Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genetic Identity of Populus tremuloides Litter Influences Decomposition and Nutrient Release in a Mixed Forest Stand

  • Published:
Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent research has shown that genetic variation can directly impact community and ecosystem level processes. Populus tremuloides (trembling aspen) is an extremely widespread and genetically diverse tree species important to many North American forest ecosystems. Using leaf litter from five genotypes grown in a common garden under two nutrient treatments, we tracked litter decomposition in a natural aspen stand for 1 year. Here we show that aspen leaf litter decomposes and releases carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in relation to its genetic identity. In a secondary experiment, we show that the genetic diversity of aspen litter mixtures can influence decomposition, however weakly so. Overall, nutrient treatments influenced leaf litter decomposition the most, followed by genetic identity, and then by genetic diversity (if at all in some cases). In this widespread, genetically diverse, and dominant species, genetic variation within a single species is important to ecosystem functioning. The relatively weak effect of genetic diversity on the processes measured here does not preclude its importance to ecosystem functioning, but does suggest that genetic identity and composition are more important than genetic diversity per se.

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

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aber JD, Melillo JM, McClaugherty CA. 1990. Predicting long-term patterns of mass loss, nitrogen dynamics, and soil organic matter formation from initial fine litter chemistry in temperate forest ecosystems. Can J Bot 68:2201–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey JK, Schweitzer JA, Rehill BJ, Lindroth RL, Martinsen GD, Whitham TG. 2004. Beavers as molecular geneticists: a genetic basis to the foraging of an ecosystem engineer. Ecology 85:603–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth RE, Grime JP. 2003. Effects of genetic impoverishment on plant community diversity. J Ecol 91:721–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MA, Tordoff GM, Eggers T, Jones TH, Newington JE. 2002. Microbiota, fauna, and mesh size interactions in litter decomposition. Oikos 99:317–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman K, Whittaker JB, Heal OW. 1988. Metabolic and faunal activity in litters of tree mixtures compared with pure stands. Agric Ecosys Environ 24:33–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chase JM, Knight TM. 2003. Community genetics: towards a synthesis. Ecology 84:580–2

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman DC, Crossley DA. 1996. Fundamentals of soil ecology. San Diego (CA): Academic Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins R. 1982. The extended phenotype. New York (NY): Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Donaldson JR, Lindroth RL. 2004. Cottonwood leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) performance in relation to variable phytochemistry in juvenile aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). Environ Entomol 33:1505–11

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gartner TB, Cardon ZG. 2004. Decomposition dynamics in mixed-species leaf litter. Oikos 104:230–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hättenschwiler S, Vitousek PM. 2000. The role of polyphenols in terrestrial ecosystem nutrient cycling. Trends Ecol Evol 15:238–43

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hagerman AE, Butler CG. 1989. Choosing appropriate methods and standards for assaying tannin. J Chem Ecol 15:1795–810

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernes PJ, Hedges JI. 2004. Tannin signatures of barks, needles, leaves, cones, and wood at the molecular level. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 68:1293–307

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoorens B, Aerts R, Stroetenga M. 2002. Litter quality and interactive effects in litter mixtures: more negative interactions under elevated CO2? J Ecol 90:1009–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter MD. 2001. Insect population dynamics meets ecosystem ecology: Effects of herbivory on soil nutrient dynamics. Agric Forest Entomol 3:77–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King JS, Pregitzer KS, Zak DR, Kubiske ME, Ashby JA, Holmes WE. 2001. Chemistry and decomposition of litter from Populus tremuloides Michaux grown at elevated atmospheric CO2 and varying N availability. Global Change Biol 7:65–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraus TEC, Zasoski RJ, Dahlgren RA, Horwath WR, Preston CM. 2004. Carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a forest soil amended with purified tannins from different plant species. Soil Biol Biochem 36:309–21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ledig FT. 1992. Human impacts on genetic diversity in forest ecosystems. Oikos 63:87–108

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindroth RL, Roth S, Nordheim EV. 2001. Genotypic variation in response of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) to atmospheric CO2 enrichment. Oecologia 126:371–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindroth RL, Osier TL, Barnhill HRH, Wood SA. 2002. Effects of genotype and nutrient availability on phytochemistry of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) during leaf senescence. Biochem Syst Ecol 30:297–307

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loreau M. 1998. Separating sampling and other effects in biodiversity experiments. Oikos 82:600–2

    Google Scholar 

  • Madritch MD, Hunter MD. 2002. Phenotypic diversity influences ecosystem functioning in an oak sandhills community. Ecology 83:2084–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madritch MD, Hunter MD. 2003. Intraspecific litter diversity and nitrogen deposition affect nutrient dynamics and soil respiration. Oecologia 136:124–8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martinsen GD, Floate KD, Waltz AM, Wimp GM, Whitham TG. 2000. Positive interactions between leafrollers and other arthropods enhance biodiversity on hybrid cottonwoods. Oecologia 123:82–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre PJ, Whitham TG. 2003. Plant genotype affects long-term herbivore population dynamics and extinction: Conservation implications. Ecology 84:311–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Melillo JM, Aber JD, Muratone JF. 1982. Nitrogen and lignin control of hardwood leaf litter decomposition dynamics. Ecology 63:621–6

