Pine Litter Research Articles

Decomposition of pure and mixed foliage litter in a young lodgepole pine – Sitka alder stand in the central interior of British Columbia

A 7-year litterbag experiment examined mass loss dynamics of Sitka alder ( Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC. subsp. sinuata (Regel) A. Löve & D. Löve) and lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson) foliage litter in a young stand dominated by these species in the Sub-Boreal Spruce biogeoclimatic zone of central British Columbia. Although mass loss was initially faster for alder litter, the amounts of mass remaining for alder, pine, and mixed pine–alder (50:50 by mass) litter began to converge after 2 years. Mass loss by the mixed litter differed significantly from that predicted from the behaviour of its pure components, but the mechanisms responsible could not be determined from this experiment. Limit values for the projected maximum extent of mass loss ranged from 63.5% (alder) to 76.9% (pine), with the latter value considerably below estimates reported for lodgepole pine in Scandinavia. Despite these differing limit values, forest floor mass measurements prior to the experiment did not show significantly higher organic matter accumulations under long-established alder clumps on this site.

Soil dynamics in Pinus halepensis reforestation: Effect of microenvironments and previous land use

Reforestation with Pinus halepensis has been the most frequently used method for restoring supposedly degraded lands in Mediterranean semiarid areas, a key objective of which is to improve soil conditions to trigger succession. In this paper we study the effect of a 30 year-old reforestation on lands formerly dedicated to two different uses: shrubland and barley fields. The study area is located in SE Spain in a semiarid area with an annual rainfall of 298 mm. We hypothesize that the previous land use will influence present day soil characteristics. In addition, reforestations have led to the formation of microenvironments associated to: (i) tree development, which generates a radial gradient of influence; (ii) disturbance by mechanical works with resulting microenvironments such as escarpments, showing a worse initial state and, therefore, slower dynamics. Ten plots were set up on former shrubland and ten on a former barley field. Each plot represented a set of related microenvironments that followed a gradient of tree influence/mechanical disturbance. The microenvironments on former shrubland were: under escarpment (ES), plantation line adjacent to P. halepensis stem (PL), beneath P. halepensis crown (BC), the upper bank where part of the material of the terrace was dumped (UB) and original unaltered hillslope taken as pseudocontrol of the original soil (PC). In the former barley field, only PL, BC and PC microenvironments were present as no terracing was carried out. Pine growth created a strong gradient of litter input in the sequence PL > BC > PC which, however, had no significant effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) or other soil variables (except light changes in extractable K and pH). The incorporation of organic matter into the soil was probably delayed by the quality of recalcitrant pine litter and the unfavorable semiarid climate. In addition, disturbance created by reforestation works seems to have been buffered by redistribution of fine particles through short-range erosion and sedimentation. In the external part of the terrace, the values of SOC and extractable Na were higher, accompanied by increased electrical conductivity and decreased pH. The most striking differences found were related to former land use. SOC was three times higher in former shrubland than in former barley field. Likewise, available P was higher in the former barley field and extractable Na was higher in the former shrubland, both apparently related to the pre-reforestation state. The results indicate that soil dynamics thirty years after the reforestation has hardly erased the differences attributable to former land use. Soil dynamics induced by the input of organic matter from trees is slower that expected when the reforestation was planned. We conclude that any future application of reforestation should take into account the slow soil dynamics observed in this study in order to be more effective.

Carbon respiration and nitrogen dynamics in Corsican pine litter amended with aluminium and tannins

We investigated the carbon (C) mineralisation and nitrogen (N) dynamics in litter from a Corsican pine forest in response to individual and combined additions of aluminium (Al), condensed tannin (extracted from fresh Corsican pine needles) and hydrolysable tannin (commercial tannic acid). Production rates of CO 2, NH 4 + and NO 3 − concentrations, tannin concentrations and Al speciation were determined at various time intervals during a 28-day incubation experiment. The addition of Al decreased CO 2 production and shut down nitrification. Exchangeable NH 4 + strongly increased in the Al-amended litter, likely due to (i) decreased microbial uptake of NH 4 +, (ii) the inhibition of nitrification and (iii) competition for soil organic matter (SOM) binding sites by Al. Both tannin species affected C mineralisation and/or N dynamics, be it in different ways. Addition of tannic acid led to a strong increase of the C mineralisation rate and microbial uptake of N, caused by rapid degradation of this labile tannin and subsequent increased microbial nutrient demand. Net immobilisation of N occurred as long as one week after addition. Condensed tannin was not consumed but probably strongly bound to (nitrogenous) SOM compounds, forming recalcitrant complexes and decreasing net N mineralisation. Complexation of Al by tannins in solution before addition to the litter mitigated the Al-induced release of exchangeable NH 4 +. In the case of condensed tannin with complexed Al, this was due to detoxification of Al through complexation. Increased microbial demand for N likely played a major role in decreased NH 4 + accumulation in the samples to which tannic acid with complexed Al was added. Nitrification was shut down despite of the complexation of Al by either condensed tannin or tannic acid.

