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Mixtures with grass litter may hasten shrub litter decomposition after shrub encroachment into mountain grasslands

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Abstract

Aims

Shrub encroachment in mesic grasslands alters the identity and quality of litters entering the system. As litter from shrubs and grasses can differ in their quality, this can lead to differences in litter decomposition by the direct effect of quality, but also to litter interaction during decomposition. The objective of this study was to examine the occurrence of non-additive effects of litter mixtures on the decomposition rates of legume shrub litter (poor in P) or conifer shrub litter (poor in N) and grass litter.

Methods

In addition to single litter type litterbags for the three species, we mixed litters of each pair of possible combinations to determine the influence of each species on mass loss. Litterbags were placed in the field and collected after 1, 6, 8, 12 and 24 months. In each collection, litter of each species remaining in mixed bags was separated, dry weighed and analyzed for C, N and P.

Results

With respect to shrub litter decomposing alone, mass loss of shrub litter when mixed with grass showed a 9–10 % increase in decomposition rate for conifer and a 3 % increase for legume litter. These litter mixture effects varied with time and they were detected after a decomposition period of 1 year in legume litter and of 2 years in conifer litter.

Conclusions

Grass litter hastened conifer and legume litter decomposition in leaf litter mixtures, at least during the first stages of the process. The potential consequences of this result to alter litter accumulation patterns and thus carbon sequestration rates after shrub encroachment into grasslands will depend on whether the observed trends are maintained in the advanced decomposition stages.

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Acknowledgments

FM was supported by a grant (2005FI 00801) from the DURSI-Generalitat de Catalunya and the European Social Fund. Additional support came from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (VULCA, CGL2005-08133-CO3) and by the European Commission under the GHG-Europe project (FP7-ENV-2009-1, project No. 244122). FMA helped in the field. The authors thank the Alt Pirineu Natural Park for allowing them to work in the Campirme study site. JR, PR and PC are members of the GRACCIE Research Net (Consolider Program, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain; CSD2007-00067). PR and PC are supported by Ramón y Cajal Contracts (Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad, Spain).

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Author notes

  1. Francesc Montané

    Present address: Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, 101 David L. Boren Blvd., Norman, OK, 73019, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), Ctra. de St. Llorenç de Morunys, Km 2 (direcció Port del Comte), Solsona, 25280, Spain

    Francesc Montané, Pere Rovira & Pere Casals

  2. Departament de Productes Naturals, Biologia Vegetal i Edafologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, Barcelona, 08028, Spain

    Joan Romanyà

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  1. Francesc Montané
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Correspondence to Francesc Montané.

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Responsible Editor: Tim Moore.

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Montané, F., Romanyà, J., Rovira, P. et al. Mixtures with grass litter may hasten shrub litter decomposition after shrub encroachment into mountain grasslands. Plant Soil 368, 459–469 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1533-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-012-1533-8

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