Abstract
Litter processing was examined in autumn–winter and spring–summer in a second order stream in Galicia (NW Spain). We compared decay rate and nutrient dynamics of green leaves of several deciduous (riparian: Alnus glutinosa, Betula alba and Populus×canadensis; terrestrial: Castanea sativa, Quercus robur), and evergreen tree species (terrestrial: Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus nitens), in addition to ray-grass (Lolium perenne). In the autumn–winter period, the decay rates (−k) ranged between 0.0086 degree-days−1 for poplar, and 0.0019 degree-days−1 for birch leaves. Alder showed the most rapid breakdown in spring–summer (0.0124 degree-days−1), and pine the slowest (0.0016 degree-days−1). Deciduous species exhibited general higher processing rates than evergreen species and ray-grass. The initial nitrogen and phosphorus contents were higher in riparian species leaves and ray-grass, being higher in spring (2.28±0.14% and 0.24±0.04% of nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively) than in autumn (1.88±0.36% of nitrogen and 0.18±0.03% of phosphorus). A significant correlation coefficient was found only between mean nitrogen leaf packs contents during incubation and decay rates (r=0.61; p=0.012).
In deciduous species, processing was faster during the spring–summer than in the autumn–winter period, which may be attributed to the greater nutritional value and less consistency of the leaves during this season. Within evergreen species, pine had a significantly faster processing rate in autumn, attributed in this study to greater physical fragmentation of the needles. Ray-grass and eucalyptus did not exhibit any seasonal differences in processing rate.
During the spring–summer period, litterfall inputs are quantitatively less important than during the autumn–winter, but due to high retention and fast breakdown during the spring–summer, green inputs should contribute substantially to nutrient incorporation and cycling in benthic communities.
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López, E.S., Pardo, I. & Felpeto, N. Seasonal differences in green leaf breakdown and nutrient content of deciduous and evergreen tree species and grass in a granitic headwater stream. Hydrobiologia 464, 51–61 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013903500888
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013903500888