Little evidence for respiratory acclimation by microbial communities to short‐term shifts in temperature in red pine (Pinus resinosa) litter

AbstractForest litter is a large reservoir of organic compounds that adds CO2 to the atmospheric carbon pool when it decomposes. Predicting CO2 efflux from litter decomposition is difficult because litter can undergo significant diurnal and day‐to‐day shifts in temperature. Moreover, the relationship between temperature and respiration may change if the decomposer microorganisms acclimate to short‐term temperature changes. Therefore, we studied the relationship between temperature and respiration by litter decomposer microorganisms in a Pinus resinosa (Ait.) system and tested the hypothesis that their respiration acclimates to temperature. We found only limited evidence for acclimation following 6 °C shifts for 7 days. This suggests that increase in respiratory CO2 loss associated with increased temperature would not be greatly ameliorated by physiological acclimation for periods of up to a week.

Soil Physico-Chemical Properties and Crop Yield Improvement Following Lantana Mulching and Reduced Tillage in Rainfed Croplands in the Indian Himalayan Mountains

In the rainfed crop fields of the Central Himalayan Mountains in India, low soil moisture and low soil fertility are the two major constraints on crop yield. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis of whether mixing a high-quality (high foliar N, P, and K and low lignin) organic residue (Lantana camara leaves) with the relatively low-quality leaf litter of oak (Quercus leucotrichophora) and pine (Pinus roxburghii) forests, and then mulching the organic residue, would enhance the rate of organic residue decomposition and nutrient release to contribute to the soil fertility and crop yield of wheat and paddy in rainfed crop fields. To achieve the study objectives, Lantana residue was mixed with oak and pine leaf litter in four different proportions and applied under three tillage frequencies in 36 experimental plots in a completely randomized block design. These four mulch combinations were also studied for dry matter decomposition and nutrient release pattern. Results showed that both the decomposition rate (k = 1.86 yr−1) and rate of nutrient release from decomposing litter (N = 0.208 mg d −1 and P = 0.042 mg d −1) for Lantana residue were much higher than the other litter combinations. Mixing Lantana with other mulch materials positively influenced the decomposition and nutrient release of otherwise slow decomposing oak and pine leaf litter. The 100% Lantana mulched plots recorded substantially higher soil moisture among the four mulching treatments. The 100% Lantana mulched plots also recorded significantly higher soil nutrients (NO3 +-N and PO4 −-P under wheat and NH4 +-N under rice crops) and rate of N-mineralization, and produced significantly higher wheat grain (920 to 1309 kg ha−1) and wheat and rice straw yield than the conventional practice of crop cultivation. Lantana residue thus proved to be a potential mulch to achieve soil moisture conservation, soil fertility enhancement, and higher crop yields in the region.

Soil biota accelerate decomposition in high‐elevation forests by specializing in the breakdown of litter produced by the plant species above them

Summary 1 There is mounting evidence that leaf litter typically decomposes more rapidly beneath the plant species it derived from than beneath the different plant species, which has been called home-field advantage (HFA). It has been suggested that this HFA results from the local adaptation of soil communities to decompose the litter that they encounter most often, which probably comes from the plant species above them. 2. To test this hypothesis and to investigate how HFA varies over time and in relation to litter quality, we performed the first detailed assessment of HFA in relation to litter decomposition. We monitored decomposition over time in two reciprocal litter transplant experiments involving three high-elevation tree species that differ in litter quality. The three tree species used were trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii). 3. First, we incubated litter from each of these species with soil biota extracted from stands of each tree species in a laboratory experiment and observed greater cumulative respiration, a measure of decomposition, when litter was incubated with its home soil biota. Second, we performed a field experiment, which demonstrated that the decomposition HFA also occurred under field conditions. In addition, this experiment demonstrated that despite increased mass loss at home, litter also immobilized more nitrogen when in its home environment. In both experiments, the HFA was most pronounced for pine litter, which is consistent with the hypothesis that HFA increases with decreasing litter quality. 4.Synthesis. As well as demonstrating conclusively that soil communities specialize in decomposing the litter produced by the plant species above them, our data challenge the widely held view that soil organisms are largely functionally redundant.

