Leaf litter decomposition of Piper aduncum, Gliricidia sepium and Imperata cylindrica in the humid lowlands of Papua New Guinea
TL;DR: Piper leaf litter is a significant and easily decomposable source of K which is an important nutrient for sweet potato and the decomposition and nutrient release patterns had significant effects on the soil.
Abstract: No information is available on the decomposition and nutrient release pattern of Piper aduncum and Imperata cylindrica despite their importance in shifting cultivation systems of Papua New Guinea and other tropical regions. We conducted a litter bag study (24 weeks) on a Typic Eutropepts in the humid lowlands to assess the rate of decomposition of Piper aduncum, Imperata cylindrica and Gliricidia sepium leaves under sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Decomposition rates of piper leaf litter were fastest followed closely by gliricidia, and both lost 50% of the leaf biomass within 10 weeks. Imperata leaf litter decomposed much slower and half-life values exceeded the period of observation. The decomposition patterns were best explained by the lignin plus polyphenol over N ratio which was lowest for piper (4.3) and highest for imperata (24.7). Gliricidia leaf litter released 79 kg N ha(-1), whereas 18 kg N ha(-1) was immobilised in the imperata litter. The mineralization of P was similar for the three species, but piper litter released large amounts of K. The decomposition and nutrient release patterns had significant effects on the soil. The soil contained significantly more water in the previous imperata plots at 13 weeks due to the relative slow decomposition of the leaves. Soil N levels were significantly reduced in the previous imperata plots due to immobilisation of N. Levels of exchangeable K were significantly increased in the previous piper plots due to the large addition of K. It can be concluded that piper leaf litter is a significant and easily decomposable source of K which is an important nutrient for sweet potato. Gliricidia leaf litter contained much N, whereas imperata leaf litter releases relatively little nutrients and keeps the soil more moist. Gliricidia fallow is more attractive than an imperata fallow for it improves the soil fertility and produces fuelwood as additional saleable products.
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TL;DR: In this paper, soil properties in a sand borrow pit in southern Georgia, USA that was used in 1961 and then abandoned with no efforts at reclamation and compares those developing soils to natural soils surrounding the pit.
Abstract: This study investigated soil properties in a sand borrow pit in southern Georgia, USA that was used in 1961 and then abandoned with no efforts at reclamation and compares those developing soils to natural soils surrounding the pit. There are distinct vegetative zones within the pit; three are included in this study. Soil samples were collected and described using standard techniques and analyzed for bulk density, C content, texture, pH, and penetration resistance. Piezometers and thermometers were installed to track water levels and soil temperature. Rates of leaf litter accumulation and pit revegetation were determined, and a detailed topographic map of the pit was prepared. Although soil formation over only 41 yr is slight, there are distinct differences in the soils between the vegetative zones that were studied. Soil differences are attributed to differences in topographically controlled access to water and bulk density/penetration resistance, which infl uence vegetative growth and litter accumulation. Study of surrounding developed soils reveals that soils within the pit still have a signifi cant amount of development remaining before they reach equilibrium with the natural environment. Peer Reviewed Papers
37 citations
Cites background from "Leaf litter decomposition of Piper ..."
...Litt er fall and accumulation, which includes both leaf and twig material, is an important source of soil organic matt er and nutrients in forest soils (Buol et al., 1997; Hartemink and O’Sullivan, 2001; Schaetzl and Anderson, 2005; Finkl and Restrepo-Coupe, 2007) such as those in and around the borrow pit....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the litter produced by Mediterranean shrub legumes subjected to two conditions of aridity, i.e., semi-arid and arid, and found that a higher availability of water led to a 110% increase in litter production by Colutea arborescens and a 24% increase for Medicago strasseri.
