A Cross-System Analysis of Litter Chemical Dynamics Throughout Decomposition
A Cross-System Analysis of Litter Chemical Dynamics Throughout Decomposition
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DOI：
10.1007/s10021-022-00749-6
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发表时间：
2022-03-16
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Wickings, Kyle G.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ball, Becky A.;Christenson, Lynn M.;Wickings, Kyle G.
植物凋落物的分解是一个基本的生态过程，是土壤形成、土壤有机质化学和土壤地球化学循环的组成部分。然而，我们的理解衰减动力学主要集中在凋落物质量损失率，因此碳动力学，与相对较少的探索凋落物分解的化学性质，在此期间，凋落物的结构和代谢化合物降解成碎片代谢或最终纳入土壤腐殖质。我们对整个分解过程中凋落物化学变化模式的理解是不完整的，因为很少有研究测量了初始凋落物化学和整个腐烂过程中的化学含量，特别是碳和氮以外的化学含量。现有的文献还报告了特殊的情况下，凋落物化学收敛和发散。我们使用来自美国长期生态研究网络的存档垃圾分解样本和数据，研究了各种植物功能类型和生态系统的垃圾化学的综合轨迹，包括营养，结构和代谢参数，在前70%的质量损失中。我们的研究结果并没有产生一个普遍的共同模式的垃圾化学轨迹在所有的功能类型和地区，和非常有限的证据收敛或分歧的化学随着时间的推移，主要是在营养元素。我们提供了有关个别化学参数的行为，以功能类型和区域的衰变的细节。全球变化驱动的植物群落的变化可能会改变养分循环和SOM的形成，通过持久性或分歧凋落物化学输入。
Decomposition of plant litter is a fundamental ecological process, integral to soil formation, soil organic matter chemistry, and biogeochemical cycling. However, much of our understanding of decay dynamics focuses on rates of litter mass loss and therefore carbon dynamics, with relatively less exploration of the chemical nature of litter decomposition during which the degradation of litter structural and metabolic compounds into fragments are either metabolized or ultimately incorporated into soil humus. Our understanding of the patterns of changes in litter chemistry throughout decomposition is incomplete, as few studies have measured chemical content beyond initial litter chemistry and throughout decay, and particularly not chemistry beyond carbon and nitrogen. The existing literature also reports idiosyncratic instances of litter chemical convergence and divergence. We used archived litter decomposition samples and data from across the U.S. Long-Term Ecological Research Network to investigate the trajectory of a comprehensive array of litter chemistry, including nutrient, structural, and metabolic parameters, across a wide variety of plant functional types and ecosystems, throughout the first 70% of mass loss. Our results do not yield a universally common pattern of litter chemical trajectories across all functional types and regions, and very limited evidence of convergence or divergence in chemistry over time, mostly within the nutrient elements. We provide details about the behavior of individual chemical parameters to functional type and region over decay. Changes in plant communities driven by global change may alter nutrient cycling and SOM formation through persistence or divergence on litter chemistry inputs.