Increased site fertility and litter decomposition rate in high-pollution sites in the San Bernardino Mountains
- USDA Forest Service, Riverside, CA (United States)
Some possible factors causing enhanced litter decomposition in high-pollution sites in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California were investigated. Nitrogen concentration of soil, as well as foliage and litter of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev, and Balf.) were greater in high-pollution plots than in moderate- or low-pollution plots. Nitrogen concentration of soil, foliage, and litter of ponderosa pine (ozone-sensitive), and of the ozone-tolerant species, sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.) and incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin.), were all higher at a higher pollution site than at a moderate-pollution site. The rate of litter decomposition for all three species was also greater at the high-pollution site. Results suggest than the primary factor causing enhanced decomposition of L-layer litter in high-pollution plots is greater site fertility, leading to the production of foliage and litter that is higher in N than litter from moderate- or low-pollution plots.
- OSTI ID:
- 5885672
- Journal Information:
- Forest Science; (United States), Vol. 37:4; ISSN 0015-749X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FOREST LITTER
DECOMPOSITION
POLLUTANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
AIR POLLUTION
CALIFORNIA
CEDARS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FERTILITY
LEAVES
MOUNTAINS
NITROGEN
OZONE
PINES
SOILS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONIFERS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
PINOPHYTA
PLANTS
POLLUTION
TREES
USA
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)