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Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes.

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Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes. / King, Rosalind F.; Dromph, Karsten M.; Bardgett, Richard D.
In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Vol. 34, No. 12, 12.2002, p. 1959-1963.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

King, RF, Dromph, KM & Bardgett, RD 2002, 'Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes.', Soil Biology and Biochemistry, vol. 34, no. 12, pp. 1959-1963. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00204-3

APA

Vancouver

King RF, Dromph KM, Bardgett RD. Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2002 Dec;34(12):1959-1963. doi: 10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00204-3

Author

King, Rosalind F. ; Dromph, Karsten M. ; Bardgett, Richard D. / Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes. In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 2002 ; Vol. 34, No. 12. pp. 1959-1963.

Bibtex

@article{2f781396924a4de88dc839bf0bf2c0b7,
title = "Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes.",
abstract = "Most studies on the importance of litter diversity to decomposition processes have examined effects of species richness, and have not considered the other important aspect of biodiversity, namely evenness (relative abundance of species). Using microcosms, we investigated how changes in species evenness and identity of litters (taken from a regenerating Betula pendula forest) affected decomposition processes. We showed that single litter species varied in their rate of decomposition (bilberry 44.4%, willow 49.9%, rowan 53.7% and birch 54.8% weight loss after 234 days). However, when in mixtures, changes in the evenness of these litters and the identity of the dominant species had no detectable effect on measures of decomposition such as weight loss (42.6–56.6% after 234 days), microbial respiration and dissolved organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen release. Dissolved organic nitrogen release was found to be significantly greater from high evenness litter mixtures, 0.236 mg l−1, than the single species treatments, 0.145 mg l−1, but only during the initial stages of the experiment. These results, therefore, provide no support for the idea that changes in evenness of litter inputs and the identity of dominant litters will affect decomposition processes and soil nutrient availability.",
keywords = "Leaf litter, Decomposition, Biodiversity, Evenness, Nutrient release",
author = "King, {Rosalind F.} and Dromph, {Karsten M.} and Bardgett, {Richard D.}",
year = "2002",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00204-3",
language = "English",
volume = "34",
pages = "1959--1963",
journal = "Soil Biology and Biochemistry",
issn = "0038-0717",
publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",
number = "12",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in species evenness of litter have no effect on decomposition processes.

AU - King, Rosalind F.

AU - Dromph, Karsten M.

AU - Bardgett, Richard D.

PY - 2002/12

Y1 - 2002/12

N2 - Most studies on the importance of litter diversity to decomposition processes have examined effects of species richness, and have not considered the other important aspect of biodiversity, namely evenness (relative abundance of species). Using microcosms, we investigated how changes in species evenness and identity of litters (taken from a regenerating Betula pendula forest) affected decomposition processes. We showed that single litter species varied in their rate of decomposition (bilberry 44.4%, willow 49.9%, rowan 53.7% and birch 54.8% weight loss after 234 days). However, when in mixtures, changes in the evenness of these litters and the identity of the dominant species had no detectable effect on measures of decomposition such as weight loss (42.6–56.6% after 234 days), microbial respiration and dissolved organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen release. Dissolved organic nitrogen release was found to be significantly greater from high evenness litter mixtures, 0.236 mg l−1, than the single species treatments, 0.145 mg l−1, but only during the initial stages of the experiment. These results, therefore, provide no support for the idea that changes in evenness of litter inputs and the identity of dominant litters will affect decomposition processes and soil nutrient availability.

AB - Most studies on the importance of litter diversity to decomposition processes have examined effects of species richness, and have not considered the other important aspect of biodiversity, namely evenness (relative abundance of species). Using microcosms, we investigated how changes in species evenness and identity of litters (taken from a regenerating Betula pendula forest) affected decomposition processes. We showed that single litter species varied in their rate of decomposition (bilberry 44.4%, willow 49.9%, rowan 53.7% and birch 54.8% weight loss after 234 days). However, when in mixtures, changes in the evenness of these litters and the identity of the dominant species had no detectable effect on measures of decomposition such as weight loss (42.6–56.6% after 234 days), microbial respiration and dissolved organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen release. Dissolved organic nitrogen release was found to be significantly greater from high evenness litter mixtures, 0.236 mg l−1, than the single species treatments, 0.145 mg l−1, but only during the initial stages of the experiment. These results, therefore, provide no support for the idea that changes in evenness of litter inputs and the identity of dominant litters will affect decomposition processes and soil nutrient availability.

KW - Leaf litter

KW - Decomposition

KW - Biodiversity

KW - Evenness

KW - Nutrient release

U2 - 10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00204-3

DO - 10.1016/S0038-0717(02)00204-3

M3 - Journal article

VL - 34

SP - 1959

EP - 1963

JO - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

JF - Soil Biology and Biochemistry

SN - 0038-0717

IS - 12

ER -