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The Contribution of Photodegradation to Litter Decomposition in Semiarid Mediterranean Grasslands Depends on its Interaction with Local Humidity Conditions, Litter Quality and Position

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Abstract

Understanding how UV radiation interacts with prevailing climatic conditions and litter quality to determine leaf litter decomposition is fundamental for understanding soil carbon cycling pathways and ecosystem functioning in drylands. We carried out a field manipulative experiment to investigate how litter quality (labile and nitrogen-rich Retama sphaerocarpa vs. recalcitrant and nitrogen-poor Stipa tenacissima), position (on the ground vs. standing) and different UV radiation levels (UV pass vs. UV block) affect litter decomposition rates at two semiarid Mediterranean steppes with contrasting climates (continental vs. maritime) in a fully factorial experimental design. As expected, Retama litter decomposed faster than that of Stipa, and litter placed on the ground decayed faster than standing litter. However, and surprisingly, contrasting effects of UV radiation on litter decomposition were observed between the two sites. At the continental site, UV radiation increased litter decay constants by 21% on average, although the contribution of photodegradation was larger when litter was placed on the ground rather than in standing litter. At the maritime site, decay constants were 15% larger in the absence of UV radiation regardless of litter position. Significant litter type × UV exposure radiation and litter type × position interactions indicate that photodegradation contributes more to litter decomposition under less favorable moisture and substrate availability conditions for microbial decomposers. Our results emphasize the need to consider interactions between moisture availability, litter quality and UV radiation in litter decomposition models to fully understand litter decomposition impacts on soil carbon cycling and storage in drylands under climate change.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Amy Austin for supporting this research at its early stage, and José M. Grünzweig for his help with the experimental design. The authors also thank María Martínez-Mena and Miguel Ángel Sánchez Monedero for providing laboratory facilities at CEBAS, and Eloisa García for her help with litterbags construction. This research was supported by funds from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project CGL2011-24748/PHOTODEG) and by the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant agreement 242658 (BIOCOM). The State Agency of Meteorology (AEMET) is also acknowledged for providing solar UV radiation data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, MNCN-CSIC, Serrano 115bis dpdo, E-28006, Madrid, Spain

    María Almagro & Ana Rey

  2. Soil and Water Conservation Research Group, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    María Almagro

  3. Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Edificio Sede No. 1, Planta 1ª, Parque Científico de UPV/EHU, Barrio Sarriena s/n, 48940, Leioa, Spain

    Javier Martínez-López

  4. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, E-28933, Móstoles, Spain

    Fernando T. Maestre

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  1. María Almagro
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  2. Javier Martínez-López
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  3. Fernando T. Maestre
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  4. Ana Rey
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Correspondence to María Almagro.

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Author contribution

AR and MA designed the experiment; MA and JML conducted field work; MA performed laboratory analyses; FTM contributed microclimate data; MA and JML performed data processing and analysis; MA wrote the paper with inputs from the rest of co-authors.

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Almagro, M., Martínez-López, J., Maestre, F.T. et al. The Contribution of Photodegradation to Litter Decomposition in Semiarid Mediterranean Grasslands Depends on its Interaction with Local Humidity Conditions, Litter Quality and Position. Ecosystems 20, 527–542 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-016-0036-5

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