Most studies of forest litter dynamics examine the biochemical characteristics and decomposition of leaf litter, but fine roots are also a large source of litter in forests.
We quantified the concentrations of eight biochemical fractions and nitrogen (N) in leaf litter and fine roots at four sugar maple ( Acer saccharum )‐dominated hardwood forests in the north‐central United States. We combined these results with litter production data to estimate ecosystem biochemical fluxes to soil. We also compared how leaf litter and fine root biochemistry responded to long‐term simulated N deposition.
Compared with leaf litter, fine roots contained 2.9‐fold higher acid‐insoluble fraction ( AIF ) and 2.3‐fold more condensed tannins; both are relatively difficult to decompose. Comparatively, leaf litter had greater quantities of more labile components: nonstructural carbohydrates, cellulose and soluble phenolics. At an ecosystem scale, fine roots contributed over two‐thirds of the fluxes of AIF and condensed tannins to soil. Fine root biochemistry was also less responsive than leaf litter to long‐term simulated N deposition.
Fine roots were the dominant source of difficult‐to‐decompose plant carbon fractions entering the soil at our four study sites. Based on our synthesis of the literature, this pattern appears to be widespread in boreal and temperate forests.
Xia, Mengxue, et al. "Fine roots are the dominant source of recalcitrant plant litter in sugar maple‐dominated northern hardwood forests." New Phytologist, vol. 208, no. 3, Jun. 2015. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13494
Xia, Mengxue, Talhelm, Alan F., & Pregitzer, Kurt S. (2015). Fine roots are the dominant source of recalcitrant plant litter in sugar maple‐dominated northern hardwood forests. New Phytologist, 208(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13494
Xia, Mengxue, Talhelm, Alan F., and Pregitzer, Kurt S., "Fine roots are the dominant source of recalcitrant plant litter in sugar maple‐dominated northern hardwood forests," New Phytologist 208, no. 3 (2015), https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13494
@article{osti_1224020,
author = {Xia, Mengxue and Talhelm, Alan F. and Pregitzer, Kurt S.},
title = {Fine roots are the dominant source of recalcitrant plant litter in sugar maple‐dominated northern hardwood forests},
annote = {Summary Most studies of forest litter dynamics examine the biochemical characteristics and decomposition of leaf litter, but fine roots are also a large source of litter in forests. We quantified the concentrations of eight biochemical fractions and nitrogen (N) in leaf litter and fine roots at four sugar maple ( Acer saccharum )‐dominated hardwood forests in the north‐central United States. We combined these results with litter production data to estimate ecosystem biochemical fluxes to soil. We also compared how leaf litter and fine root biochemistry responded to long‐term simulated N deposition. Compared with leaf litter, fine roots contained 2.9‐fold higher acid‐insoluble fraction ( AIF ) and 2.3‐fold more condensed tannins; both are relatively difficult to decompose. Comparatively, leaf litter had greater quantities of more labile components: nonstructural carbohydrates, cellulose and soluble phenolics. At an ecosystem scale, fine roots contributed over two‐thirds of the fluxes of AIF and condensed tannins to soil. Fine root biochemistry was also less responsive than leaf litter to long‐term simulated N deposition. Fine roots were the dominant source of difficult‐to‐decompose plant carbon fractions entering the soil at our four study sites. Based on our synthesis of the literature, this pattern appears to be widespread in boreal and temperate forests. },
doi = {10.1111/nph.13494},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1224020},
journal = {New Phytologist},
issn = {ISSN 0028-646X},
number = {3},
volume = {208},
place = {United Kingdom},
publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell},
year = {2015},
month = {06}}
National Science Foundation (NSF); US Department of Agriculture (USDA); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
OSTI ID:
1224020
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1345707 OSTI ID: 1904037
Journal Information:
New Phytologist, Journal Name: New Phytologist Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 208; ISSN 0028-646X