Abstract
Woody debris, which is supplied by branch litter, is an important component of forest ecosystems as it contains large quantities of organic matter and nutrients. We evaluated changes in branch wood dry weight and nutrient content of six common species (Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Pinus densiflora, Prunus sargentii, Quercus mongolica, Acer pseudosieboldianum, and Symplocos chinensis for. pilosa) in a deciduous temperate forest in Korea for 40 months. Branch wood disk samples 1.4–1.6 cm thick were cut, and mass loss was measured over time using the litterbag method. No significant differences in mass loss were recorded among the six tree species. Further, mass loss was negatively correlated with initial lignin concentration and positively correlated with both initial cellulose concentration and wood density for each species. Species with high wood cellulose content had high wood density while the lignin content in wood was relatively low. Accordingly, cellulose contributed to wood density, creating a relatively lower lignin content, and the decreased lignin concentration increased the wood decomposition rate.
Highlights
The balance between primary production and decomposition in the forest ecosystem is important for maintaining sustainable ecosystems
The C concentration did not significantly differ among wood species, whereas total N was significantly lower in F. rhynchophylla, S. chinensis, and P. sargentii than it was in Q. mongolica, P. densiflora, and A. pseudosieboldianum
Cellulose concentration among the six tree species ranged from 48.3% in P. densiflora to 63.5% in F. rhynchophylla, and P. sargentii, Q. mongolica, S. chinensis, and A. pseudosieboldianum contained intermediate cellulose concentrations in that order
Summary
The balance between primary production and decomposition in the forest ecosystem is important for maintaining sustainable ecosystems. 3.2 metric tons ha−1 year−1 and that non-leaf litter production in cool temperate and warm temperate zones equaled 0.9 metric tons ha−1 year−1 and 1.9 metric tons ha−1 year−1 , respectively They found that stem litter in Pinus and Quercus forests comprised 12% and 15% of the total litter, respectively [5]. Similar measurements have been determined for litter production in P. densiflora, Q. mongolica, and Abies holophylla cool temperate forests in Korea (4.33 metric tons ha−1 year−1 , 3.76 metric tons ha−1 year−1 , and 4.72 metric tons ha−1 year−1 , respectively) [6], and stem litter has been found to comprise 16%, 12%, and 13% of the total litter, respectively [6]. Total N, the C/N ratio, and the lignin/N ratio are considered
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