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitton JB, Grant MC. 1996. Genetic variation and the natural history of quaking aspen. Bioscience 46:25–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore JC, Berlow EL, Coleman DC, de Ruiter PC, Dong Q, Hastings A, Johnson NC, McCann KS, Melville K, Morin PJ, Nadelhoffer K, Rosemond AD, Post DM, Sabo JL, Scow KM, Vanni MJ, Wall DH. 2004. Detritus, trophic dynamics and biodiversity. Ecol Lett 7:584–600

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson MC, Wardle DA, Dahlberg A. 1999. Effects of plant litter species composition and diversity on the boreal forest plant-soil system. Oikos 86:16–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Pastor J, Bockheim JG. 1984. Distribution and cycling of nutrients in an aspen-mixed-hardwood-spodosol ecosystem in northern Wisconsin. Ecology 65: 339–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perala DA, Alm AA. 1990. Reproductive ecology of birch–a review. Forest Ecol Manag 32:1–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter LJ, Hrstich LN, Chan BC. 1986. The conversion of procyanidins and prodelphinidins to cyaniding and delphinidin. Phytochemistry 25:223–30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott CE, Kabzems R, Zabek LM. 1999. Effects of fertilization on decomposition rates of Populus tremuloides foliar litter in a boreal forest. Can J Forest Res 29:393–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prescott CE, Zabek LM, Staley CL, Kabzems R. 2000. Variability in litter quality and its relationship to litter decay in Canadian forests. Can J Bot 78:1269–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salamanca EF, Kaneko N, Katagiri S. 1998. Effects of leaf litter mixtures on the decomposition of Quercus serrata and Pinus densiflora using field and laboratory microcosm methods. Ecol Eng 10:53–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schädler M, Brandl R. 2005. Do invertebrate decomposers affect the disappearance rate of litter mixtures? Soil Biol Biochem 37:329–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schimel JP, Van Cleve K, Cates RG, Clausen TP, Reichardt PB. 1996. Effects of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) tannins and low molecular weight phenolics on microbial activity in taiga floodplain soil: implications for changes in N cycling during succession. Can J Bot 74:84–90

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schweitzer JA, Bailey JK, Rehill BJ, Martinsen GD, Hart SC, Lindroth RL, Keim P, Whitham TG. 2004. Genetically based trait in a dominant tree affects ecosystem processes. Ecol Lett 7:127–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sellmer JC, McCown BH, Haissig BE. 1989. Shoot culture dynamics of 6 Populus clones. Tree Physiol 5:219–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Treseder KL, Vitousek PM. 2001. Potential ecosystem-level effects of genetic variation among populations of Metrosideros polymorpha from a soil fertility gradient in Hawaii. Oecologia 126:266–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitousek PM, Mooney HA, Lubchenco L, Melillo JM. 1997. Human domination of Earth’s ecosystems. Science 277:494–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wardle DA, Bonner KI, Nicholson KS. 1997. Biodiversity and plant litter: experimental evidence which does not support the view that enhanced species richness improves ecosystem function. Oikos 79:247–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Whitham TG, Young WP, Martinsen GD, Gehring CA, Schweitzer JA, Shuster SM, Wimp GM, Fischer DG, Bailey JK, Lindroth RL, Woolbright S, Kuske CR. 2003. Community and ecosystem genetics: a consequence of the extended phenotype. Ecology 84:559–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimp GM, Young WP, Woolbright SA, Martinsen GD, Keim P, Whitham TG. 2004. Conserving plant genetic diversity for dependent animal communities. Ecol Lett 7:776–80

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Funding was provided by NSF DEB-0074427 to RLL and by NSF DEB-0344019 to RLL and MDM. We thank M. Leach and the UW Arboretum staff for site use permission and location assistance. C. Cole generously provided microsatellite data. We also thank H. Barnhill, K. Lawson, L. Riel, and B. Rogers for field and laboratory assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, 237 Russell Labs, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706-1598, USA

    Michael Madritch, Jack R. Donaldson & Richard L. Lindroth

Authors
  1. Michael Madritch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jack R. Donaldson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Richard L. Lindroth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Madritch.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Madritch, M., Donaldson, J.R. & Lindroth, R.L. Genetic Identity of Populus tremuloides Litter Influences Decomposition and Nutrient Release in a Mixed Forest Stand. Ecosystems 9, 528–537 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-006-0008-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-006-0008-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation