Shifts in community leaf functional traits are related to litter decomposition along a secondary forest succession series in subtropical China
We investigated shifts in community weighted mean traits (CWM) of 14 leaf functional traits along a secondary successional series in an evergreen broadleaf forest in subtropical southeast China. Most of the investigated traits have been reported to affect litter decomposition in previous studies. We asked whether changes in CWMs along secondary succession followed similar patterns for all investigated traits and whether the shifts in CWM indicated a change in resource use strategy along the successional gradient. Using community decomposition rates (k-rates) estimated from annual litter production and standing litter biomass, we asked whether the dynamics of litter decomposition were related to changes in leaf functional traits along the successional series.
Shifts in CWM values generally followed logarithmic patterns for all investigated traits, whereas community k-rates remained stable along the successional gradient. In summary, the shifts in CWM values indicate a change in community resource use strategy from high nutrient acquisition to nutrient retention with ongoing succession. Stands with higher CWM values of traits related to nutrient acquisition had also higher CWM values of traits related to chemical resistance, whereas stands with higher CWM values of traits related to nutrient retention exhibited higher CWM values in leaf physical defense. Moreover, high values in CWM values related to nutritional quality (such as high leaf phosphorus concentrations) were found to promote community k-rates, whereas high values in physical or chemical defense traits (such as high contents in polyphenols or high leaf toughness) decreased litter decomposition rates. In consequence, litter decomposition, which was simultaneously affected by these characteristics, did not change significantly along succession. Our findings show that leaf decomposition within the investigated communities is dependent on the interplay of several traits and is a result from interactions of traits that affect decomposition in opposing directions.
2014-09-29 07:16:29 UTC
prep
SP03e Plant functional traits and functional diversity as predictors of ecosystem functioning
David Eichenberg, Dr.
david.eichenberg@uni-leipzig.de
Helge Bruelheide, Prof.
helge.bruelheide@botanik.uni-halle.de
Jin-Sheng He, Prof.
jshe@pku.edu.cn
Yuanyuan Huang
yuansjob@gmail.com
Stefan Trogisch, Dr.
stefan.trogisch@botanik.uni-halle.de
CSPs: Leaf litter decomposition in CSPs: decomposition rates (k-values)
main
false
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Prof.
michael.scherer@biologie.uni-freiburg.de
Stefan Trogisch, Dr.
stefan.trogisch@botanik.uni-halle.de
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/346/download
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/346/download.csv?separate_category_columns=true
CSPs: Leaf traits and chemicals from 132 tree species in the CSPs
main
false
Wenzel Kröber
noreply@uni.halle.de
David Eichenberg, Dr.
david.eichenberg@uni-leipzig.de
Helge Bruelheide, Prof.
helge.bruelheide@botanik.uni-halle.de
Martin Böhnke
martin.boehnke@botanik.uni-halle.de
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/242/download
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/242/download.csv?separate_category_columns=true
CSPs: Leaf traits and chemicals of 122 tree species in the CSPs
main
false
Martin Böhnke
martin.boehnke@botanik.uni-halle.de
Wenzel Kröber
noreply@uni.halle.de
David Eichenberg, Dr.
david.eichenberg@uni-leipzig.de
Helge Bruelheide, Prof.
helge.bruelheide@botanik.uni-halle.de
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/428/download
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/428/download.csv?separate_category_columns=true
CSPs: Leaf litter quantity and quality in CSPs (2009 - 2012), overview and chemical composition
main
false
Jin-Sheng He, Prof.
jshe@pku.edu.cn
Yuanyuan Huang
yuansjob@gmail.com
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/362/download
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/362/download.csv?separate_category_columns=true
CSPs: Leaf litter quantity in CSPs (2009 - 2012): litter species identity
main
false
Yuanyuan Huang
yuansjob@gmail.com
Jin-Sheng He, Prof.
jshe@pku.edu.cn
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/361/download
https://data.botanik.uni-halle.de/bef-china/datasets/361/download.csv?separate_category_columns=true
Journal of Plant Ecology; doi: 10.1093/jpe/rtu021
2014-08-29
accepted