Short-term effects of litter from 21 woody species on plant growth and root development (original) (raw)

Plant and Soil, 2014

Abstract

ABSTRACT Abstract Background and aims Plant litter has an important role in terrestrial ecosystems (Lambers et al. 2008). Our aim was to assess the short-term effect of litter from 21 woody species (deciduous and evergreens) on plant growth and root development. Methods We conducted a short-term experiment (10 weeks) under controlled conditions adding litter from 21 woody species to pots with Dactylis glomerata (target species). We determined plant biomass and root development and related these variables to decomposition rate and litter quality. Results Litter from two species enhanced plant growth whereas litter of five species inhibited it. Considering all species in the data set, plant growth was associated to litter with high decomposition rate and high litter quality: high Ca and N concentration and low polyphenols concentration. However, excluding from the analyses the two species that increased growth, litter inhibition effect on plant growth was related to the litter-polyphenols concentration. Plants growing with nutrient-richer litter had a lower proportion of fine roots which could be related to a litter mediated increase in soil nutrient. Conclusions Enhanced plant growth or, on the contrary, plant growth inhibition could be the result of a positive or, in turn, negative balance between nutrient and polyphenols concentration in litter. Keywords Decomposition rate . Litter calcium . Litter chemical composition . Growth inhibition . Specific root length

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