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Humulus japonicus Accelerates the Decomposition of Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Phragmites australis in a Floodplain

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Abstract

Humulus japonicus in communities of Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Phragmites australis can grow large enough to overtop other species in the Amsa-dong floodplain. Because of strong winds and the weight of Humulus, plants of M. sacchariflorus and P. australis fell in mid-August and were subject to decomposition under its dense shading. To assess the effects of H. japonicus on nutrient cycling in these communities, we collected fresh samples of M. sacchariflorus and P. australis in litterbags and decomposed them under H. japonicus for 9 months, beginning in August. Biomass and organic contents from M. sacchariflorus during this incubation period were 49–51% and 44–48%, whereas those of P. australis were 49–61% and 32–52%, respectively. Their annual k values were 1.61–1.74 and 1.46–3.54, respectively. Initial N concentrations in M. sacchariflorus and P. australis were 13 and 20 mg g−1, while C:N ratios were 31 and 21, respectively. These results indicate that H. japonicus is responsible for the collapse of M. sacchariflorus and P. australis in August and also accelerates their nutrient cycling through rapid decomposition, thereby increasing nutrient circulation in floodplains.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Heungtae Kim, Jong Min Nam, Jihyun Yoon, and Sungje Jeon for assistance with the fieldwork. This work was supported by the Korean Ministry of Environment as “The Eco-technopia 21 Project” titled “Evaluation of Ecological Impacts of Invasive Vine-plants on Biodiversity and Ecological Function in Riverine Ecosystems and Development of Management Strategy”, as well as by a Korean Research Foundation Grant funded by the Korean Government (MOEHRD; KRF-2007-313-C00735).

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  1. Department of Biology Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, 151-748, South Korea

    Sorin Kim & Jae Geun Kim

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  1. Sorin Kim
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  2. Jae Geun Kim
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Correspondence to Jae Geun Kim.

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Kim, S., Kim, J.G. Humulus japonicus Accelerates the Decomposition of Miscanthus sacchariflorus and Phragmites australis in a Floodplain. J. Plant Biol. 52, 466–474 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-009-9060-8

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