Nutrients in litterfall, forest floor and mineral soils in two adjacent forest ecosystems in Greece

Abstract

The fluxes of masses and the nutrients Ca, Mg, K, N, P and S were determined in the litterfall of two adjacent forest ecosystems of Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in a mountainous area of northeastern Greece in 2010–2015. The foliar litterfall for both species reached about 70% of the total litterfall, and was significantly higher from the other two fractions (woody and rest litterfall). The fluxes of masses and nutrients were compared between ecosystems for each fraction separately. Only one significant statistical difference was found, that of K in the woody litterfall. In addition, the stocks of masses and nutrients were calculated in the forest floors and mineral soils of the two ecosystems. Likewise, the stocks of nutrients in the forest floors and mineral soils were compared between ecosystems. In the L horizon of the forest floors, statistical differences, as a result of species effect, were found for the stocks of Ca and N. In the FH horizons, the masses and all the nutrient stocks differed significantly, as the beech plot had much higher quantities of organic matter and nutrients. These higher quantities were probably due to low soil temperatures (microclimate) and high acidity in the beech plot (species effect) that slowed down decomposition. In the mineral soils, the propagation of random error derived from random errors of the individual soil layers was an important factor in the statistical comparisons. Because of the soil acidity in the beech plot, the stocks of exchangeable base cations were significantly higher in the oak plot, whereas the other nutrient stocks did not differ.