Decomposition rate of common reed leaves depends on litter origin and exposure location characteristics

Grašič, Mateja (author), Likar, Matevž (author), Vogel-Mikuš, Katarina (author), Samardžić, Tijana (author), Gaberščik, Alenka (author)

The decomposition process in wetlands is affected by various factors, among which hydrology and litter quality are very important. We studied the decomposition rate of Phragmites australis upper and lower leaf litter from the lake and the riparian sites at the intermittent Lake Cerknica (Slovenia), exposed to flooded and dry conditions. Xray fluorescence spectrometry revealed that leaf litter element composition was related to soil element composition. Fresh leaves also differed according to their age, especially regarding leaf silicon, which ranged from 2.8% to 6.1% dry matter, and leaf phosphorus, which ranged from 0.12% to 0.17% dry matter for the different leaf groups. According to factorial ANOVA, leaf litter decomposition rate was significantly affected by sampling site, exposure location, and leaf age (p ≤ 0.01). Decomposition rate was significantly lower at the dry location compared to the flooded location, and was not related to leaf silicon content. However, leaf sulphur, chlorine, and calcium contents had a significant positive impact on leaf litter decomposition rate at both the dry and the flooded locations. Leaf phosphorus significantly positively affected leaf litter decomposition rate only at the dry location.

• Language: English
• Keywords: leaf litter, litter element composition, silicon, decomposition rate, water regime, Phragmites australis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 179, art. 103513
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-139057
• UDC: 581.5
• ISSN on article: 0304-3770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquabot.2022.103513
• COBISS.SI-ID: 101094915
• Publication date in RUL: 29.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Aquatic botany
• Shortened title: Aquat. bot.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0304-3770
• COBISS.SI-ID: 24988416

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Phragmites australis, listni opad, elementna sestava opada, silicij, stopnja razgradnje, vodni režim

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P1-0212
• Name: Biologija rastlin