Using experimental manipulation to assess the roles of leaf litter in the functioning of forest ecosystems

@article{Sayer2006UsingEM,
  title={Using experimental manipulation to assess the roles of leaf litter in the functioning of forest ecosystems},
  author={Emma J. Sayer},
  journal={Biological Reviews},
  year={2006},
  volume={81}
}
  • E. Sayer
  • Published 7 September 2005
  • Environmental Science
  • Biological Reviews
The widespread use of forest litter as animal bedding in central Europe for many centuries gave rise to the first litter manipulation studies, and their results demonstrated that litter and its decomposition are a vital part of ecosystem function. Litter plays two major roles in forest ecosystems: firstly, litterfall is an inherent part of nutrient and carbon cycling, and secondly, litter forms a protective layer on the soil surface that also regulates microclimatic conditions. By reviewing 152… 
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An overall neutral effect of litter presence on seedlings emergence and survival and a positive effect on seedling biomass is found and whereas for field experiments the response remained neutral, it was positive for common garden studies.
Distinct responses of soil respiration to experimental litter manipulation in temperate woodland and tropical forest
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The results suggest that in situ priming effects in wooded ecosystems track seasonality in litterfall and soil respiration but the amount of soil C released by priming is not proportional to rates of soil resppiration.
Experimental investigation of the importance of litterfall in lowland semi-evergreen tropical forest nutrient cycling
1. The cycling of nutrients in litterfall is considered a key mechanism in the maintenance of tropical forest fertility but its importance has rarely been quantified experimentally. 2.  We carried…
Variable Responses of Lowland Tropical Forest Nutrient Status to Fertilization and Litter Manipulation
Predicting future impacts of anthropogenic change on tropical forests requires a clear understanding of nutrient constraints on productivity. We compared experimental fertilization and litter…
Decomposition in tropical forests: a pan‐tropical study of the effects of litter type, litter placement and mesofaunal exclusion across a precipitation gradient
Summary 1. Litter decomposition recycles nutrients and causes large fluxes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It is typically assumed that climate, litter quality and decomposer communities…
Leaf litter manipulations alter soil physicochemical properties and tree growth in a Neotropical savanna
TLDR
It is suggested that nutrient cycling in plots with natural litter levels (control plots) was in a closed loop; most nutrients released by litter decomposition and mineralization were absorbed and reutilized immediately by the plants, thus minimizing nutrient leakage outside the system.
Effects of Litter Manipulation on Litter Decomposition in a Successional Gradients of Tropical Forests in Southern China
TLDR
It is suggested that change in litter quantity can affect litter decomposition, and this impact may become stronger with forest succession in tropical forest ecosystem.
AFTER THE FALL: HOW CHANGES IN TEMPERATE FORESTS ALTER WETLAND COMMUNITIES
The composition of species is continually shifting due to natural succession, disturbance, and human influences. Predicting effects of these changes requires understanding species interactions,…
The effects of litter quantity and quality on soil nutrients and litter invertebrates in the understory of two forests in southern China
TLDR
Differences in soil nutrients and invertebrate abundance may partially be explained by litter quantity and the diversity of the forests, and litter abundance has a more significant impact on soilrients and litter invertebrates than litter species composition.
Effect of leaf litter quantity and type on forest soil fauna and biological quality
It is important to assess forest litter management. Here we examined the effects of leaf litter addi- tion on the soil faunal community in Huitong subtropical forest region in Hunan Province, China.…
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References

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