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Nutrient dynamics in decomposing forest leaf litter: A comparison of field and laboratory microcosm approach

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Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

The effect of incubation setting (greenhouse: GM and field: FM microcosms) on nutrient element dynamics during decomposition of Japanese Konara Oak (Quercus serrata Murray) and Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora Sieb et. Zucc.) litter was studied. Results show a disparity in relative concentrations and amounts of the same type of litter when incubated in different settings. The nutrient mobility, however, showed similar trend. The order of elemental mobility after 12 months forQuercus in FM was: P>K>Mg>C>Mn>Ca>N>Al>Cu>Zn>Fe; for GM it was: P>K>Mn>Mg>C>Ca>N>Al>Cu>Zn>Fe. ForPinus, elemental mobility in FM was: K>Mg>C>Mn>N>P>Cu>Zn>Al>Fe; while for GM was: K>C>Mn>N>Ca>Mg>Cu>Al>P>Zn>Fe. The elements inQuercus that lost their mass were P, K, Mg, Ca, Mn and C while those that increased were N, Cu, Al, Fe and Zn. ForPinus, K and Mg lost their nutrient mass while the other elements had increased or fluctuated but tended to increase. Three patterns of nutrient mobility were observed: first, the concentration increased while the nutrient mass (absolute amount) decreased; second, both concentration and nutrient mass increased; third, the concentration and nutrient mass decreased. On tracing nutrient mobility over time, the linear regression of nutrient element mass and litter element mass was preferred over the carbon to element ratios because the former gave a clearer picture of the relationship. On the over-all, the pattern of nutrient changes in greenhouse microcosms were different from those observed in the field, hence nutrient cycling studies using greenhouse-microcosm approach alone may give inaccurate results.

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Author notes

  1. Eric F. Salamanca

    Present address: College of Agriculture and Forestry, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, 2515 Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, 690-8504, Matsue, Japan

    Eric F. Salamanca, Nobihiro Kaneko & Shigeo Katagiri

Authors
  1. Eric F. Salamanca
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  2. Nobihiro Kaneko
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  3. Shigeo Katagiri
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Additional information

This study was conducted while the senior author holds a Japanese government scholarship (MONBUSHO Grant No. 920205).

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Salamanca, E.F., Kaneko, N. & Katagiri, S. Nutrient dynamics in decomposing forest leaf litter: A comparison of field and laboratory microcosm approach. J For Res 3, 91–98 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02760308

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02760308

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