Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fungal succession and decomposition of Camellia japonica leaf litter

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Ecological Research

Abstract

Decomposition processes of Camellia japonica leaf litter were investigated over an 18-month period with reference to the role of fungal succession in the decomposition of lignin and holocellulose. Decomposition and fungal succession were studied in bleached and nonbleached portions of litter, which were precolonized by ligninolytic and cellulolytic fungi, respectively. Coccomyces nipponicum and Lophodermium sp. (Rhytismataceae), which can attack lignin selectively, caused mass loss of lignin and were responsible for bleaching during the first 4 months (stage I), whereas cellulolytic fungi caused mass loss of holocellulose in adjacent nonbleached portions. Soluble carbohydrates and polyphenols also decreased rapidly during this stage. Pestalotiopsis guepini, coelomycete sp.1, and the Nigrospora state of Khuskia oryzae caused mass loss of holocellulose between 4 and 14 months (stage II) and Xylaria sp. caused mass loss of both lignin and holocellulose from 14–18 months (stage III). In stages II and III, decomposition was more rapid in bleached portions than in nonbleached portions probably due to the prior delignification of lignified holocellulose in bleached portions. Frequencies of these fungi showed different responses among species to the pattern of changes in lignin and holocellulose contents during decomposition. Total hyphal length increased in both portions over the study period, but mycelia of basidiomycetes accounted for about 2% of total hyphal length, suggesting that their role in fungal succession and decomposition was low. Lignin and nitrogen contents were consistently lower and holocellulose content was higher in bleached portions than in nonbleached portions during decomposition. The succession of ligninolytic and cellulolytic fungi was a major driving factor that promoted decomposition and precolonization by ligninolytic fungi enhanced decomposition.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aber JD, Mellilo JM, McClaugherty CA (1990) Predicting long-term patterns of mass loss, N dynamics, and soil organic matter formation from initial fine litter chemistry in temperate forest ecosystems. Can J Bot 68:2201–2208

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg B (1991) FDA-active fungal mycelium and lignin concentrations in some needle and leaf litter types. Scand J For Res 6:451–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg B, McClaugherty C (2003) Plant litter, decomposition, humus formation, carbon sequestration. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg B, Söderström B (1979) Fungal biomass and nitrogen in decomposing Scots pine needle litter. Soil Biol Biochem 11:339–341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg B, Hannus K, Popoff T, Theander O (1982) Changes in organic chemical components of needle litter during decomposition Long-term decomposition in a Scots pine forest I. Can J Bot 60:1310–1319

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berg B, McClaugherty C, Johansson MB (1997) Chemical changes in decomposing litter can be systemized with respect to the initial chemical composition of the litter. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Report 74, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabral D (1985) Phyllosphere of Eucalyptus viminalis: dynamics of fungal populations. Trans Br Mycol Soc 85:501–511

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooke RC, Rayner ADM (1984) Ecology of saprotrophic fungi. Longman, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooke RC, Whipps JM (1993) Ecophysiology of fungi. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubois M, Gilles KA, Hamilton JK, Rebers PA, Smith F (1956) Colorimetric method for determination of sugars and related substances. Anal Chem 28:350–356

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fioretto A, Musacchio A, Andolfi G, Virzo de Santo A (1998) Decomposition dynamics of litters of various pine species in a Corsican pine forest. Soil Biol Biochem 30:721–727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Godeas AM (1987) Decomposition studies on Pinus taeda forests. II. Decomposition of leaf litter. Pedobiologia 30:323–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris GCM (1945) Chemical changes in beech litter due to infection by Marasmius peronatus (Bolt). Fr Ann Appl Biol 32:38–39

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasegawa M, Takeda H (1996) Carbon and nutrient dynamics in decomposing pine needle litter in relation to fungal and faunal abundances. Pedobiologia 40:171–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Hering TF (1967) Fungal decomposition of oak leaf litter. Trans Br Mycol Soc 50:267–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Hintikka V (1970) Studies on white-rot humus formed by higher fungi in forest soils. Comm Inst For Fenn 69:1–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudson HJ (1968) The ecology of fungi on plant remains above the soil. N Phytol 67:837–874

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones PCT, Mollison JE (1948) A technique for the quantitative estimation of soil microorganisms. J Gen Microbiol 2:54–69

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King HGC, Heath GW (1967) The chemical analysis of small samples of leaf material and the relationship between the disappearance and composition of leaves. Pedobiologia 7:192–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinkel LL, Andrews JH (1988) Disinfestation of living leaves by hydrogen peroxide. Trans Br Mycol Soc 91:523–528

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kirk TK, Connors WJ, Zeikus G (1976) Requirement for a growth substrate during lignin decomposition by two wood-rotting fungi. Appl Env Microbiol 32:192–194

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kjøller A, Struwe S (1982) Microfungi in ecosystems: fungal occurrence and activity in litter and soil. Oikos 39:389–422

