Lignin Degradation in Foliar Litter of Two Shrub Species from the Gap Center to the Closed Canopy in an Alpine Fir Forest

Abstract

To understand the effects of forest gaps on lignin degradation during shrub foliar litter decomposition, a field litterbag experiment was conducted in an alpine fir (Abies faxoniana) forest of the eastern Tibet Plateau. Dwarf bamboo (Fargesia nitida) and willow (Salix paraplesia) foliar litterbags were placed on the forest floor from the gap center to the closed canopy. The litterbags were sampled during snow formation, snow coverage, snow melting and the growing season from October 2010 to October 2012. The lignin concentrations and loss in the litter were measured. Over 2 years, lignin loss was lower in the bamboo litter (34.64‐43.89%) than in the willow litter (38.91‐55.10%). In the bamboo litter, lignin loss mainly occurred during the first decomposition year, whereas it occurred during the second decomposition year in the willow litter. Both bamboo and willow litter lignin loss decreased from the gap center to the closed canopy during the first year and over the entire 2-year decomposition period. Compared with the closed canopy, the gap center showed higher lignin loss for both bamboo and willow litter during the two winters, but lower lignin loss during the early growing period. Additionally, the dynamics of microbial biomass carbon during litter decomposition followed the same trend as litter lignin loss during the two winters and growing period. These results indicated that alpine forest gaps had significant effects on shrub litter lignin loss and that reduced snow cover during winter warming would inhibit shrub lignin degradation in this alpine forest.