Sericostoma vittatum (Trichoptera) Larvae Are Able to Use Pine Litter as an Energy Source

AbstractWe tested the effect of conditioning time of Pinus sylvestris litter on food consumption and growth of laboratory‐reared Sericostoma vittatum larvae. In all cases, larval mass was positively correlated with consumption rates but negatively with growth rates and gross production efficiencies. Conditioning time (4, 8 or 30 weeks) had an effect on feeding rates: they were lowest for the least conditioned pine litter, but no effect of conditioning time on growth rates was observed. Contrary to previous reports on conifer litter use by aquatic detritivores, our results indicate that S.vittatum larvae were able to transform the highly refractory pine litter into secondary production even when it was conditioned for only 4 weeks. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Tree species traits influence soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in high elevation forests.

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that plants often have species-specific effects on soil properties. In high elevation forests in the Southern Rocky Mountains, North America, areas that are dominated by a single tree species are often adjacent to areas dominated by another tree species. Here, we assessed soil properties beneath adjacent stands of trembling aspen, lodgepole pine, and Engelmann spruce, which are dominant tree species in this region and are distributed widely in North America. We hypothesized that soil properties would differ among stands dominated by different tree species and expected that aspen stands would have higher soil temperatures due to their open structure, which, combined with higher quality litter, would result in increased soil respiration rates, nitrogen availability, and microbial biomass, and differences in soil faunal community composition.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe assessed soil physical, chemical, and biological properties at four sites where stands of aspen, pine, and spruce occurred in close proximity to one-another in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. Leaf litter quality differed among the tree species, with the highest nitrogen (N) concentration and lowest lignin∶N in aspen litter. Nitrogen concentration was similar in pine and spruce litter, but lignin∶N was highest in pine litter. Soil temperature and moisture were highest in aspen stands, which, in combination with higher litter quality, probably contributed to faster soil respiration rates from stands of aspen. Soil carbon and N content, ammonium concentration, and microbial biomass did not differ among tree species, but nitrate concentration was highest in aspen soil and lowest in spruce soil. In addition, soil fungal, bacterial, and nematode community composition and rotifer, collembolan, and mesostigmatid mite abundance differed among the tree species, while the total abundance of nematodes, tardigrades, oribatid mites, and prostigmatid mites did not.Conclusions/SignificanceAlthough some soil characteristics were unaffected by tree species identity, our results clearly demonstrate that these dominant tree species are associated with soils that differ in several physical, chemical, and biotic properties. Ongoing environmental changes in this region, e.g. changes in fire regime, frequency of insect outbreaks, changes in precipitation patterns and snowpack, and land-use change, may alter the relative abundance of these tree species over coming decades, which in turn will likely alter the soils.

Mites of the GenusQuadroppiaJacot, 1939 (Acari: Oribatida; Quadroppiidae) from Turkey, with Zoogeographical Remarks

On the basis of specimens found in the moss and pine litter in Erzurum and Artvin (Turkey), descriptions and illustrations of Quadroppia (Coronoquadroppia) nasalis Gordeeva, 1983 and Quadroppia (Quadroppia) maritalis Lions, 1982, the first Turkish records of the genus Quadroppia Jacot, 1939, and Quadroppia (Coronoquadroppia) michaeli turcica n. ssp., new to science are given. Zoogeographical data concerning the genus is also presented.

Wind and slope effects on ROS during the fire propagation in East-Mediterranean pine forest litter

The paper presents data from laboratory experimental burns modelling the effects of slope of ground surface and wind velocity over the fire spread in the pine litter layer. Subjected to the study are samples from Pinus halepensis and Pinus pinaster pine needles collected in a specific region in Greece. Statistical processing of results obtained has also been carried out and equations have been drawn up presenting the relationship between the rate of spread and changes in wind velocity and slope of terrain. Statistical models for rate of fire spread (ROS) are based on the individual effects of the two factors over the increase in the rate of fire spread above its baseline value. The spread rates in P. halepensis were higher than in P. pinaster beds and the combustion process took place mainly on the fuel top surface. The most severe case of fire propagation has been monitored when the leading edge of the fire front was moving upslope and in matching direction with the wind. The rate of spread for a fire front moving upslope with back-wind direction has been influenced mainly by the slope; however, the negative value of the wind flow reduced the spread rate. The results obtained and equations produced provide a basis to carry out a risk analysis for fire spread in the studied vegetation species taking into account specific terrain features and climate characteristics in the specified geographic area.