Abstract: This study was designed to evaluate the litter produced by Mediterranean shrub legumes subjected to two conditions of aridity. Seasonal litterfall patterns and litter chemistry showed no significant variation with soil aridity. The effects of aridity on the amount of litter produced were related to the plant species. A higher availability of water led to a 110% increase in litter production by Colutea arborescens (3191 vs. 1516 kg ha−1) and to a 24% increase for Medicago strasseri (5288 vs. 4258 kg ha−1). The litter provided by Colutea cilicica failed to significantly increase (1651 vs. 1825 kg ha−1) in less arid conditions. In our experimental conditions, Dorycnium hirsutum showed high mortality and scarce persistence. In general, the litter supplied by these shrub legumes was low in lignin and showed high levels of easily degradable organic-C. Its N content, in the range 18 to 26.5 g kg−1, was similar to that described by others for multipurpose tropical legumes. Under the semi-arid conditions of central Spain, C. arborescens and C. cilicica gave rise to potential yearly returns of 662 and 693 kg ha−1 organic-C, and 35 and 44 kg ha−1 N, respectively. M. strasseri provided a yearly organic-C return (1742 kg ha−1) similar to that of a mature Mediterranean wood, and to a potential N return (78 kg ha−1) that substantially exceeded this reference. Compared to the sclerophyllous species typical of the Mediterranean environment, shrub legumes show a much greater potential for enhancing N and organic-C levels, and consequently, for improving the biological activity of degraded soils. This feature is thought to be associated with the rapid and constant renewal of their leaves and their ability to provide the soil with other easily degraded materials.
34 citations
TL;DR: The results showed that P. aduncum cultivation is feasible and the variation in chemical composition of the two sites may indicate an environmental influence, since chemical and isoenzyme analysis did not show great differences.
Abstract: Piper aduncum L., Piperaceae, stands out due to its biological activities, however, it is still found in the wild and little is known about its agronomic point of view. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and to analyze the chemical composition of essential oils from leaves of P. aduncum collected in two different sites of Cerrado as well as in cultivated plants. The cultivation was installed out in a greenhouse using cuttings of adult specimens. Essential oils were obtained from fresh leaves. Plants from the two studied locations showed erect growth habit and behavior of linear growth. The essential oils composition of P. aduncum from Bocaiuva did not differ between wild and cultivated plants, as the major substance identified as 1,8-cineole. The plants from Montes Claros site showed a distinct concentration for the two samples, being the major substance characterized as transocimene (13.4%) for wild and 1,8-cineole (31.3%) for cultivated plants. Samples from both locations showed a similar essential oil composition in cultivars. Our results showed that P. aduncum cultivation is feasible and the variation in chemical composition of the two sites may indicate an environmental influence, since chemical and isoenzyme analysis did not show great differences.
32 citations
Cites background from "Leaf litter decomposition of Piper ..."
...The rapid growth is most likely associated with the high fertility of the soil and with high humidity because the species consumes a large quantity of water (Hartemink, 2001; Hartemink and O’Sullivan, 2000; Stohlgren et al., 1999)....
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TL;DR: In Papua New Guinea the shrub Piper aduncum (L) has invaded the humid lowlands and locally dominates the fallow vegetation, mainly in Morobe and Madang Provinces as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: In Papua New Guinea the shrub Piper aduncum (L) has invaded the humid lowlands and locally dominates the fallow vegetation, mainly in Morobe and Madang Provinces. It is not known when or how Piper aduncum arrived in Papua New Guinea, but it is likely that seeds were introduced by accident from Papua (Irian Jaya) or perhaps from Fiji, where it was introduced in the 1920s (Hartemink, 2001). The botanist Mary Clemens first observed Piper aduncum (hereafter referred to as piper) in 1935 near the Heldsbach mission station near Finschhafen in Morobe Province. It was not very widespread by the early 1970s and is not listed in the standard text
32 citations
01 Jan 2008
32 citations
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TL;DR: Two general analytical approaches to the examination of decomposition data are reviewed and single and double exponential models best describe the loss of mass over time with an element of biological realism.
Abstract: The study of plant litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems commonly employs litter bags to compare the loss of mass among species, among sites, and under various experimental manipulations, or to investigate the process itself. Analysis of the resulting data is quite variable among investigators, and at times inappropriate. Two general analytical approaches to the examination of decomposition data are reviewed. Analysis of variance is useful if the intent is to compare treatment means, but does not directly test hypotheses regarding decomposition rates. If the intent is to determine rate constants, than fitting mathematical models to data is the more appropriate analysis. Single and double exponential models best describe the loss of mass over time with an element of biological realism. See full-text article at JSTOR
937 citations
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01 Nov 1996
TL;DR: Pathways and processes in decomposition foraging, feeding and feedback manipulation of plant litter quality synchrony and soil organic matter - theory into practice?
Abstract: Pathways and processes in decomposition foraging, feeding and feedback manipulation of plant litter quality synchrony and soil organic matter - theory into practice? building soil organic matter modelling - providing the framework.
