Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping
Urban landscaping conversions can alter decomposition processes and soil respiration, making it difficult to forecast regional CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. Here we explore rates of initial mass loss and net nitrogen (N) mineralization in natural and four common urban land covers (waterwise,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Urban Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/6/3/61 |
| _version_ | 1827656100376215552 |
|---|---|
| author | George L. Vourlitis Emma Lousie van der Veen Sebastian Cangahuala Garrett Jaeger Colin Jensen Cinzia Fissore Eric M. Wood Joel K. Abraham Kevin S. Whittemore Elijah Slaven Dustin VanOverbeke James Blauth Elizabeth Braker Nina Karnovsky Wallace M. Meyer |
| author_facet | George L. Vourlitis Emma Lousie van der Veen Sebastian Cangahuala Garrett Jaeger Colin Jensen Cinzia Fissore Eric M. Wood Joel K. Abraham Kevin S. Whittemore Elijah Slaven Dustin VanOverbeke James Blauth Elizabeth Braker Nina Karnovsky Wallace M. Meyer |
| author_sort | George L. Vourlitis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban landscaping conversions can alter decomposition processes and soil respiration, making it difficult to forecast regional CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. Here we explore rates of initial mass loss and net nitrogen (N) mineralization in natural and four common urban land covers (waterwise, waterwise with mulch, shrub, and lawn) from sites across seven colleges in southern California. We found that rates of decomposition and net N mineralization were faster for high-N leaf substrates, and natural habitats exhibited slower rates of decomposition and mineralization than managed urban landcovers, especially lawns and areas with added mulch. These results were consistent across college campuses, suggesting that our findings are robust and can predict decomposition rates across southern California. While mechanisms driving differences in decomposition rates among habitats in the cool-wet spring were difficult to identify, elevated decomposition in urban habitats highlights that conversion of natural areas to urban landscapes enhances greenhouse gas emissions. While perceived as sustainable, elevated decomposition rates in areas with added mulch mean that while these transformations may reduce water inputs, they increase soil carbon (C) flux. Mimicking natural landscapes by reducing water and nutrient (mulch) inputs and planting drought-tolerant native vegetation with recalcitrant litter can slow decomposition and reduce regional C emissions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:17:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1253895a997546afb278a16347ada784 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2413-8851 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:17:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Urban Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1253895a997546afb278a16347ada7842023-11-23T19:19:44ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512022-09-01636110.3390/urbansci6030061Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable LandscapingGeorge L. Vourlitis0Emma Lousie van der Veen1Sebastian Cangahuala2Garrett Jaeger3Colin Jensen4Cinzia Fissore5Eric M. Wood6Joel K. Abraham7Kevin S. Whittemore8Elijah Slaven9Dustin VanOverbeke10James Blauth11Elizabeth Braker12Nina Karnovsky13Wallace M. Meyer14Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, San Marcos, CA 92096, USABiology Department, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USAClaremont High School, Claremont, CA 91711, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, California State University, San Marcos, CA 92096, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, California State University, San Marcos, CA 92096, USADepartment of Biology and Environmental Science, Whittier College, Whittier, CA 90608, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USADepartment of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92831, USADepartment of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92831, USASue and Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USABiology Department, University of Redlands, 1200 E Colton Ave., Redlands, CA 92373, USABiology Department, University of Redlands, 1200 E Colton Ave., Redlands, CA 92373, USABiology Department, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USABiology Department, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USABiology Department, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711, USAUrban landscaping conversions can alter decomposition processes and soil respiration, making it difficult to forecast regional CO<sub>2</sub> emissions. Here we explore rates of initial mass loss and net nitrogen (N) mineralization in natural and four common urban land covers (waterwise, waterwise with mulch, shrub, and lawn) from sites across seven colleges in southern California. We found that rates of decomposition and net N mineralization were faster for high-N leaf substrates, and natural habitats exhibited slower rates of decomposition and mineralization than managed urban landcovers, especially lawns and areas with added mulch. These results were consistent across college campuses, suggesting that our findings are robust and can predict decomposition rates across southern California. While mechanisms driving differences in decomposition rates among habitats in the cool-wet spring were difficult to identify, elevated decomposition in urban habitats highlights that conversion of natural areas to urban landscapes enhances greenhouse gas emissions. While perceived as sustainable, elevated decomposition rates in areas with added mulch mean that while these transformations may reduce water inputs, they increase soil carbon (C) flux. Mimicking natural landscapes by reducing water and nutrient (mulch) inputs and planting drought-tolerant native vegetation with recalcitrant litter can slow decomposition and reduce regional C emissions.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/6/3/61carbon cycleC emissionsnative plantnitrogen cycleurban ecologyMediterranean |
| spellingShingle | George L. Vourlitis Emma Lousie van der Veen Sebastian Cangahuala Garrett Jaeger Colin Jensen Cinzia Fissore Eric M. Wood Joel K. Abraham Kevin S. Whittemore Elijah Slaven Dustin VanOverbeke James Blauth Elizabeth Braker Nina Karnovsky Wallace M. Meyer Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping Urban Science carbon cycle C emissions native plant nitrogen cycle urban ecology Mediterranean |
| title | Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping |
| title_full | Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping |
| title_fullStr | Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping |
| title_full_unstemmed | Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping |
| title_short | Examining Decomposition and Nitrogen Mineralization in Five Common Urban Habitat Types across Southern California to Inform Sustainable Landscaping |
| title_sort | examining decomposition and nitrogen mineralization in five common urban habitat types across southern california to inform sustainable landscaping |
| topic | carbon cycle C emissions native plant nitrogen cycle urban ecology Mediterranean |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/6/3/61 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT georgelvourlitis examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT emmalousievanderveen examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT sebastiancangahuala examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT garrettjaeger examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT colinjensen examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT cinziafissore examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT ericmwood examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT joelkabraham examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT kevinswhittemore examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT elijahslaven examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT dustinvanoverbeke examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT jamesblauth examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT elizabethbraker examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT ninakarnovsky examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping AT wallacemmeyer examiningdecompositionandnitrogenmineralizationinfivecommonurbanhabitattypesacrosssoutherncaliforniatoinformsustainablelandscaping |