Do oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) show a higher preference for ubiquitous vs. specialized saprotrophic fungi from pine litter?

Previous studies of oribatid mite feeding preferences for different saprotrophic fungi were limited to ubiquitous fungal species, whereas saprophytes specialized to decompose particular substrates have been neglected. We examined the preference of seven oribatid mite species ( Adoristes ovatus, Eniochthonius minutissimus, Eueremaeus silvestris, Nothrus silvestris, Oppiella subpectinata, Porobelba spinosa and Spatiodamaeus verticillipes) for nine autochthonous saprotrophic fungi from Scots pine litter ( Pinus sylvestris). Among the fungal species offered were specific coniferous litter colonizers ( Allantophomopsis lycopodina, Ceuthospora pinastri, Hormonema dematioides, Scleroconidioma sphagnicola, Verticicladium trifidum, Marasmius androsaceus and Sympodiella acicola) and two ubiquitous species ( Cladosporium herbarum and Oidiodendron griseum). The fungi were inoculated on fragments of pine needles and offered simultaneously and separately to the mites. Our main hypothesis, that oribatid mites (usually occurring in more than one type of ecosystems) would prefer the ubiquitous fungal species rather than those specific to pine litter, was supported only partly. The ubiquitous C. herbarum was highly preferred by all studied mites, but most of them preferred one or more of the specialized fungi with similar intensity. The basidiomycete M. androsaceus along with sterile needles were consistently avoided by all mites in all experiments. Our results do not support the hypothesis, that the “true” fungivorous oribatid mites in traditional sense are more selective fungal feeders than are the “unspecialized” panphytophagous ones. We observed no gradation in preference of fungi for oribatid mites as a group, but rather a discontinuous and dynamic mosaic with particular mites preferring particular fungal species. This heterogeneous mosaic shapes the feeding niches occupied by particular oribatid mite species and probably reduces competition for food source among numerous species coexisting in a given habitat and time.

Culture-dependent and culture-independent microbial investigation of pine litters and soil in subtropical Australia

Background, aim, and scope Forest plantations, widely grown for wood production, involve the selective promotion of single-tree species or replacement of natural species by exotic tree species. Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) has been chosen for reforestation of infertile sandy soils in southeast Queensland, Australia. These exotic pine plantations minimize soil and water losses and are important scientific study sites. The soil environment of these plantations, though devoid of sufficient nutrients, organic carbon and other factors, harbors innumerable bacteria that may play a crucial role in maintaining soil quality and ecosystem functions. These soil microorganisms also have the potential for use as sensitive biological indicators to reflect environmental changes. It is therefore essential to understand the interrelationships among bacterial communities and their environment by assessing their structural and functional diversity and their responses to disturbances. The main aim of our investigation was to determine the diversity of bacterial communities in forest litters and soil during the forest leaf litter decomposition using culturedependent and culture-independent techniques. Materials and methods A 25-cm (diameter)×40-cm core sample was collected and fractionated into three subsamples designated E1 (L leaf litter layer), E2 (F leaf litter layer), and E5 (0–10 cm soil layer). Both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods were applied in this study. In the culture-independent study, a strategy of wholecommunity DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by cloning and 16S rDNA sequence analysis was used; for culture-dependent study, the strategy included sample plating and bacteria isolating, DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The diversity similarities between two bacterial communities and two methods are quantified using Jensen–Shannon divergence. Results From culture-dependent study, 336 colonies in total were isolated and grouped from the three subsamples, and the 16S rRNA sequence analysis from a representative isolate from each morphogroup (21 isolates) indicated that they belonged to the phyla Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. Culture-independent assessment based on 16S rRNA gene library comprising 194 clones revealed that members of the phylum Actinobacteria were absent in the culture-independent studies. Clones in libraries from E1 consisted exclusively of members of the Firmicutes. The majority of clones from E2 were related to Firmicutes (79%) and Proteobacteria (21%). Clones derived from E5 were mostly affiliated with Acidobacterium (42%), followed by unclassified bacteria (27%), Verrucomicrobiales (12%), Proteobacteria (11%), and Planctomycetes (8%). Discussion This study showed that bacterial culturabilities in different fractions of leaf litters were similar, and both of them were higher than the bacterial culturability in the soil. Unculturable bacterial diversity in the soil, however, was much higher than the leaf litter bacterial diversity. The bacterial diversity on the top layer of leaf litters was slightly