    Google Scholar 

  • Koide K, Osono T (2003) Chemical composition and mycobiota of bleached portion of Camellia japonica leaf litter at two stands with the different nitrogen status. J Jpn For Soc 85:359–363

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuyper TW, Bokeloh DJ (1994) Ligninolysis and nitrification in vitro by a nitrotolerant and a nitrophobic decomposer basidiomycetes. Oikos 70:417–420

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindeberg G (1946) On the decomposition of lignin and cellulose in litter caused by soil-inhabiting Hymenomycetes. Ark Bot 33a:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Mikola P (1956) Studies on the decomposition of forest litter by basidiomycetes. Commun Inst For Fenn 48:4–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyamoto T, Igarashi T, Takahashi K (2000) Lignin-degrading ability of litter-decomposing basidiomycetes from Picea forests of Hokkaido. Mycoscience 41:105–110

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olson FCW (1950) Quantitative estimates of filamentous algae. Trans Am Microsc Soc 69:272–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Olson J (1963) Energy storage and the balance of producers and decomposers in ecological systems. Ecology 44:322–331

    Google Scholar 

  • Osono T (2002) Phyllosphere fungi on leaf litter of Fagus crenata: occurrence, colonization, and succession. Can J Bot 80:460–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (1998) Fragmentation process of leaf litter in Mull-type organic soil. J Jpn For Soc 80:196–200

    Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (2001a) Effects of organic chemical quality and mineral nitrogen addition on lignin and holocellulose decomposition of beech leaf litter by Xylaria sp. Eur J Soil Biol 37:17–23

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (2001b) Organic chemical and nutrient dynamics in decomposing beech leaf litter in relation to fungal ingrowth and succession during three year decomposition processes in a cool temperate deciduous forest in Japan. Ecol Res 16:649–670

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (2002) Comparison of litter decomposing ability among diverse fungi in a cool temperate deciduous forest in Japan. Mycologia 94:421–427

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (2004) Accumulation and release of nitrogen and phosphorus in relation to lignin decomposition in leaf litter of 14 tree species in a cool temperate forest. Ecol Res 19:593–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Takeda H (2005) Decomposition of lignin, holocellulose, polyphenol and soluble carbohydrate in leaf litter of 14 tree species in a cool temperate forest. Ecol Res 20:41–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Fukasawa Y, Takeda H (2003a) Roles of diverse fungi in larch needle-litter decomposition. Mycologia 95:820–826

    Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Ono Y, Takeda H (2003b) Fungal ingrowth on forest floor and decomposing needle litter of Chamaecyparis obtusa in relation to resource availability and moisture condition. Soil Biol Biochem 35:1423–1431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Osono T, Bhatta BK, Takeda H (2004) Phyllosphere fungi on living and decomposing leaves of giant dogwood. Mycoscience 45:35–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid ID, Deschamps AM (1991) Nutritional regulation of synthetic lignin (DHP) degradation by the selective white-rot fungus Phlebia (Merulius) tremellosa: effects of glucose and other cosubstrates. Can J Bot 69:147–155

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saito T (1957) Chemical changes in beech litter under microbiological decomposition. Ecol Rev 14:209–216

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saito T (1960) An approach to the mechanism of microbial decomposition of beech litter. Sci Rep Tohoku Univ Ser IV (Biol) 25:125–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1995) Biometry 3rd. WH Freeman, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Swift MJ, Heal OW, Anderson JM (1979) Decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems Studies in ecology, vol 7. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka H, Enoki A, Fuse G, Nishimoto K (1988) Interactions in successive exposure of wood to varying wood-inhabiting fungi. Holzforschung 42:29–35

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Usher M (1970) Seasonal and vertical distribution of a population of soil arthropods: Collembola. Pedobiologia 10:224–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Waterman PG, Mole S (1994) Analysis of phenolic plant metabolites. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • West AW (1988) Specimen preparation, stain type, and extraction and observation procedures as factors in the estimation of soil mycelial lengths and volumes by light microscopy. Biol Fertil Soils 7:88–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Widden P, Parkinson D (1973) Fungi from Canadian coniferous forest soils. Can J Bot 51:2275–2290

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. S. Tokumasu, Dr. S. Iwamoto, and Dr. T. Hosoya for their helpful identification of fungi; Dr. A. Mori for his help in statistical analysis; Mr. Y. Fukasawa, Mr. D. Hirose, Mr. S. Katsumata, and members of Laboratory of Forest Ecology, Kyoto University, for their valuable discussion. This study received partial financial support from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (No. 14760099) to T.O.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Forest Ecology, Division of Environmental Science and Technology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Kanade Koide, Takashi Osono & Hiroshi Takeda

Authors
  1. Kanade Koide
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takashi Osono
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hiroshi Takeda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takashi Osono.

About this article

Cite this article

Koide, K., Osono, T. & Takeda, H. Fungal succession and decomposition of Camellia japonica leaf litter. Ecol Res 20, 599–609 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-005-0077-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-005-0077-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation