Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns
Peat accumulation is the result of an imbalance between the biomass production and the reduced decomposition of organic matter, which has allowed peatlands to accumulate high levels of carbon over time. Sphagnum-dominated peatlands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to increasing anthropog...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Geoderma |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003798 |
| _version_ | 1797398743389044736 |
|---|---|
| author | Raphael Müller Apoline Zahorka Franz Holawe Erich Inselsbacher Stephan Glatzel |
| author_facet | Raphael Müller Apoline Zahorka Franz Holawe Erich Inselsbacher Stephan Glatzel |
| author_sort | Raphael Müller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Peat accumulation is the result of an imbalance between the biomass production and the reduced decomposition of organic matter, which has allowed peatlands to accumulate high levels of carbon over time. Sphagnum-dominated peatlands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to increasing anthropogenic pressures and harsher environmental conditions caused by climate change. The resulting changes in vegetation alter litter interactions and change decomposition patterns by altering nutrient cycling, hydrological conditions and carbon sequestration capacity of bogs. The aim of this study was to identify decomposition patterns for different bog litter types and mixtures over time. We sampled litter from an ombrotrophic bog (Sphagnum, Betula, Calluna), prepared mixtures of litter types and incubated our samples under laboratory conditions. We evaluated decomposition proxies and used k-means clustering to detect the formation of litter- and mixture-specific decomposition patterns over time. Sphagnum litter had a consistently low decomposition and its presence in mixtures reduced enzymatic activities. Initially, Betula litter added high amounts of N and labile C compounds to leachates. k-means clustering revealed a typical initial decomposition pattern (i.e. lowest decomposition directly after starting the incubation, followed by highest decomposition rates, and a steady decrease until the end) for most litter types, except for Sphagnum. Litter-specific decomposition patterns emerged after 14 days. Betula litter did not enhance decomposition of other litter types in our short-term incubation, but additional nutrient inputs could alter peat-litter interactions in the long term, increasing the risk of losing the carbon sink function of nutrient-poor bogs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:29:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe9b86531b4a46e08bc8183f59060aeb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1872-6259 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:29:54Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geoderma |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe9b86531b4a46e08bc8183f59060aeb2023-12-10T06:13:37ZengElsevierGeoderma1872-62592023-12-01440116702Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patternsRaphael Müller0Apoline Zahorka1Franz Holawe2Erich Inselsbacher3Stephan Glatzel4University of Vienna, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Department of Geography, Geoecology, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE), Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Corresponding author at: University of Vienna, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Department of Geography, Geoecology, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria.University of Vienna, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Department of Geography, Geoecology, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences et Lettres University, Department of Geosciences, 45 rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, FranceUniversity of Vienna, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Department of Geography, Geoecology, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, AustriaUniversity of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Institute of Soil Research, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Peter-Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, AustriaUniversity of Vienna, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy, Department of Geography, Geoecology, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Vienna Doctoral School of Ecology and Evolution (VDSEE), Djerassiplatz 1, 1030 Vienna, AustriaPeat accumulation is the result of an imbalance between the biomass production and the reduced decomposition of organic matter, which has allowed peatlands to accumulate high levels of carbon over time. Sphagnum-dominated peatlands are among the most threatened ecosystems due to increasing anthropogenic pressures and harsher environmental conditions caused by climate change. The resulting changes in vegetation alter litter interactions and change decomposition patterns by altering nutrient cycling, hydrological conditions and carbon sequestration capacity of bogs. The aim of this study was to identify decomposition patterns for different bog litter types and mixtures over time. We sampled litter from an ombrotrophic bog (Sphagnum, Betula, Calluna), prepared mixtures of litter types and incubated our samples under laboratory conditions. We evaluated decomposition proxies and used k-means clustering to detect the formation of litter- and mixture-specific decomposition patterns over time. Sphagnum litter had a consistently low decomposition and its presence in mixtures reduced enzymatic activities. Initially, Betula litter added high amounts of N and labile C compounds to leachates. k-means clustering revealed a typical initial decomposition pattern (i.e. lowest decomposition directly after starting the incubation, followed by highest decomposition rates, and a steady decrease until the end) for most litter types, except for Sphagnum. Litter-specific decomposition patterns emerged after 14 days. Betula litter did not enhance decomposition of other litter types in our short-term incubation, but additional nutrient inputs could alter peat-litter interactions in the long term, increasing the risk of losing the carbon sink function of nutrient-poor bogs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003798Litter decompositionPeatlandsClimate changeSphagnumLitter mixingK-means clustering: decomposition patterns |
| spellingShingle | Raphael Müller Apoline Zahorka Franz Holawe Erich Inselsbacher Stephan Glatzel Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns Geoderma Litter decomposition Peatlands Climate change Sphagnum Litter mixing K-means clustering: decomposition patterns |
| title | Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns |
| title_full | Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns |
| title_fullStr | Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns |
| title_short | Incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of Sphagnum, Betula and Calluna results in the formation of single litter-specific decomposition patterns |
| title_sort | incubation of ombrotrophic bog litter and mixtures of sphagnum betula and calluna results in the formation of single litter specific decomposition patterns |
| topic | Litter decomposition Peatlands Climate change Sphagnum Litter mixing K-means clustering: decomposition patterns |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706123003798 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT raphaelmuller incubationofombrotrophicboglitterandmixturesofsphagnumbetulaandcallunaresultsintheformationofsinglelitterspecificdecompositionpatterns AT apolinezahorka incubationofombrotrophicboglitterandmixturesofsphagnumbetulaandcallunaresultsintheformationofsinglelitterspecificdecompositionpatterns AT franzholawe incubationofombrotrophicboglitterandmixturesofsphagnumbetulaandcallunaresultsintheformationofsinglelitterspecificdecompositionpatterns AT erichinselsbacher incubationofombrotrophicboglitterandmixturesofsphagnumbetulaandcallunaresultsintheformationofsinglelitterspecificdecompositionpatterns AT stephanglatzel incubationofombrotrophicboglitterandmixturesofsphagnumbetulaandcallunaresultsintheformationofsinglelitterspecificdecompositionpatterns |