Formation of a cultivated spodosol in east-central Finland

The processes involved in Spodosol (Podzol) formation are still being debated. The pedogenic processes in a Spodosol, 10,700 years-old, at Sotkamo that has been cultivated for about 50 years were studied by characterizing the morphology and analyzing the major chemical properties, texture and mineralogy. Before cultivation, organic acids produced by decomposition of organic matter from pine litter in O and A horizons had weathered primary minerals in A and E horizons releasing Al and Fe. Percolating waters moved the organo-metallic complexes from A and E horizons to Bhsm and Bs horizons where the complexes coated and bridged sand grains eventually forming cemented ortstein. Because of the high biotite content of the parent material, the index of accumulation of Fe and Al in the Bhsm horizon (Al + 0.5 Fe = 4.1%) was the highest reported in Spodosols of Finland. The data support the theory of downward movement of Al and Fe as organo-metallic complexes with formation of some ferrihydrite but little or no formation of imogolite type materials. Little, if any, podzolization has likely occurred since the initiation of cultivation because, after agricultural liming and consequent increase of pH in the Ap horizon, organic compounds are likely to chelate Ca and Mg rather than Al and Fe.;

Pine plantation bands limit seedling recruitment of a perennial grass under semiarid conditions

Pine plantations coexist with Stipa tenacissima grasslands in many semiarid western Mediterranean areas. We compared three microsites created by a 30-year-old Pinus halepensis plantation: below pine plantation line (BP), below canopy of pines (BC) and interline bare band (BA). They were evaluated in terms of soil properties, pine litter and suitability as recruitment niches for S. tenacissima. Next, in a manipulative experiment in growth chambers we tested the hypothesis that pine litter interferes with the seedling emergence of S. tenacissima. Three treatments in pots were compared: (a) soil from BA; (b) intact soil + litter from BP; and (c) soil + litter from BP, which was mixed in the laboratory (BPMX). In the field the main microsite differences were pine cover and litter cover and thickness. Seedling emergence was significantly greater in BA than in BP. Emergence and litter depth fits a linear regression model. In the growth chamber litter did not interfere with the emergence of S. tenacissima. However, seedlings grown without litter were 28% longer and their mass was 27% greater than in the litter treatments. The detected pine litter interference may be relevant for plant dynamics and might be considered in forestry management programs.

Mixed litter decomposition in a managed Missouri Ozark forest ecosystem

We monitored the decomposition of mixed leaf litter ( Quercus spp., Carya spp., and Pinus echinata) in a Missouri Ozark forest eight years after experimental harvest. Leaf litter mass losses and changes in carbon chemistry (extractive, acid soluble, and acid insoluble fractions) were measured over 32 months in field incubations to determine the effects of litter composition and stand manipulation on decomposition and nitrogen (N) concentration in the remaining litter. The decay ( k) rate over this period ranged between 0.39 (±0.010) and 0.51 (±0.002) year −1 for oak, oak–hickory, and oak–pine litter. There were significant main effects of stand manipulation ( p = 0.03) and litter type ( p < 0.01) on decay. Mass losses of oak and oak–hickory litter were 7% ( p = 0.02) and 4% ( p = 0.04) higher on harvested stands than controls, respectively. Mass loss of oak–hickory litter was 3% faster than oak–pine ( p = 0.03) and 6% faster than oak ( p = 0.02) litter on control stands, whereas the oak–hickory litter mass loss was 5% higher than oak litter on harvested stands ( p = 0.01). The decay ( k) rate had a linear relationship with initial leaf litter nitrogen content and lignin-to-N ratio. The nitrogen concentration in remaining litter had a nonlinear relationship to cumulative mass loss suggesting an exogenous source of N. In summary, this study demonstrated significant effects of timber harvest and litter mixtures on decomposition and N dynamics in a managed Missouri Ozark forest.

