Litter decomposition and nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in peatlands and uplands over 12 years in central Canada

Abstract

The large accumulation of organic matter in peatlands has been partially attributed to litter decomposition rates, which are slowed by a high water table. To test this, we examined whether there were significant differences in the decomposition and N and P dynamics of ten foliar litters and wood blocks at three pairs of upland forest and peatland sites in the transitional grassland, high boreal and low subarctic regions of central Canada, using litterbags collected over a 12-year period. At two of the three pairs, the decomposition rate, as determined by proportion of the original mass remaining after 12 years and by the exponential decay coefficient (k), was faster overall at the upland than at the peatland. In the third pair, there was no significant difference, despite the water table being close to the peat surface; warmer soil temperatures in the peatland than the upland may be the cause. In general, there were small losses or gains of N in the litters after 12 years, compared to the original litter, though there were some differences among litter types and sites, net gains in N likely reflecting the higher exogenous N availability. P was lost from most litters at the two northern pairs of sites, but at the transitional grassland pair, there were large net gains in P and greater variation among litters. The N:P ratio in the original litters ranged from 5 to 26 and after 12 years the ratio narrowed, with the site average of the ten litters ranging from 13 to 22, varying with the soil ratio. Decomposition rates and N and P dynamics after 12 years are different between upland and peatland sites: although the water table is a primary control on these differences, other factors such as temperature and soil nutrient status are also important.