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Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
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Functional leaf attributes predict litter decomposition rate in herbaceous plants
J H C Cornelissen1, K Thompson1
1NERC Unit of Comparative Plant Ecology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
The New Phytologist
|April 17, 2021
Summary
Leaf toughness and silicon content predict decomposition rates in herbaceous species. Plant base content is a key predictor, with differing ecological drivers between monocots and dicots.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Plant Biology
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Leaf litter decomposition is a critical ecosystem process influencing nutrient cycling.
- Functional traits of living leaves are hypothesized to predict the decomposition rates of the resulting leaf litter.
- Understanding these relationships can improve ecosystem models and predict the impact of changing plant communities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that functional attributes of living leaves predict leaf litter decomposition rates.
- To investigate the differences in these relationships between graminoid monocots and herbaceous dicots.
- To explore the underlying ecological and evolutionary drivers of litter decomposition.
Main Methods:
- Standardized screening tests were performed on living leaves of 38 British herbaceous species.
- Leaf toughness, silicon content, total base content, and specific mineral elements (K, Ca, N, P) were measured.
- Litter decomposition rates were assessed and correlated with the measured functional attributes.
Main Results:
- Graminoid monocots exhibited tougher leaves with higher silicon content, correlating with slower decomposition compared to herbaceous dicots.
- Total base content of living leaves was a significant predictor of litter decomposition rate across species.
- In monocots, leaf potassium content strongly predicted decomposition, linked to growth traits (e.g., relative growth rate, N, P content, specific leaf area, leaf lifespan).
- In dicots, the relationship between base content and decomposition was less clear, potentially due to variable calcium uptake influenced by soil availability.
Conclusions:
- Functional leaf traits, particularly toughness and mineral content, are valuable predictors of leaf litter decomposition rates.
- The ecological and evolutionary bases for the relationship between leaf traits and decomposition differ between monocots and dicots.
- Plant physiological traits and soil conditions interact to influence decomposition dynamics, highlighting the complexity of nutrient cycling.
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