Effects of mixing pine and broadleaved tree/shrub litter on decomposition and N dynamics in laboratory microcosms

AbstractThis study was carried out to compare the ecological function of exotic pine (Pinus radiata—Pr) and native pine (Pinus tabulaeformis—Pt) in terms of litter decomposition and its related N dynamics and to evaluate if the presence of broad‐leaved tree species (Cercidiphyllum japonicum—Cj) or shrub species (Ostryopsis davidiana—Od) litter would promote the decomposition of pine needles and N cycling. Mass remaining, N release of the four single‐species litters and mixed‐species (Pt + Cj; Pr + Cj; Pt + Od; Pr + Od) litters and soil N dynamics were measured at microcosm scale during an 84‐day incubation period. The Pt and Pr litter, with poorer substrate quality, indicated slower decomposition rates than did the Cj and Od litter. Due to their high C/N ratios, the N mass of Pt and Pr litter continuously increased during the early stage of decomposition, which showed that Pt and Pr litter immobilized exogenous N by microbes. No significant differences of soil inorganic, dissolved organic and microbial biomass N were found between the Pt and Pr microcosm at each sampling. The results showed that the exotic Pr performed similar ecological function to the native Pt in terms of litter decomposition and N dynamics during the early stage. The presence of Cj or Od litter increased the decomposition rates of pine needle litter and also dramatically increased soil N availability. So it is feasible for plantation managers to consider the use of Cj as an ameliorative species or to retain Od in pine plantations to promote the decomposition of pine litter and increase nutrient circulation. The results also suggested that different species litters induced different soil dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). As a major soluble N pool in soil, DON developed a different changing tendency over time compared with inorganic N, and should be included into soil N dynamic under the condition of our study.

The influence of fuelbed properties on moisture drying rates and timelags of longleaf pine litter

Fire managers often model pine needles as 1 h timelag fuels, but fuelbed properties may significantly change the rate at which needles exchange moisture with the atmosphere. The problem of determining whether moisture loss from fine fuels is being controlled by individual particles or by the fuelbed remains unresolved. Results from this laboratory experiment indicate that first-period timelags of longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris Mill.) needles are altered by fuelbed loading and needle arrangement. Timelags of individual needles ranged from 3.3 to 5.3 h; timelags of beds of vertically oriented needles (4.4 to 8.6 h) approximated those of individual particles, but were slightly influenced by loading. Beds of horizontal needles dried with load-dependent timelags that varied from 6.5 to 31.6 h. Fuel loads ranged from 0.04 (for individual particles) to 1.07 kg·m–2. We report a new metric, the area drying rate, which is analogous to a unit-area burning rate. For beds of flat needles, plots of the area drying rate versus fuel load illustrate a transition from control by individual particles to control by the bed structure when fuel loading is approximately 0.33 kg·m–2. Beds of vertical needles were particle controlled. Results should be useful to fire managers when modeling fire behavior.

Cryptococcus pinus sp. nov., an anamorphic basidiomycetous yeast isolated from pine litter

A novel species of the genus Cryptococcus, isolated from dead needles of Pinus sylvestris, was identified using mycocinotyping and rDNA sequence data. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the novel species was located in the Kwoniella clade of the Tremellales and was closely related to Cryptococcus dejecticola. The type strain of the novel species, Cryptococcus pinus sp. nov., is VKM Y-2958T (=CBS 10737T).

First Record of the GenusThaumatopelvisMahunka (Acari: Heterostigmata: Scutacaridae) from Europe

The first European record of the scutacarid genus Thaumatopelvis Mahunka, 1973 is presented. The mites were extracted from decayed pine litter collected from the Island of Elba (Italy). The finding represents a new species that is described in this paper as Thaumatopelvis blaszaki sp. nov.

Cave invertebrate assemblages differ between native and exotic leaf litter

Abstract Allochtonous leaf litter is an important source of energy and nutrients for invertebrates in cave ecosystems. A change to the quality or quantity of litter entering caves has the potential to disrupt the structure and function of cave communities. In this study, we adopted an experimental approach to examine rates of leaf litter decomposition and the invertebrate assemblages colonizing native and exotic leaf litter in limestone caves in the Jenolan Caves Karst Conservation Reserve, New South Wales, Australia. We deployed traps containing leaf litter from exotic sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and radiata pine (Pinus radiata) trees and native eucalypts (Eucalyptus spp.) in twilight zones (near the cave entrance) and areas deep within the caves for 3 months. Thirty‐two invertebrate morphospecies were recorded from the litter traps, with greater richness and abundance evident in the samples from the twilight zone compared with areas deep within the cave. Sycamore litter had significantly greater richness and abundance of invertebrates compared with eucalypt and pine litter in samples from the twilight zone, but there was no difference in richness or abundance among litter samples placed deep within the cave. Relative rates of decay of the three litters were sycamore &gt; eucalypt &gt; pine. We discuss the potential for the higher decomposition rates and specific leaf area in sycamores to explain their higher invertebrate diversity and abundance. Our findings have important implications for the management of exotic plants and the contribution of their leaf litter to subterranean ecosystems.