TY - JOUR
T1 - Leaf traits capture the effects of land use changes and climate on litter decomposability of grasslands across Europe
AU - Fortunel, Claire
AU - Garnier, Eric
AU - Joffre, Richard
AU - Kazakou, Elena
AU - Quested, Helen
AU - Grigulis, Karl
AU - Lavorel, Sandra
AU - Ansquer, Pauline
AU - Castro, Helena
AU - Cruz, Pablo
AU - Doležal, Jiří
AU - Eriksson, Ove
AU - Freitas, Helena
AU - Golodets, Carly
AU - Jouany, Claire
AU - Kigel, Jaime
AU - Kleyer, Michael
AU - Lehsten, Veiko
AU - Lepš, Jan
AU - Meier, Tonia
AU - Pakeman, Robin
AU - Papadimitriou, Maria
AU - Papanastasis, Vasilios P.
AU - Quétier, Fabien
AU - Robson, Matt
AU - Sternberg, Marcelo
AU - Theau, Jean Pierre
AU - Thébault, Aurélie
AU - Zarovali, Maria
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - Land use and climate changes induce shifts in plant functional diversity and community structure, thereby modifying ecosystem processes. This is particularly true for litter decomposition, an essential process in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients. In this study, we asked whether changes in functional traits of living leaves in response to changes in land use and climate were related to rates of litter potential decomposition, hereafter denoted litter decomposability, across a range of 10 contrasting sites. To disentangle the different control factors on litter decomposition, we conducted a microcosm experiment to determine the decomposability under standard conditions of litters collected in herbaceous communities from Europe and Israel. We tested how environmental factors (disturbance and climate) affected functional traits of living leaves and how these traits then modified litter quality and subsequent litter decomposability. Litter decomposability appeared proximately linked to initial litter quality, with particularly clear negative correlations with lignin-dependent indices (litter lignin concentration, lignin : nitrogen ratio, and fiber component). Litter quality was directly related to community-weighted mean traits. Lignin-dependent indices of litter quality were positively correlated with community-weighted mean leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and negatively correlated with community-weighted mean leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC). Consequently, litter decomposability was correlated negatively with community-weighted mean LDMC., and positively with community-weigh ted mean LNC.
AB - Land use and climate changes induce shifts in plant functional diversity and community structure, thereby modifying ecosystem processes. This is particularly true for litter decomposition, an essential process in the biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients. In this study, we asked whether changes in functional traits of living leaves in response to changes in land use and climate were related to rates of litter potential decomposition, hereafter denoted litter decomposability, across a range of 10 contrasting sites. To disentangle the different control factors on litter decomposition, we conducted a microcosm experiment to determine the decomposability under standard conditions of litters collected in herbaceous communities from Europe and Israel. We tested how environmental factors (disturbance and climate) affected functional traits of living leaves and how these traits then modified litter quality and subsequent litter decomposability. Litter decomposability appeared proximately linked to initial litter quality, with particularly clear negative correlations with lignin-dependent indices (litter lignin concentration, lignin : nitrogen ratio, and fiber component). Litter quality was directly related to community-weighted mean traits. Lignin-dependent indices of litter quality were positively correlated with community-weighted mean leaf dry matter content (LDMC), and negatively correlated with community-weighted mean leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC). Consequently, litter decomposability was correlated negatively with community-weighted mean LDMC., and positively with community-weigh ted mean LNC.
KW - Climate
KW - Community functional parameters
KW - Disturbance
KW - Leaf traits
KW - Litter decomposability
KW - Litter quality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=63849220027&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1890/08-0418.1
DO - 10.1890/08-0418.1
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C2 - 19341132
AN - SCOPUS:63849220027
SN - 0012-9658
VL - 90
SP - 598
EP - 611
JO - Ecology
JF - Ecology
IS - 3
ER -