The microbial activity, represented by soil enzyme activities (proteases and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidases), was consistently higher in E50A50 than in A100.

Conclusion

The E50A50 presented a more balanced supply of N and P associated to a better structural quality of the litter for microbial metabolism, with synergic reflections on decomposition rates and release of nitrogen.

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Abbreviations

FTIR:

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

MBC:

Soil microbial biomass carbon

MBN:

Soil microbial biomass nitrogen

NAG:

N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase

qCO2 :

Metabolic quotient

SBR:

Soil basal respiration

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Francy J. G. Lisboa for helpful comments on this work. We thank the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP - Process number: 2010/16623-9) and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) for the financial support (E26/110.821/2010). We also thank Suzano Papel and Celulose SA, represented by Dr. José Luiz Gava, for the donation of Eucalyptus urograndis seedlings for this experiment. The first author thanks the Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Florestais (PPGCAF) of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the scholarships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Silvicultura, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, BR 465 km 7, Seropédica, RJ, 23891-000, Brazil

    Felipe Martini Santos

  2. Embrapa Solos, Rua Jardim Botânico, 1024, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Fabiano de Carvalho Balieiro

  3. Embrapa Agrobiologia, BR 465 km 7, Seropédica, RJ, 23891-000, Brazil

    Marcelo Antoniol Fontes & Guilherme Montandon Chaer

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  1. Felipe Martini Santos
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  2. Fabiano de Carvalho Balieiro
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  3. Marcelo Antoniol Fontes
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  4. Guilherme Montandon Chaer
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Correspondence to Felipe Martini Santos or Guilherme Montandon Chaer.

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Santos, F.M., Balieiro, F.d., Fontes, M.A. et al. Understanding the enhanced litter decomposition of mixed-species plantations of Eucalyptus and Acacia mangium . Plant Soil 423, 141–155 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3491-7

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