933 citations
786 citations
"Leaf litter decomposition of Piper ..." refers methods in this paper
...Lignin was determined by the procedure of Van Soest and Wine (1968), and polyphenol by that of Dalzell and Kerven (1998), using purifiedLeucaena pallidacondensed tannin as standard....
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TL;DR: In this article, the chemical composition and N release patterns of legumes being used in tropical agroecosystems were determined in a laboratory experiment and three patterns of net N mineralization emerged during the 8-weeks.
Abstract: Leguminous plant materials used as mulches, green manures and cover crops are generally assumed to provide a readily-available source of N to crops. However, little is known about the chemical composition and N release patterns of the variety of legumes being used in tropical agroecosystems. N release patterns from the leaflets of 10 troplcal legumes and rice straw were determined in a laboratory experiment. Ground leaf material was allowed to decompose in an acid soil (pH 4.5) for 8 weeks and the soil was analyzed periodically for extractable NH4+-N and NO3∼, -N. N release in the soil plus plant material were compared to that of the soil without plant material added and related to the N, lignin and polyphenolic concentrations of the leaflets. Three patterns of net N mineralization emerged during the 8-weeks. One pattern exhibited by the control soil, rice straw and leaves of two of the leguminous plants was a low, positive net mineralization. Another pattern showed much higher rates of mineralization than the control soil and the third pattern showed initial net immobilization followed by low but positive net mineralization rates. The amount of N mineralized during the 8 weeks as compared to the control soil ranged from +46 to −20% of the N added in plant material. Net mineralization was not correlated to % N or % lignin in the leaf material but was found to be negatively correlated to the polyphenolic concentration, r = −0.63, or the polyphenolic-to-N ratio, r = −0.75. Mineralization in excess of the control soil was found only for materials with a polyphenolic-to-N ratio
724 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the decomposition and nutrient release patterns of three woody agroforestry plant species (Acioa barteri, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala), maize (Zea mays) stover and rice (Oryza sativa) straw, were investigated under field conditions in the humid tropics, using litterbags of three mesh sizes (0.5, 2 and 7 mm) which allowed differential access of soil fauna.
Abstract: Decomposition and nutrient release patterns of prunings of three woody agroforestry plant species (Acioa barteri, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala), maize (Zea mays) stover and rice (Oryza sativa) straw, were investigated under field conditions in the humid tropics, using litterbags of three mesh sizes (0.5, 2 and 7 mm) which allowed differential access of soil fauna. The decomposition rate constants ranged from 0.01 to 0.26 week−1, decreasing in the following order; Gliricidia prunings >Leucaena prunings > rice straw > maize stover >Acioa prunings. Negative correlations were observed between decomposition rate constants and C:N ratio (P < 0.004), percent lignin (P < 0.014) and polyphenol content (P < 0.053) of plant residues. A positive correlation was observed between decomposition rate constant and mesh-size of litterbag (P < 0.057). These results indicate that both the chemical composition of plant residues and nature of the decomposer played an important role in plant residue decomposition.
Nutrient release differed with quality of plant residues and litterbag mesh-size. Total N, P, Ca and Mg contents of plant residues decreased with time for Gliricidia and Leucaena prunings, maize stover, and rice straw, and increased with time for Acioa prunings. There was some indication of N immobilization in maize stover and rice straw; P immobilization in Leucaena prunings and rice straw; and Ca immobilization in maize stover, rice straw and Gliricidia and Leucaena prunings. Acioa prunings immobilized N, P, Ca and Mg. All plant residues released K rapidly. Nutrient release increased with increasing mesh-size of litterbags, suggesting that soil faunal activities enhanced nutrient mobilization.
577 citations
"Leaf litter decomposition of Piper ..." refers background in this paper
...The rapid initial loss of K, particularly from the piper leaf litter, is commonly found in litter bag studies (Budelman, 1988; Palm and Sanchez, 1990; Tian et al., 1992a)....
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...…number of studies have been conducted under laboratory conditions (Handayanto et al., 1997; Lupwayi and Haque, 1998; Palm and Sanchez, 1991; Tian et al., 1992b) or under field conditions with no crop after the fallow (Budelman, 1988; Handayanto et al., 1994; Mwiinga et al., 1994; Oglesby…...
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