Decomposition and nutrient release from

Pinus sylvestris L. leaf litter in stands with

different thinning intensity.
Blanco J.A., Imbert J.B. and Castillo F.J.
Departamento de Ciencias del Medio Natural. Universidad Pública de Navarra. Arrosadía s/n, 31006, Pamplona,
Spain.

INTRODUCTION MATHERIALS AND METHODS

Litter fall and litter decomposition are key processes in nutrient Forest Treatments
cycling of forest ecosystems. Many studies have shown increased Thinning intensities were established it Garde (August, 1999) and in Aspurz (November, 1999) on nine 30 m
rates of organic matter decomposition and nutrient turnover in x 40 m plots, with three plots each thinning intensity:
forest ecosystems following canopy removal (Kim et al., 1996). In
decomposition litter, patterns of change in nutrient concentrations * 0% = Uncut
vary depending on the type of nutrient (Staaf and Berg, 1982). * 20% = 20% basal area removed
* 30% = 30% basal area removed
In the present investigation, we examined the effects of thinning
intensity on decomposition processes and nutrients mineralization Decomposition study
in two different Pinus sylvestris L. forests in the western Pyrenees The litterbag technique was used. Bags (15 cm x 20 cm) were made of a PVC coated fiberglass net, with a
(Spain): Aspurz (680 m, 10% slope) and Garde (1250 m, 50% mesh size of 2 mm. 10 g of litter was placed in each bag. Chemical composition was determined on the initial
slope). material. Seven samplings were made, with nine replicated bags being collected in each occasion

RESULTS

ASPURZ GARDE
110 110 In Aspurz mass loss was 36% (k = 0.191) while in Garde
Thinning intensity Thinning intensity there was only 22% of mass loss (k = 0.088) (Fig. 1).
0% 0%
100 20% 100
20%
30% 30%
Statistical analysis of Olson's (1963) litter decomposition
Remaining weigth (%)

Remaining weight (%)

90 90 index (k) did not detect significant differences between

thinning intensities in the first year of the experiment, but
80 80
differences were significant between locations.

70 70
In Aspurz, in the eleventh month of the experiment, the
nutrient concentrations in uncut plots were N : 1.05%, P :
60 60
0.47 mg/g , K : 0.53 mg/g, Ca : 5.60 mg/g and Mg : 0.47
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Days Days mg/g, but in 30% thinning they were N : 1.36%, P : 0.57
mg/g, K : 0.59 mg/g, Ca : 4.97 mg/g and Mg : 0.60 mg/g.

Fig 1. Remaining weights in litterbags (n=9) at different thinnin intensities, 2000-2001. In Garde, in the eleventh month of the experiment, the
nutrient concentrations in uncut plots were N : 0.90%, P :
0.59 mg/g , K : 0.31 mg/g, Ca : 6.06 mg/g and Mg : 0.72
mg/g, but in 30% thinning they were N : 1.18%, P : 0.78
mg/g, K : 0.87 mg/g, Ca : 4.46 mg/g and Mg : 0.79 mg/g
3 9

NITROGEN CALCIUM
8
For the leaf litter concentration of N, P, K, Ca and Mg there
were not significant differences between thinning intensities
7
Ca concentration (mg/g)

in Aspurz, however, in Garde nutrient concentrations (except

N concentration (%)

2 6
Ca) were significantly lower with 0% thinning than in 30%
5 thinning (Fig. 2).
4

1
3
There were not significant differences in lignin between
thinning intensities. Lignin concentration increased 18% in
2
Aspurz and 12% in Garde in the first year but differences
1,2
1
1,2
were not significant.
PHOSPORUS MAGNESIUM
1,0 1,0
CONCLUSIONS
Mg concentration (mg/g)
P concentration (mg/g)

0,8 0,8
Olson’s litter decomposition index in Aspurz are significatly
0,6
0,6
higher than in Garde.

0,4
0,4 Thinning may cause differences in the nutrient concentrations
of leaf litter under more adverse climatic conditions.
0,2
0,2

7 45 These results suggest that in our study area climatic factors

6
POTASIUM LIGNIN
40
are more influential on the decomposition process than
thinning practices.
Lignin concentration (%)
K concentration (mg/g)

5 35

4 30
REFERENCES
3
Thinning Intensity 25

Garde 0% Staaf, H. and Berg, B. (1982). Canadian Journal of Botany,

2 20
Garde 30%
Thinning intensity 60, 1561-1568.
Aspurz 0%
1
Aspurz 30%
15 Kim, C.; Sharik, T. L. and Jurgensen, M. F. (1996). Forest
0 10
Ecology and Management, 80,13-20.
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Olson, J.S. (1963). Ecology 14:322-331.
Days Days
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Funding for this study was provided by the Departamento de

Educación y Cultura del Gobierno de Navarra. The stand
Fig 2. Nutrient dynamics (n=9) at different thinnin intensities, 2000-2001. manipualtions of the Departamento de Medio Ambiente del
Gobierno de Navarra are gratefully acknolewed.